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Post by Dragunov on Oct 12, 2006 19:18:04 GMT 8
Me too im confused ! ! ! dunno where i am into ----> Hardtail XC bike, Hardtail Race Specific XC bike, Aggressive HT XC bike, FS XC bike, FS Race Specific XC bike, Aggressive FS XC bike... or what......hahahahaha!!! For me, i love road ( long winding road..) ..... any infos? Thanks....... Saluti ! ! ! i thought your confused with something else ;D mag freeride bike ka na heheh join the dark side ;D
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Post by arcireyes on Oct 16, 2006 10:44:25 GMT 8
solo..........hmmmmm, IMHO a very strong XC rider (the wall is just peanuts to him), just an honest to goodness XC HT rig okay na sayo brad. just make it a little bit trail ready, once you have tasted the trails....there'l be no turning back when do we do the trails brad? ;D ;D
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§ Ö L Ø ƒ L ¡ g h † ™
Free Rider
"Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of a bike ride." - John F. Kennedy
Posts: 320
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Post by § Ö L Ø ƒ L ¡ g h † ™ on Oct 16, 2006 13:08:17 GMT 8
Hmmmmmmmmmm......... *thinking about it* hahahahaha! Saluti !!! Landis, landis, landis.........
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Post by arcireyes on Oct 16, 2006 13:57:55 GMT 8
solo brad,
talked with rommel yesterday and joked about doing a landis EB on the 23rd. pwede ba place mo for a landis EB on 23rd nite?
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Post by whoopi on Oct 25, 2006 16:20:27 GMT 8
braking. a lot of folks prefer applying brakes at the rear. that's a big no-no. i dont need to emphasize on this one, just do it. apply brakes at the front and modulate using the rear. also, don't apply brakes on a turn. apply brakes before making the turn and once you achieve the desired speed, go ahead and make the turn. JON, please indulge my stupid question, why shouldn't you brake at the rear? jon, KING, TOLITS: now i know what you mean. nothing like real-life experience to learn a lesson. coming down from helipad yesterday, i kept braking on the rear, fishtailed on the loose gravel, and landed on my side on a clump of makahiya. at least i avoided a clump of dog turd a handspan away ;D oh me of little faith. i shall listen to the wisdom of the elders from now on and mend my ways.
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robpax
Bike Commuter
Veni, Vidi, Vici
Posts: 73
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Post by robpax on Nov 17, 2006 13:46:28 GMT 8
For me, becoming a better XC rider means constant ride and practice. Do more and longer rides on and off the road and repeatedly encounter different obstacles. Fall if you must, but never stop riding.
A bike set-up merely complements the rider and make it easier for him/her to maneuver. But riding skill has to come first. The amount of valuable "pesoses" you spend doesn't necessarily compensate for lack of it.
In golf, a Callaway Big Bertha clubset may be "forgiving" but it never does the thing for the mediocre player.
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Post by xctofi on Nov 17, 2006 15:50:25 GMT 8
For me, becoming a better XC rider means constant ride and practice. I am pretty much certain that this goes the same to any type of riding
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Post by crooser on Feb 11, 2007 3:53:33 GMT 8
My 2cents:
Specifically for XC racers. If you really want to be a faster xc racer, you have to train. Just like the other poster said keep pedaling and keep training. Now, having said that, you also need to be aware of your weaknesses and strength. Keep a training log and work with it.
Rule of thumb: Embrace Pain, and be a masochist. Interval Training is and always will be painful. Might as well love it. For speed: As much as I hate this work out, sprint intervals starting at 80-90% of max HR for 2 min with a recovery of 5min. Rinse and repeat for about 5X. Increase duration and repetition as you get use to the PAIN. Make sure you warm up and cool down for at least 20min of easy spin.
Hill Climbing: Find a grade that you can climb for at least 5 min or so. Race course would be ideal. Use the sprint interval methodology and increase as your body adapt to again, the pain.
Endurance: Also known as LSR(long slow ride). Road bike would be ideal. Ride for 2 or 3 hours, depending on how long your next race will be. The point is to have the race course distance not a factor so you can concentrate on the race itself.
And dont forget... Days off. Take at least 1 day off the bike, which also includes running, hiking, ...
This wont cost you a thing but maybe a little bit of yelling from your Significant Other for spending way too much time with your bike(s).
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berns
XC Rider
He who does only what is ask is a slave but he who does more is a free man
Posts: 113
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Post by berns on Aug 5, 2007 19:43:50 GMT 8
I think if you want to be a better xc rider. Train on a fully rigid bike first.
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Post by Dragunov on Aug 6, 2007 11:43:24 GMT 8
I think if you want to be a better xc rider. Train on a fully rigid bike first. ouch! thats gonna hurt on the wrist and shoulders brad! anyway! NO pain NO gain
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Post by bisekletaguy on Aug 23, 2007 10:31:42 GMT 8
im newbie to xc..thanks so much for the thread mountguitars...here is what i learned from davao xc race august 19 2007 1. my fork is wrong...i used 125 xcr suntour..porma looks great..but when you race..you will want lower center of gravity...so i will be looking for 100mm fork... 2. Vision Pursuit my swamp thing green machine is ok and light enough to race. 3. my rubbers kenda 26 x 1.95 are wrong...its not the size that mattered..the chocolate blocks are too dense...better choose tyres with few chocolate blocks knobbies in wet mud sticky mud 4. alivio is only good for dry cement roads or subdivision roads..its trash in the muddy xc race. 5. 9 speed deore (for me..) is a must. you choose between a disc brake or v brake...i think ill do better on a v brake as the heavy weight of disc brake killed me and my legs... 6. low front end...zero carbon spacers is a must as this allows lower body position low center of gravity. 7. wash down your rubbers by riding the watery hole...wash down the mud. 8. when the mud fills your bottom bracket area... you will no longer be able to shift between your front chain rings. 9. when mud coagulates hardens in your rear sprocket you lose freewheeling action....End result will be for your derailleur to wrap around breaking the read dearailleur hanger spelling game over for you. 10...when in doubt bring a spare rear derailleur hanger so you can join the next race the following day. bisekletaguy fails to finish his first mt bike xc race in davao due to inexperience..."I will return!" but it was first hand racing..and i get to meet so many nice people and i learnt so many things in just one day of racing...so all is not lost...besides that davao ladies are too beautiful... ;D so i will be back for more...
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Post by angelobryant on Sept 7, 2007 15:07:28 GMT 8
My 2cents: Specifically for XC racers. If you really want to be a faster xc racer, you have to train. Just like the other poster said keep pedaling and keep training. Now, having said that, you also need to be aware of your weaknesses and strength. Keep a training log and work with it. Rule of thumb: Embrace Pain, and be a masochist. Interval Training is and always will be painful. Might as well love it. For speed: As much as I hate this work out, sprint intervals starting at 80-90% of max HR for 2 min with a recovery of 5min. Rinse and repeat for about 5X. Increase duration and repetition as you get use to the PAIN. Make sure you warm up and cool down for at least 20min of easy spin. Hill Climbing: Find a grade that you can climb for at least 5 min or so. Race course would be ideal. Use the sprint interval methodology and increase as your body adapt to again, the pain. Endurance: Also known as LSR(long slow ride). Road bike would be ideal. Ride for 2 or 3 hours, depending on how long your next race will be. The point is to have the race course distance not a factor so you can concentrate on the race itself. And dont forget... Days off. Take at least 1 day off the bike, which also includes running, hiking, ... This wont cost you a thing but maybe a little bit of yelling from your Significant Other for spending way too much time with your bike(s). +1
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berns
XC Rider
He who does only what is ask is a slave but he who does more is a free man
Posts: 113
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Post by berns on Jan 10, 2008 19:57:01 GMT 8
Get a fast bike
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Post by marcs on Jan 10, 2008 22:16:05 GMT 8
you choose between a disc brake or v brake...i think ill do better on a v brake as the heavy weight of disc brake killed me and my legs... on muddy conditions, wouldn't a disc brake perform way better than Vs?
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Post by BrusKO on Jan 10, 2008 22:45:03 GMT 8
Yes, in fact it would.
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Post by mountguitars on Jan 11, 2008 2:24:56 GMT 8
v-brakes? been there, done that. the safest you can get to all weather brake system for XC rigs is a mechanical disk brake system.
i've tried both v-brakes and hydraulic disk brakes on rainy conditions. here's what i've found out:
- v-brake pads deteriorate faster than a candle during wet conditions, hehehe ;D
- hydro disk brakes are so powerful, it grinds it self until the pads disappear under wet weather conditions.
here's the formula: wet conditions+powerful braking system= deteriorated brake pads.
well, consider v-brakes powerful. imagine the a rotor the size of a rim, braking leverage is increased to the nth power. add water and brake pads to the mixture and for sure your rims will be next on the list, hehehe ;D
hydros on the other hand are without a doubt so powerful, it will grind itself bone dry until the water is gone or until the pads are gone, hehehe ;D.
mechanical disk brakes are very conservative. its not that powerful so the pads are conserved. but of course, handling is compromised. but then again, i've been using mech disk brakes with no problems its just that hydros take it on a different level.
but then again, a lot of folks here use mechanical disk brakes and can attest to the durability of their pads and uncompromised handling.
well, if you doubt my post, i suggest you try out for yourselves, hehehe. ;D
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Post by plankton_dash on Jan 11, 2008 7:29:59 GMT 8
also a believer of mech disc brakes here. although last July 2007 (after Kandila), i thought my set of Deore non-series mechs were trash...coz no matter how hard i squeeze on the levers, no stopping came from them . i was already seriously thinking of upgrading to hydros back then yun pala, i just needed to replace them with better brake pads (Serfas). tapos - voila! i got all the stopping power i needed (& then some) ;D
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Post by Ben Dover on Jan 11, 2008 10:09:38 GMT 8
yup, serfas rocks! it's even better than EBC...mas mura pa!
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Post by enzo on Jan 12, 2008 13:31:09 GMT 8
v-brakes? been there, done that. the safest you can get to all weather brake system for XC rigs is a mechanical disk brake system. i've tried both v-brakes and hydraulic disk brakes on rainy conditions. here's what i've found out: - v-brake pads deteriorate faster than a candle during wet conditions, hehehe ;D - hydro disk brakes are so powerful, it grinds it self until the pads disappear under wet weather conditions. here's the formula: wet conditions+powerful braking system= deteriorated brake pads. well, consider v-brakes powerful. imagine the a rotor the size of a rim, braking leverage is increased to the nth power. add water and brake pads to the mixture and for sure your rims will be next on the list, hehehe ;D hydros on the other hand are without a doubt so powerful, it will grind itself bone dry until the water is gone or until the pads are gone, hehehe ;D. mechanical disk brakes are very conservative. its not that powerful so the pads are conserved. but of course, handling is compromised. but then again, i've been using mech disk brakes with no problems its just that hydros take it on a different level. but then again, a lot of folks here use mechanical disk brakes and can attest to the durability of their pads and uncompromised handling. well, if you doubt my post, i suggest you try out for yourselves, hehehe. ;D Well said Jon, well said! Another alternative is to use ceramic rims/pads on your v-brake system. It will not heat up on long downhill and even on wet conditions, the stopping power is the same. Some rims now have micro groove which I first saw in Bontrager rims long time ago. The water are squeezed out of the pads and rims preventing hydroplaning.
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ten
XC Rider
Surely Goodness and Mercy!!!!
Posts: 149
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Post by ten on Jan 21, 2008 14:17:41 GMT 8
ride ride and ride....
nice thread it helps a lot
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rorschach
Free Rider
"It can't rain all the time."
Posts: 336
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Post by rorschach on Jan 22, 2008 1:01:46 GMT 8
After reading your posts, I'll stick to mech discs, well at least for now.
Has anybody combined both hydro and mech disc brakes? hydro on the front and mechs on the rear, and/or vice versa. Or am I just crazy? =D If its possible what's the pros and cons of the given scenario?
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Post by mountguitars on Jan 22, 2008 2:17:59 GMT 8
After reading your posts, I'll stick to mech discs, well at least for now. Has anybody combined both hydro and mech disc brakes? hydro on the front and mechs on the rear, and/or vice versa. Or am I just crazy? =D If its possible what's the pros and cons of the given scenario? well, i've tried mech disk upfront and v-brake sa rear but never done anything like that. i think there's nothing wrong with that setup. use the hydros upfront for better modulation. and then, tell us what happens, hehe. ;D.
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Post by angelobryant on Jan 22, 2008 12:28:54 GMT 8
I've just recently switched to hydros and I think I'm gonna stick with it. Why? because my hands don't get too fatigue in squeezing the levers. Anything that makes it easier, I'm all for it =p
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Post by luigiliz7 on Mar 29, 2008 14:43:22 GMT 8
for me a good xc biker are. it doesnt mean na high end lahat ng parts mo magaling ka na. for its the heart and dedication to the sport.... kahit bulok bike mo pero lagi ka ngeensayo mas ok un. pro mas may advantage kung gud rider ka and may good bike ka pa...
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timtan
Bike Commuter
Posts: 53
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Post by timtan on Jun 7, 2008 23:17:51 GMT 8
this thread really enlightened me... can't wait to finish building my bike. Thanks guys!
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katipzrider
Free Rider
SIGE SMITE PA! BIBISITAHIN KITA!
Posts: 231
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Post by katipzrider on Jun 10, 2008 0:26:17 GMT 8
nice info jon! anyway if i may ask......when dealing with long and steep descent like roxas is it ok to shift from midring to the biggest chain ring and shift to the smallest sprocket on the rear? gracias por adelantado a todos los sires! ;D
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katipzrider
Free Rider
SIGE SMITE PA! BIBISITAHIN KITA!
Posts: 231
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Post by katipzrider on Jun 10, 2008 0:30:09 GMT 8
yup, serfas rocks! it's even better than EBC...mas mura pa! hmmmm based on my experience with serfas brake pads. It loosens away! meaning the pad got detached from the frying pan looking surface. good thing i was on my way home when i loose brakes on my rear! thank god i had spare pads then!
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Post by nell7806 on Jun 15, 2008 11:48:25 GMT 8
posible reasons why some other rider feel that mechs are so hard to use/squeeze...
...cables are not maintained regularly, I discovered that using a full length cable (the reasonable length that is) for mechs are less capable of catching too much dirt when you often go on trails...those dirt that gets into the cables tends to become a mud like substance afterwards, so occasionally try have your hands dirty by manually cleaning those cables periodically, using those teflon coated cables are great.
...try to check your break pads for contaminants like oil etc either your rotors. and be carefull when you remove your wheels, actually when putting them back, because we sometimes hit the pads with our rotors and that scenario chips away bits of the break pads...
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The Independent Cyclist
Bike Commuter
I am still active but only interacting when needed. Quiet reading.for now.
Posts: 70
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Post by The Independent Cyclist on Jun 15, 2008 20:14:40 GMT 8
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The Independent Cyclist
Bike Commuter
I am still active but only interacting when needed. Quiet reading.for now.
Posts: 70
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Post by The Independent Cyclist on Jun 15, 2008 20:20:55 GMT 8
Learn to survive in the wilderness is the key to good XC trailing. you should know the lines and the thing that you shouldn't do when you trail. open your mind and understand the surrounding around you is important. is not your equipment that keep you going, but is how you reason out yourself to negotiate different lines in the trail. the bike is only a tool to get you from A to B. don't be over confident with your equipment. learn to manage the trail is important here
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