Raced again this morning. Silly was out with a sprained ankle, but true to form she made me race anyway. I got 4th (again), but almost hit the 3rd place guy at the finish. Not quite enough room to catch him (or fitness), but I tried. It was cool.
I believe that would be the three legged dawg race at Burns Park.
You would be correct. CARP didn't want to take over the race at camp (as promoters), and I think Pat got a bit tired of dealing with it. A few more races this season though, you guys should come out!
Sunday July, 16th Arkansas Fat Tire Festival Eureka Springs, AR
Sunday September, 17th Northwest Arkansas Championship Devils Den State Park, AR
Sunday October, 1st Bear Creek Challenge Daisy State Park, Daisy, AR
Sunday October, 29th Womble Classic Fishing Village, Mount Ida, AR
Sunday November, 19th Attila the Hun Cedar Glades Park, Hot Springs, AR
Great job on consistency Aaron. You'll only get better. AND, you can beat that third place guy (in the red riding the other way), if you skip the wheelie at the start!
Sprained ankle? Tell Sarah to check out the article about Luna Chix in this month's Mountain Bike mag. That'll keep her going until she gets back into it.
For me, I haven't been on an MTB since AR. My riding buddy was tempting me the other day to go up to ride mtb in WI: "c'mon.... you know you want to!" but I'm progressing so steadily on the road this season, I'm kinda freaked about changing now.
The guy in red wasn't even in my class; the wheelie pic was something my dad snapped when I was riding around chatting before the race. I just wanted to put it up because it makes me look cool.
Are you riding clipless pedals? The pic looks like running shoes.....but maybe it's an illusion. Or maybe you where your tennis shoes when doing wheelies for dad.
We haven't been successful at talking him into tying them down yet.
Please espplain! Does he wreck alot? Dab alot? Walk alot? Ride a Garbage bike? New to riding? New to off road? Need to be encouraged MORE? Perhaps forcibly?
The pic looks like running shoes.....but maybe it's an illusion. Or maybe you where your tennis shoes when doing wheelies for dad.
Clipless would get you an extra spot or two.
I was out of town last week. Took my mtn bike but left my shoes. What fun it was riding around in Vans. Got some odd looks, usually by people who I was passing. Living at elevation has its privileges.
Are you riding clipless pedals? The pic looks like running shoes.....but maybe it's an illusion. Or maybe you where your tennis shoes when doing wheelies for dad.
Clipless would get you an extra spot or two.
Nope. I don't feel comfortable with clipless on the mountain bike yet. I don't think I need them either, but you may want to ask some of the fitness retreat riders. Plus, dope running shoes help you get chicks!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flee
Please espplain! Does he wreck alot? Dab alot? Walk alot? Ride a Garbage bike? New to riding? New to off road? Need to be encouraged MORE? Perhaps forcibly?
Please...help me understand this.
Not really. No, I've been working on my track stand. No, walking sucks. Hope not (original Santa Cruz Blur). Nope. Nope. Good luck. I've got several friends (expert level mtn bike racers) that are foaming at the mouth trying to get me on clipless pedals. Dunno if I ever will, as I really like to play alot on the bike.
Quote:
Originally Posted by castufari
I was out of town last week. Took my mtn bike but left my shoes. What fun it was riding around in Vans. Got some odd looks, usually by people who I was passing. Living at elevation has its privileges.
If you think that gets you funny looks, try lining up for a race and having someone comment "boy I sure hope your feet don't slip off those pedals" and then explaining that you spent the previous night sharpening them with a dremel!
It's really not uncommon to see riders on shin burgers, like Aaron's. It's true a lot of our friends are foaming at the mouth trying to get him to clip in, but he's placing top 5 consistently in a 20+ field. I don't think this season is the time to make the switch. Maybe this winter he'll give it a shot, but the flat pedals he runs don't usually move anywhere and he's got a super smooth spin from being light and climbing on the roadie. A little bit about his level/style for ya Flee-
Thanks for answering the questions. Sounds like to me you are a great bike rider and a great bike handler. Perhaps you have a history on bikes? Grew up riding them, or BMX racing? The best rider I have had the opportunity to ride with was a flat pedal wearing, clipless pedal dominating mofo. So there are some people out there than can hold out, that don't necessairly need to make the change. I always said to him "thank goodness you don't ride clipless". Because he would dominate even more.......not less.
I believe that your apparent skills warrent the switch. If your not struggling in any area....it's hard for me to understand your resistance. Yeah, your doing fine in your races, yeah you like to play, perhaps bunny hop and jump your bike. All these things can be done at a certain level clipped in. Now if you are hitting 8 foot gaps and launching big stuff or riding 4x coarses, then those riders sometimes choose flat pedals.
You must feel the energy transfer when clipped in on the road bike. You can't deny it's incredible feeling. Every ounce of your muscle capacity and energy and efficiency is put into the pedals. You can have the same feeling with your Mountain bike. And there is nothing to be afraid of...or worried about. You won't have any problems with it.......if your a bike handler as you say you are.
Why are you not making the jump? What is preventing you? What are you worried about, unsure of? I understand your performance is satisfying to you at this point. But some say your energy transfer can go up a significant percentage when you go to clipless.
5 years???? I was on clipless within 8 months of my first ride....and I will never go back. I'm no expert bike handler...but I love to Bunny hop, jump, high speeds and technical trail. I ride a first run Blur as well, and love it.
He's not a follower...He doesn't want to go clipless. I will be the first to admit that my husband is an amazing rider, and could be even better if he rode with the fast riders instead of waiting for me and riding slow. However, I'm not convinced that riding clipless pedals will make my husband a faster rider. Actually, I don't think it will. Some people it will make faster, but I don't think it matters to him or will matter to him.
He's not a follower...He doesn't want to go clipless. I will be the first to admit that my husband is an amazing rider, and could be even better if he rode with the fast riders instead of waiting for me and riding slow. However, I'm not convinced that riding clipless pedals will make my husband a faster rider. Actually, I don't think it will. Some people it will make faster, but I don't think it matters to him or will matter to him.
Your commitment to your husband is a beautiful thing. You should be congratulated, and so should he (on a finding a good woman and riding with her). With that being said, you have some explaining to do.
He's not a follower? Umm.......ok.......all us clipless riders are? It isn't a matter of being a follower, it's a matter of effeciency. There is a REASON that the entire XC field at any given event are 100% clipped in.
No one has answered WHY he doesn't want to do it. It seems silly.
Yes, he could be a better rider if you are holding him up. But I have not and will not question his loyalty to his woman. Again, that should be commended.
How do you think it won't make him faster? Logically........how does it not make him faster? Because he cannot mentally handle being clipped in on trails that have aggressive features? Give him more credit than that.......he's a good rider, right? So what will hold him back when he clips in? What makes him slower?
I can see he pops wheelies. How is his bunny hopping skills. Coming up on a log at 15mph +. Does he have to slow to clear a 1 foot high log crossing? Or can he just pull up on the bars and pull up with the feet and clear the obsticle? What about a 2 foot log? If he is bunny hopping really well with flats then thats another story. But again, no one has suggested that he leaps tall buildings on his flats.
I don't really care. But I care to understand the thinking behind it. Give me something with some substance. Did he have a bad experience clipped in once?
My personal belief is that he was traumatized as a child by a pair of very aggressive SPD's. Of course it could be that he just never falls down so the only pain he gets is from catching a shin burner just right. And we all know, pain is good!
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Today's mighty oak was once just some nut who held his ground!
I guess Flee really wants me riding clipless. I dunno why I don't. No reason other than I don't. Yeah, sometimes the extra security would be nice but there are also times (20+ MPH on a 6" ribbon at the Womble or something) when it wouldn't. Maybe someday I'll try it.
No bad experience with clipless other than a couple moron moments on my road bike. Luckily, most of my serious crashes were all growing up. It seems like some people here are giving me ALOT more credit then I'm due. I'm not scared of it or even really worried, I just see no need for them on my MTB at this point. I can wear the shoes I want, walk where I want, fall off how I want, and really just bug everybody with my running shoes; it's fun!
I guess Flee really wants me riding clipless. I dunno why I don't. No reason other than I don't. Yeah, sometimes the extra security would be nice but there are also times (20+ MPH on a 6" ribbon at the Womble or something) when it wouldn't. Maybe someday I'll try it.
No bad experience with clipless other than a couple moron moments on my road bike. Luckily, most of my serious crashes were all growing up. It seems like some people here are giving me ALOT more credit then I'm due. I'm not scared of it or even really worried, I just see no need for them on my MTB at this point. I can wear the shoes I want, walk where I want, fall off how I want, and really just bug everybody with my running shoes; it's fun!
Fair enough, I guess. I will be interested when you change......what you think after some time on emm in the dirt. It may be 6 months away, it may be 3 years down the road.
Once I am clipped in....I give no more thought to the fact that I am clipped in. Even at 20+ on a 6" ribbon of the womble. Or 30+ on the same trail!
My only advice is once you do it, go with HIGH end spd, or any level of Time or Egg beater. Low end SPD do NOT inspire confidence if you like to bunny hop or launch (which I do). The low end stuff will sometimes let go of a foot....and mid jump that is no fun. Time or Eggs won't let you down.
I still say you would be pleasantly surprised. But lucky for you, I can't heckle you in person 2 days a week.
There is still a chance I might get to meet the Arkansas crew. Aaron, you can ride away from me on the trail in your asics...and laugh all the way down into Sims. But if I dust you......i'm gunna heckle you. In a freindly way of course.
Mountain bikes are FUN!!
Tell Sarah to check out the article about Luna Chix in this month's Mountain Bike mag. That'll keep her going until she gets back into it. 
I will be interested when you change......what you think after some time on emm in the dirt. It may be 6 months away, it may be 3 years down the road. 
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