Phoenicians are complaining about the last remaining days of summer. But there are some things about the 100-degree heat that I’ll miss.
mountain bike
“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!
International Blog My Trail Day – PHX Mountain Preserve
Sometimes, real life eats up more time than it should. Work and other responsibilities nip away at my time until there’s little left over for mountain biking.
For weekend days when scooping the cat box, doing dishes and washing the laundry deprives me of some time, I still take solace in the fortress of mountain bike fortitude near my house: The Phoenix Mountain Preserve at Piestewa Peak/Dreamy Draw.
I can think of no better way to honor this prime piece of foresight than to tell you about it as part of the inaugural International Blog My Trail Day. The trailhead at the east end of Northern Avenue is about 10 minutes from my house. So when I’m short on time, I can count on Trail 100 and its many offshoots to give me a great workout and even better fun without spending too much time behind the wheel.
Typically, my ride starts with:
a cruise through a wash
a steep, switchbacked hill
and a fast, slightly downhill romp through medium-radius turns (marked in purple on the map).
Here are some other highlights marked on the map. If you want a bigger version, e-mail me and it’s yours:
Yellow trail – a little-known, slender bit of singletrack. Super-fun!
Green trail – a long downhill stretch. You’ll love it, but watch for other people and some occasional rock ledges.
Throughout the ride, I’ll encounter everything from super-smooth ribbons of singletrack and stair-stepped rocky nightmares … and a lot of cholla cactuses.
How’bout wildlife? I’ve seen rattlesnakes, hawks and even someone on a show [...]
2 Bikes for My Next Epic Ride – Which to Choose?
I have a little problem here. My Gary Fisher Cake 2 DLX and I have never gotten along. And I’m about to get back into long-distance mountain biking again, since I’ve been roped into joining the duo team “Lost Nuts” in the 24 Hours of Old Pueblo.
The Gary Fisher has just never fit me well. It’s always been a bit too long in the travel department for me, and I’ve just never felt comfortable on it. So I think it’s finally, really, truly New Bike Time for me. I’m an Arizona rider, so that means a lot of rocky madness.
Here’s what I’m considering:
1. Curtlo Advanced Mountaineer – A custom-made steel hardtail. Some of you tyros may never have ridden a steel hardtail. You might think I’m crazy. But a quality steel hardtail is light, rugged, low-maintenance and snappy. Take care of it, and it will keep riding after the flavor-of-the-month carbon wonder machine is delaminating in the landfill. Doug Curtiss, according to his site, builds these to suit each individual rider’s body, preferences and riding conditions – making the already-great steel hardtail even better with attention to detail.
2. Santa Cruz Superlight – A simple, rugged full suspension bike. It’s a proven winner – I’ve owned two bikes from Santa Cruz, and both delighted me with super fit and killer ride quality. They’re also reasonably price and handle snappy as all get-out. You can spend a lot more money on a full-suspension bike – but you can’t get all that much better.
I’m leaning toward [...]
5 of the Best Places to Mountain Bike in Phoenix, Ariz.
EDITOR’S NOTE (May 1, 2012): This post is really old. I will publish an update soon. Subscribe (it’s free) in the box to the right so you don’t miss it!
EDITOR’S NOTE PART II (May 11, 2012): UPDATED and cooler than ever.
I just recently ran into an old classmate at an ad hoc high school reunion. He’d moved from the area, and mentioned that he was getting more into mountain biking, but isn’t sure where to ride here. Naturally, I promised him some tips … and then I thought, “hey, maybe some other people besides Mitch would dig some advice!”
So here are 5 places in the metro Phoenix area where you can ride. Each will offer something different. These are in no particular order. I’ve linked each to my buddy at MTBikeAZ.com, who has produced some fine maps and profiles!
McDowell Mountain Regional Park: There is something for everyone here. The Competitive Loops host all sorts of races. You can choose from the Long Loop (about 9 miles), the Sport Loop and the Technical Loop (both about 3 miles). You can string them together for some uberloops. All require some skill to handle steep drops, breaking bumps, rocks and lots of loose nastiness. Speeds can run high. Leave your iPod at home … rattlesnakes love hanging out trailside, and your earbuds will mask their warning signal. And watch the trail closely – that big rock you’re zooming around just might be a desert tortoise! Also, the park offers a 15-mile loop called [...]
