Mountain Bikes!

Looks like Hawes trail system near me.

 

Yeah, top of Sunset Ridge. Still haven't had time to hit Boulder Dash, but the new jump line is a lot of fun.

 

I float between Sedona and Gilbert. I used to do all the Phx area trails. S.Mtn, Hawes, McDowell and SanTan. Haven't done enough biking in the past 2 years.

 

Instead of buying a Giant Revolt, I spent a bit more cash and ended up with a Lauf Seigla. Yesterday was it's first real gravel ride at 38 miles, and the bike was awesome. I had an early issue with their fork that they resolved quickly with a replacement. Thing rips.

Not my photo below, but it's the same bike.

 

Also, Intense Cycles has a $1,000 discount on all bikes if you use the pulp MX code below. Pretty tempting.

PULP1K
https://intensecycles.com/

 

That Lauf is flat pretty. My friend bought one, and loves it. Enjoy!

 

Can you please explain what this fork / axle / caliper mount is all about? Never seen anything like it, and wondering what it offers and / or solves, given it would seem to add some additional weight.

 

It's a suspension fork.
https://www.laufcycling.com/product/lauf-grit-sl

 

I was very curious too. Take a look at this link ( https://www.bikeradar.com/reviews/bikes/gravel-bikes/lauf-seigla-review/ ), about 1/8 of the way down the page, under the heading "Lauf Seigla specification," they explain the "fork / axle / caliper mount," as well as give a little better photo to help understand how it works. Gotta say, its pretty cool.
.

 

Yeah, it’s neat. It’s pretty unnoticeable riding it too, it just takes a lot of of bumps and chatter out of gravel.

 

A couple buddies I ride with have them on their fat bikes. I hear all good things.

A bit different - Specialized's Diverge has the "future shock" on the front of it. 30mm of travel inside the stem, essentially taking the edge off bumps, which you can dial up/down with an adjuster knob. It's legit. Coming from a fused wrist, I switched from a Trek Checkpoint to a Diverge mainly for that and love it.

 

I rode the Diverge before I got the Salsa Warbird. At the time, the Diverge had road-bike drivetrain and the Salsa had the then-new GRX. I liked the damping on the Diverge, and after three years of banging the hell out of my hands and wrists, would really like to get some type of damping on my next bike. The Lauf ticks the "not adding a lot of weight" box that a full suspension fork would add.

In other news - took delivery of the Cannondale Scalpel HT 3. Two rides on the bike and love the geometry and the weight. With Hunt alloy wheels set up tubeless, dropper post and Shimano SPD pedals it was 23.5 pounds. I call it a "budget baller" because it is so much lighter and so much less expensive than most other bikes.

Unfortunately, the Rock Shox SID fork had a "clunk" in it that felt like a loose headset. I took to my LBS and they disassembled and reassembled to no avail. Rock Shox said to send it back to them. Turns out this is a known issue. So, my fork got sent away today. Not entirely happy with the situation, but not much I can do about it. Hopefully it will be back for next XC race in 12 days, but I doubt it. Grrr.

 

I haven't logged on here in years!! I switched over to MTB and I haven't looked back! I log on to find on the first page to see MTB chat! I have a 2021 KONA PROCESS X and a 2022 PIVOT SHUTTLE LT. They cost a ton up front but to go ride them is pretty much free!! I got 570 miles and 111,000 feet of elevation so far this year on pace for 2,000 miles this year.

 

Last year between running and MTB'ing, I got 2022. This year I'm going for....2023. I'm at, Running 273.1 MTB'ing 276.1, total 549.2 so far.

 

It's kind of like a leaf spring. Saw one on a fat tire bike made by Lauf.

 

Don't the fat tires already have enough squish ?

 

The Lauf spring and the Diverge handlebar thing seems to be a solution searching for a problem. There are suspension forks that aren't much heavier than that contraption.

You wouldn't ride an undamped suspension on your motorcycle, why would you on your bicycle?

 

The carbon naturally damps it to a point. I have ridden one years ago and I came away very impressed with the performance.

 

But why?

That contraption is 2.2 lb, for another 1/2 lb you could get adjustable compression and damping, custom spring rates, etc etc.

Seems foolish to me.

 

I've had a few MBs Old made in USA GTs.

GT Avalanche hardtail sold
GT Zaskar sold
GT Aggressor stolen
Mountain Cycle, San Andreas Stolen
Gary Fisher Level Betty I still have this one.
But this is what I'm going to buy.

My friend has one, down inexpensively to 34 lbs...It's fun as Fuck..and fits my budget & riding style
I'm over silly $$$ M Bikes. Plus that's lighter or on par with some of the nice$$ bikes I had....I live in the desert now, no Hill climbs for me, plus my knees can't deal with that abuse.

When I lived in L.A. There used to be this "old " italian man.
"@ that time "that was someone in their 50s"
We rode the Santa Monica mountains....Well he rode a slightly improved" Huffy" and he would wait until groups of youngster hot shots to ride past, He'd bait them with various challenges ,acting like a ignorant Ol Man that would generally result with often typical $ MB $ fan- boy arrogant and snobby replies ...then he would go pull up alongside them and just f*** talk shit..but friendly shit ..still acting ignorant...
He'd match them all with cadence and then take it further each time anyone would break away, he'd match them ,pass them and on all the ascents he would leave everybody in his dust ..and break their will.
It did not matter what they rode , no matter whom they were..he was purely a "human lung " BIG lungs BIG legs... He was a badass..from a different era.
His personality was exactly like Arnold Schwarzenegger in pumping iron cocky and arrogant but could back it all up LOL..
We kind of became occasional trail friends... When We'd see him..He just loved embarrassing everybody who spent thousands on their bicycles. Kind of made me see the light from a different perspective, he taught me and a friend the importance of big cardio and muscle mass..and to ignore the bike scene and within a year we were SO much more capable riders...good times I miss those days, I often wonder if he is up there in his 80s...?
I'm now older than that "old guy"...lol.

I'm gonna have fun on this thing!