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Adventure Bicycle Company

Mountain Bike Race Recap – McDowell Meltdown 2012

Here’s what’s on my mind after the 2012 MBAA Race #1, the famous McDowell Meltdown.

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Scenes from Arizona – White Tank Whirlwind

Check out photos from the high-speed action at the White Tank Whirlwind mountain bike race!

Images from Avondale, Ariz. – 2011 Hedgehog Hustle

Check out the action from the 2011 Hedgehog Hustle at Estrella Mountain Regional Park. Garish uniforms, funny hair, out-of-control beards – this race had it all!

Scenes from Fountain Hills, Ariz. – The McDowell Meltdown

On Jan. 22-23, the MBAA Arizona state championship mountain bike race series got started at McDowell Mountain Regional Park just north of Fountain Hills, Ariz. The park is one of the best outdoor recreation assets in the state, and the weather cooperated to make it a great time for racers and spectators

4 Reasons I Turned to the Dark Side – Night Mountain Biking

Mountain biking at night used to give me the willies. But I’m so over that – I’ve fully given myself to the Dark Side. Here’s why.

“29er” Mountain Bikes – Will They Rule the World?

If you drop into Adventure Bicycle Company in Mesa, you might notice something odd about some of its mountain bikes – nearly half of them seem to have huge wheels, far bigger than then 26-inch wheel that has been typical since the first days of mountain biking. Yes, the “29er” mountain bike seems to be taking over!

Make Your Bike Shift Like New

It’s Mountain Bike Monday! Today I’ve got a great tip that will turn the clock back on your shifting and make it feel nearly brand new again.
This weekend, I was working my wife’s Gary Fisher Sugar, which she wants to sell since she’s gone down the Dark Path of triathlon and roadieism. I figured the next owner deserves to have everything run smoothly as possible.
And man, did the shifting on this bike ever suck! I found that odd since I’ve got an XTR shifter/brake combo calling the orders out to an XT derailleur. But the huge amount of effort required to downshift told me that this was a problem with the cable and housing.
See, as you ride, your cables can start to fray. It can also get odd kinks in it, along with the housing. That means big drag on your cable. Nothing will run smoothly when your cable is hanging up inside the housing.
I yanked the derailleur cable out along with the housing (and the same for my Fisher Cake 2 DLX), and hauled it down to Bike Barn, the nearest local bike shop. There, the friendly staff cut lengths of housing to match, plus set me up with endcaps (which go on the end of the cables when it’s cut to length) and ferules (which go on the cut ends of the housing). High-quality cutters that will go through housing are big bucks – I’ve heard the Hosan cutters I used as a mechanic at Adventure Bicycle Company [...]

Tubeless MTB Wheels Win This Skeptic Over – Finally

It’s been about a decade since tubeless wheelsets started appearing. When I was still working at Adventure Bicycle Company in Mesa (part-time, by that point), wheel giants Mavic sent a representative to our shop to show us how to work on them and convince us of the benefits.
I didn’t come away convinced. Not at all. Didn’t like ‘em. Didn’t want ‘em.
Let’s get this straight: I’m not old-school just to be contrary. I’m just a skeptic. If something is truly worth it, you’d better give me more than marketing hype to convince me. And be sure to pick the right features and benefits.
For instance, the Mavic dude really hung his presentation on the concept that tubeless tires would prevent pinch flats. That would let riders use lower tire pressures to get a smoother ride
My response was … BFD. Most of our customers at the time were riding various Santa Cruz full-suspensions bikes. Traction and smooth rides weren’t –and still aren’t- really concepts a Santa Cruz owner need lose any sleep over.
Now, let’s move ahead in time. I’ve become a tubeless believer. I know what you’re thinking: “What-what-what?!”
I was wrong. Kind of. It wasn’t lower tire pressures that convinced me.
See, many of the new generation of tubeless wheelsets require users to use tire sealant to help maintain a seal between the tire bead and the rim. The sealant also works to plug up punctures.
Okay, so maybe you’re thinking “Ah, Wandering Justin … you poor fool. Slime has been around for eons.” Sure, but [...]

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