Yes, it all starts with being able to stop… the ability to do a track stand that is… On the left, Jiro shows how it’s done. In the middle, the sign we’d all love to see in more places (here at Camp Tamarancho) and right, food chemist Gigi Khoo rips the roots.
Three contest winners to announce, and, some notes from a “Content Development” day at Bikeskills. Matt McKenney, Scott Jensen, and Nathan Hill hauled in the WTB goods by answering all five questions correctly in our last Bikeskills/WTB contest. Read more about those guys, Gigi, and look over our last class notes…
Let’s Start with the Winners… Winners of the Bikeskills/WTB Contest #3
1st Place: Nathan “909” Hill. Nathan Hill is a 15 year-old student from Walnut Creek California. Nathan’s a member of the NorCal High School MTB Racing League. Nathan says “I am riding a 34 lb Iron Horse MKIII frame with a Warrior component set that I have recently decided needs to go on a diet…” Nathan decided on WTB Rocket V SLT so he can just like other World Champions and sport a WTB saddle.
2nd Place: Matthew McKenney. Matthew is a right coast guy from Ocean Isle Beach, NC. Matt was a bit tight lipped about where he rides what… we’re thinking that he’s training to take down Bikeskills’ Joe Lawwill and Brian Lopes at the upcoming Sea Otter Classic next month. Matt sent us this pic and tells us he’s a photographer and bike salesman and mechanic. Still sounds like CIA to us… Matt selected the new WTB Prowler MX 2.1 as his prize. It should hook up real nice in the varied conditions around North Carolina he rides.
3rd Place: Scott “GAAP” Jensen. Picking up the bronze was semi-local boy, Scott Jensen. While most accounting majors are out there riding what… recumbents… Scott just recently made the transition from full-on DH and Freeriding to the nirvana of all mountain. We’ll be sending the Cal State Hayward student a Prowler MX 2.3 to help him with his transition.
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Bikeskills Content Development: Making Ourselves Make Ourselves Better
Marginal grammar, but that’s the goal: constantly find ways to be better at what we do, which is to help make you Better, Safer, Riders and get you Faster than any other method. Jiro ripping a turn with help from his WTB MXers at Camp Tamarancho.
One way to improve you product is to work with others who know how a lot about making good stuff and ensuring it’s always good stuff.Gigi Khoo is one of those people. As a Food Chemist for Bikeskills partner Clif Bar, it’s Gigi’s job not only to ensure that what you buy andeattastes good, safe, but well beyond. Food chemists have to make sure that ingredients are stable in a wide variety of conditions, that recipes work no matter where the food is prepared, etc. Not unlike our job at Bikeskills. We learned a lot working with Gigi this week and hopefully she felt the same about us.
After a Couple of Pointers from Bikeskills Cognitive Scientist, Jiro Nakamura, Food Chemist Gigi has most of the ingredients right: head up looking ahead on the trail, elbows up and slightly bent, relaxed but ready position… right gear selection… but it looks like Gigi could use a dash of one finger over each brake lever…
Gigi just kept getting better throughout the day.It’s always amazing how rapidly a student can learn from a talented instructor in a well-thought out program. Gigi had to taste our cooking on a real challenging day. Not only did we test our instructional content on some pretty advanced terrain, recent rains and dense overhead made this diagonal root section both messy, and slippery. Gigi and Jiro worked together and after a few runs, Gigi had it wired.
Some Take-Away Content Development we Picked Up during our day with with Gigi:
If 100% of the pros do it, you should too…Over the years, we have noticed that there are habits, products, steps, etc. that the pros follow that are a function of their making a living. For example, every professional mountain biker we know wears a helmet when they ride- you need to as well. Likewise with bringing hydration, sunscreen and a basic medical kit. Less obvious are other examples including:
- Eye Protection: Always wearing or at least bringing suitable eye-protection. A rock off someone else’s tire – even your own – can cause serious eye damage
- Tools and Parts: Bringing what you need to make simple repairs, especially fixing flats but also the basics to ensure you and bike can at least limp home
- Elbows Up and Out: Keeping those elbows up and slightly bent and having one finger hovering over the brake levers are other less obvious things that virtually all pros do and so should you.
- Disc Brakes: While very few people still defend rim brakes over discs, we still run in to them from time to time. This isn’t a philosophical issue or debate, it’s a technology and safety reality: disc brakes are more reliable, stop better, are far more effective in in-climate conditions, especially when it’s wet and stopping sooner might prevent a serious injury.
Then there are the things that 80% or so of the pros do.. and that you should at least consider…
- Flat Pedals: When the going gets rough or they’re developing new skills, jumping, most pros either use flat pedals but at the very least, always have a pair around. We think you should have a pair (and shoes to go with them) as well
- Full-Face Helmet: When riding really rugged terrain, any time riding lift accessed terrain, jumping, etc. There’s a lot of damage that a full face helmet can at least minimize and we’ll leave it at that
- Lock-on Grips: This may seem like a minor detail. It is: until your grips start slipping and you have no way to control your bike! If you don’t know what lock-on/ screw-on grips are, click here
When it’s a 50-50 deal with the pros, it’s more of a “check it out” and see if it makes sense for you.. where you ride, what you ride, etc.
- Tubeless Tires: No doubt about it, if you set them up right, you will have fewer flats and a better ride. But, you will also have to deal with the messy and expensive installation process. So, if you are getting a lot of flats, or simply like the concept and are willing to spend a little time and money getting to know tubeless, give it a shot. If not, not.
- Adjustable Seat Posts: While we really like the concept of adjustable seat posts, we also feel that the products on the market today have some…. issues; at least in our experience with them. Still, you should at least check them out. We feel that there are few things that will add to your riding fun and safety more than a high quality adjustable seat post.
Oddball Things That 25% or Less of the Pros do, Have, etc.
In most cases, the things that most pros don’thave on their bikes fall in to one of three categories: they don’t work as well as what the others have, the ones using those “rare” items have exclusive access to them, these pros are either “on to” or “hanging on to” something… Nonetheless, some of the most interesting things can be found on the 1 in 4 and less pro rides… and every now and then, one year’s “1 in 4” is the following year’s 1 in 1…. Here are a couple:
- Carbon Fiber Mountain Bikes: Just a few years ago carbon fiber frames were the exclusive domain of XC frames used by and for racers. Now there are several all-mountain frames on the market. They are worth checking out.
- Odd-Ball Ergonomic Grips: For years various companies developed and marketed special grips that were supposed to do… all kinds of things. The primary problem it seemed was that the firms developing these wunder grips didn’t know what they were doing. It appears firms like Ergon do. Click here to read about them.
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