REVIEWS DEALS BIKESHOPS TRAILS

Brought the HT out of retirement

775 Views 16 Replies 7 Participants Last post by LoneStar, Dec 1, 2005

LoneStar

Discussion Starter · Nov 27, 2005

The Pantera is down for a couple of weeks while the fork gets a makeover. Not wanting to be totally lazy over the holiday, I dusted off the old Kona Caldera buddy bike and hit the trails Friday and Saturday. I built this frame up with an LX group a year or so ago so my 17 year old son would have a bike if I could ever convince him to ride with me (I haven't), and I also elected to go with V brakes just to keep the weight down as low as possible. I had forgotten how snappy a hardtail can be! Not that I'm about to trade in the Pantera or start riding this one on a regular basis, but it was kind of eye opening how fast you could accelerate and snap the bike around. I had also forgotten how much you move around on a HT during the course of the ride, making me wonder if I have just become lazy on my Pantera and would it probably ride similarly if I was as active.

I did notice though how my friend on his Trance just left me on a couple of downhill sections where I just couldn't as confidently keep the same speed. I also am feeling it in my lower back this morning. I'm thinking I might order some of the Spiders D-Rock swears by for this bike just to try a larger tire to get better grip and take the edge off some of the impacts.

All in all, it was fun just to ride something else for a change. Different is sometimes good. I can see why folks like to have a number of bikes in their stable, although that single speed thing still eludes me!

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D-Rock

· #2 · Nov 27, 2005

What's up with the Reba? You just got that thing!

I'll be back in action this week as the Salty makeover is almost complete.

Oh yeah, Spiders rule!

D.

RedRocker

· #3 · Nov 29, 2005

My Reba was schweet over Turkey Day. Nice multi-hour solo ride in Pisgah miiiiile away from family.
Can I have an Amen?

Still clinging to my High-Rollers (which I've worn the shat out of and need to replace)...

Wzl

· #4 · Nov 29, 2005

LoneStar said:
All in all, it was fun just to ride something else for a change. Different is sometimes good. I can see why folks like to have a number of bikes in their stable, although that single speed thing still eludes me!

It is good to have a hard tail (or two) around for a change of pace. Every now and then I dust of the Kona Hot and go for a spin. It is amazing how quickly that thing gets up to speed. Climbing is truly a blast. However, when you point her back down the hill things are not quite what one has gotten used to. Keeps old trails interesting anyway.

If you have a spare hard tail just sitting around collecting dust, it is fairly easy and relatively cheap to rip all the gears, shifters, and cables off of it and throw on some brand of chain tensioner (DH chain guides work too) and get yourself a taste of single speeding. It's a tough way to go but satisfying. The best part is that you can go ride that boring neighborhood single track and actually get a really good work out in just an hour. Good for winter when it is too bleepin cold out to ride much longer anyway. I too don't understand those hard core single speeders because there is so much to ride that is certaintly way more fun on a big fat squishy, but the ocasional spin on a single speed just for the sake of going for a simple clean fun ride is a good thing. And it keeps you humble.

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Beagle

· #5 · Nov 29, 2005

Hmm.

Been pondering this myself XTR. I've got a 15 year old Bontrager frame (Santa Cruz built obv), that I had re-sprayed and new (old style) decals applied (sent to the UK from Paul at Rock Lobster in exhange for a bottle of irish single malt). Before the respray process I had a frame builder in the UK (Chas Roberts) weld some disk brake mounts on too. I rode it for a year whilst I was saving for the X5. Fo would have been proud of the original build back in the early nineties - Rock Shox RS-1 with white decals which matched the white onza porcipines, Answer A-tac, red bullseye hubs, Ritchey Logic brakes/cranks etc. Even the new build sported a smattering of X0, hope, race face before it got transferred to the Ventana.

Well, what I'm saying is, she's sat at home minus chain drive and wheels. I should really give this SS thing a go, or at least have a hardtail option again. Despite my X5, I do love the feel of a hardtail, especially steel.

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FoShizzle

· #6 · Nov 29, 2005

XTRKona said:
....I too don't understand those hard core single speeders because there is so much to ride that is certaintly way more fun on a big fat squishy, but the ocasional spin on a single speed just for the sake of going for a simple clean fun ride is a good thing. And it keeps you humble.

C'mon now....all the kids are doing it. Your stable is not complete without a single speed. I know TIGMAN is gonna cave sooner or later........Earthpig could not keep away from single speeding and bought almost the same single speed he sold......even that girly man Squeaky Wheel caught the bug and is gonna get a blinglespeed and how can we forget the ultimate biznitch El Beastro on the single speed

even that long haired, bowl smokin, tree huggin, VW bus drivin friggin hippie Aquaholic has been known to dabble

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LoneStar

Discussion Starter · #7 · Nov 29, 2005 (Edited)

I briefly debated building it up as a singlespeed, but decided not to as when friends and family need a bike to borrow, I'm not going to let them have my good bike while I suffer on a SS! Plus it is nice to have a geared bike when the primary is down.

I did convert my Pantera briefly into a SS for a few miles when the derailluer blew out a couple of months ago. Climbing obviously was harder, but what sucked the most was watching everyone go to a bigger gear going down a forest road while I spun wildly trying to keep up!

D-Rock

· #8 · Nov 29, 2005

LoneStar said:
I did convert my Pantera briefly into a SS for a few miles when the derailluer blew out a couple of months ago. Climbing obviously was harder, but what sucked the most was watching everyone go to a bigger gear going down a forest rode while I spun wildly trying to keep up!

Haha! I remember that.

Singlespeed??? No thanks, I gave that up when I was 10 years old. Let technology work for you, is my philosophy.

D.

RedRocker

· #9 · Nov 29, 2005

D-Rock said:
Haha! I remember that.

Singlespeed??? No thanks, I gave that up when I was 10 years old. Let technology work for you, is my philosophy.

D.

Yep, sucked for him! LS didn't even get the chance to injure himself that ride.

I'm with you on the technology thing.
I haven't heard about you trying to reinvent Hobgoblin on your own either

TIGMAN

· #10 · Nov 30, 2005

Single Speed !!!

FoShizzle said:
C'mon now....all the kids are doing it. Your stable is not complete without a single speed. I know TIGMAN is gonna cave sooner or later........Earthpig could not keep away from single speeding and bought almost the same single speed he sold......even that girly man Squeaky Wheel caught the bug and is gonna get a blinglespeed and how can we forget the ultimate biznitch El Beastro on the single speed

even that long haired, bowl smokin, tree huggin, VW bus drivin friggin hippie Aquaholic has been known to dabble

Cool photo , Fo ! Is that Colorado or California riding ? Sure wish I was there right now riding ! Lots of snow and cold weather where I'm living right now, may need to build up that singlespeed soon for winter riding ! It may help keep me in shape for riding the Bruja and Salt in the warmer months, although I do try to ride them on nicer days in the winter ! Skiing is my main activity in the winter but I enjoy biking whenever I can ! Sure be nice to take a mtb vacation in the southwest or somewhere warm for a couple months this winter, lucky dawg ! TIG.

FoShizzle

· #11 · Nov 30, 2005

the picture of El Beastro catching some air on the single speed is behind Larry's shop in Loveland on Devil's backbone....the picture of Aquaholic is from Woodstock

TIGMAN

· #12 · Nov 30, 2005

Nice !

FoShizzle said:
the picture of El Beastro catching some air on the single speed is behind Larry's shop in Loveland on Devil's backbone....the picture of Aquaholic is from Woodstock

It looks like a great place to ride ! You should post some California trails you ride sometime ! I guess I'll have to go on mtb tour vacation , even a couple months wouldn't be long enough !

TIG.

FoShizzle

· #13 · Nov 30, 2005

TIGMAN said:
It looks like a great place to ride ! You should post some California trails you ride sometime ! I guess I'll have to go on mtb tour vacation , even a couple months wouldn't be long enough ! TIG.

i need to get some more pictures soon....here is one i had readily available. this is one of my local loops that i do at least 3 times a month, year round. about a 20 mile loop....nothing real technical but super fun and good for getting some miles in.

second pic is the crest of a loop i do at lunch time. a 10 mile loop leaving literally from my office door and back.

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TIGMAN

· #14 · Dec 1, 2005

Nice, Fo !

FoShizzle said:
i need to get some more pictures soon....here is one i had readily available. this is one of my local loops that i do at least 3 times a month, year round. about a 20 mile loop....nothing real technical but super fun and good for getting some miles in.

second pic is the crest of a loop i do at lunch time. a 10 mile loop leaving literally from my office door and back.

I may have to give you a visit so you can give me a MTB tour someday !!

TIG.

Wzl

· #15 · Dec 1, 2005

FoShizzle said:
the picture of El Beastro catching some air on the single speed is behind Larry's shop in Loveland on Devil's backbone....the picture of Aquaholic is from Woodstock

I was up there last month. Went to PUSH and met Darren and then went over and met Larry. Cool dudes, both of 'em. Then Larry sent me over to the Devils Backbone. Nice trail. Very techy on the back side but quite a short loop in all. Just what I needed that day. Loveland seems like a nice enough place to live - super suburbia with big huge houses all over the place and the rocky mountains on your door step. Sweet.

FoShizzle

· #16 · Dec 1, 2005

XTRKona said:
I was up there last month. Went to PUSH and met Darren and then went over and met Larry. Cool dudes, both of 'em. Then Larry sent me over to the Devils Backbone. Nice trail. Very techy on the back side but quite a short loop in all. Just what I needed that day. Loveland seems like a nice enough place to live - super suburbia with big huge houses all over the place and the rocky mountains on your door step. Sweet.

agree....seemed like a fantastic place to live.

here are some pictures i took from in front of larry's shop

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LoneStar

Discussion Starter · #17 · Dec 1, 2005

I had the good fortune to spend my childhood in Loveland. We lived on the northwest side of town and it was an easy hike for us to make it the backbone. Of course it was an easy hike then, and when you are in middle school it seems you can make everything an adventure. Hiking and camping in the mountains, hunting on the plains. Yep, it was fun. I also lived there when they had the big flood in 1976 in the Big Thomson canyon. It was surreal when they opened 34 back up to see exactly how powerful water can be. Of course, being 11, we had to go scour the river banks to see if we could find any bodies. Here is a link to information on that event.

http://www.coloradoan.com/news/thompson/

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