What rocks? I said to Ryan Cranston just after the sweet first descent on Gunny Loop. I was smiling ear to ear because I had just railed that section faster and with more confidence than I ever have before. Testing out my new Stumpjumper FSR Expert Carbon 29er, putting it through the motions on arguably some of the best and most technical single track around, I have not been let down.
I just upgraded to this bike from a Stumpjumper Carbon 29er hard tail and an older Specialized Enduro. I was doing a lot of cross country racing on the hard tail but found the bike somewhat limited on a lot of the trails in the grand valley. I felt I was missing out on all of the fun downhill sections. However, I loved the way my hard tail pedaled and it had really tight steering. So when I decided it was time for a new bike it had to be the best of both worlds in terms of pedaling efficiency and descending prowess.
One of the features that make this bike truly capable in all aspects of mountain biking is the Brain integrated with the Fox rear shock.

This “smart” feature allows the rear suspension to be dialed in for climbing or descending and everything in between. The Autosag feature is awesome and makes setting up the bike a breeze. It takes a lot of the trial and error out of dialing in the bike…I literally have not changed the rear suspension set up since the first go ‘round. The Brain has several clicks ranging from soft to firm, depending on what you are riding. I find myself riding a lot on the road from home to the trails so having the ability to firm up the suspension and hammer the pavement and long uphill trail sections is huge. The bike pedals uphill with amazing efficiency and lateral stiffness, i.e., it does not feel like a flimsy noodle. This is very important to me because I love to pedal hard and fast uphill and absolutely need a bike that will transfer the power without bobbing or frame flexing. On most trails in the Grand Valley I found that if I leave the Brain set in the middle I don’t have to touch it. It gives me the perfect balance of pedal efficiency and bump management. When I get to the longer more technical descents I set the brain towards the soft side and now suddenly have a very capable downhill machine that rips! Coupled with the 29” wheels, this bike will roll over anything.

The Fox Talas front fork works in perfect harmony with the rear suspension. There are two travel settings, 105 and 130mm, and a lock-out feature. With a quick turn of the dial you go from a climbing machine to a downhill ripper.
I never imagined a bike so capable on the technical downhill sections even being considered as a cross country racer but I certainly wouldn’t hesitate racing this bike if it came down to it. Now I have one bike in the stable that is truly a do-all machine and a blast to ride! Head down to Ruby Canyon and check one out!

http://app.strava.com/activities/52296994

Greetings- Some of you may have feared the worst;  alien abduction, deportation, confinement in  the department of corrections… or perhaps that I had taken up running or some-such nonsense. None of these scenarios are true… well I have gone running a time or two, but I am alive and well and roaming the trails of the Western Slope on the amazing, outstanding, super sexy 2013 S-Works Epic 29er dripping with juicy XTR bits and wrapped in Stealth Bomber Black carbon fiber. This iteration of the Epic is more rock-star than refined and proper racer. Sure, it scales all manner of climbs from the asphalt of the Colorado National Monument to the gnarled brutality of Eagle’s Wing, the Ribbon and the Zion Curtain/Westwater Mesa – However, the one place where this dark-star shines the brightest, is on the descents, any of them, places where bikes with far greater travel and dropper posts tend to excel. One contributing factor to the 2013 Epic 29er XTR edition’s descending prowess are the XTR brakes; refined, powerful, silent. The Epic’s geometry also lends to its ability to destroy the downs. While the Specialized Factory Racing team have been burning down the house and incinerating courses this season; with victories aboard the EVO 29er (also direct your attention to the STRAVA segment for the Holy Cross trail where the humble owner of this fine establishment, Mr. Ryan Cranston sits atop the leader board after piloting his Troy Lee Edition EVO 29er to a sound KOM!!) and the mind blowing new Enduro 29er..the Epic has been a direct benefactor of Specialized’s ability to push the engineering envelope where weight, durability and geometry are concerned. Four inch travel bikes should NOT be able to descend like this… and few do (OK maybe just the Epic).

If you are looking at the Epic and thinking this isn’t enough bike for, say, the Lunch Loop trails I would challenge you to demo one. I am lucky enough to be able to alternate between the Epic and the Stumpy EVO 29er.. my best ever time on the Butterknife single-track has been aboard the Epic! To echo the sentiments of Mr. Cranston, the 29er has come of age and there is no use in fighting the the fact that the present and future of mountain biking revolves around 29-inch wheels!

This is a season of changes for me, a season of new directions and more rides with friends and loved ones and fewer solo-missions. I am embracing my love of simply riding and all that comes along with being a part of the greatest sport in the world… and at the same time, my love of simply riding downhill as fast as I possibly can and collecting KOM’s of all types along the way! I remain committed to sharing my rides, my experiences and enlightening all of you on the superb products I am using from Ruby Canyon Cycles. Of course, there are some things that remain unchanged; Ruby Canyon Cycles is and always will be the Best Damn Shop in Western Colorado, Specialized Bicycles continues to deliver world-class performance and set the standard for innovation, durability and fun… and we are blessed with the best trails, trail builders and trail advocates on the planet!

There is so much to share; about my changes in training, my amazing bikes, the crew at RCC and what is going down at the shop and on the local trails!!!

See you out there!

]]> http://rubycanyoncycles.com/?feed=rss2&p=412 0 http://rubycanyoncycles.com/?p=387 http://rubycanyoncycles.com/?p=387#comments Tue, 19 Mar 2013 18:26:36 +0000 Ryan http://rubycanyoncycles.com/?p=387 This view almost makes me want to get up at 4:00 am so I can see it too…….

Our own Norman Bardeen snapped this photo at about 4:30am yesterday on the Colorado National Monument. Awesome.

We are back on normal hours – Mon-Fri – 9-6, and Sat 9-5.

BRING ON THE SEASON!

When I saw the new Specialized Expert Carbon Crux I knew it would be worth a look because of some features that would be a big benefit for winter riding. Some of the issues I’ve faced in the past have been shift cables becoming iced up and not working properly and brakes getting choked with snow and slush, even the cantilever style with lots of clearance. The Crux comes with mechanical disc brakes which, in addition to providing more braking power, have not been
compromised by any road condition I’ve encountered this winter.

The other key feature is the internal cable routing which keeps both shift and brake cables away from any type of contamination and operating smoothly.

I have not competed in a cyclocross event with this bike but I’m sure those same features would be a benefit there, too. The carbon frame is light(the bike weighed 19 lbs out of the box) and stiff and offers both a comfortable and efficient ride quality. Sram Force derailleurs and shift and brake levers are complimented by the Avid BB7 disc brakes. FSA hollow carbon cranks round out the package. I replaced the stock ‘cross tires with the Continental TopContact Winter tires and the stock ‘cross chain rings(46/36) with a compact set up(50/34) for a little wider range of gears. The cassette is a standard road 11-28.

So if winter road riding or cyclocross racing is your thing I would highly recommend this bike as one possible option to consider.
If you have questions or would like to check one out for yourself, come and see us at Ruby Canyon Cycles!

- Norman Bardeen

Our winter hours are Tuesday – Friday, 11-6; Saturday 10-5.

It’s a great time to stop in, the shop is full of the new cool 2013 product to drool over. It’s also an excellent time to get your bike serviced, so it’s ready to go when the season hits. Don’t be the one who waits until the season is here to think about service. Do it now and you’ll be riding when everybody else has their bike in the shop.