February rides

Never even dreamed about riding as much as I did last month, hopefully February will be just as awesome, it has a good start nonetheless : )

Finally switched back to normal tires. The Schwalbe Ice Spiker are great in snow and ice, but a real drag for everything else. So currently its the Michelin Wild Rock'r for the front, and Kenda Excavator for the rear.

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..And installed a Fox Float R, known for its simplicity and reliability. And despite its simple setup, this shock rocks. Competent midstroke, and endstroke is pretty good as well, definitely comparable to a full blown rp23 in that regard. Still waiting for the 2011 Monarch tho'.

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One of the bigger drops got angled a bit different, huge improvement if you like air-time. Landing is by the tree:

Review: Manitou ISX-6

The mysterious Manitou ISX-6. Why mysterios? Because no one really knows how it works or how you tune it - well outside Manitou. You see, Manitou has been tight lipped about information that's otherwise normally freely available online. So that leaves the end user in a unwanted game of guessing, and googling for information and experiences from other users. None of it is official.

The Manitou ISX-6 rear shock comes with independent high and low speed compression damping adjustments, rebound adjustment, volume control (which controls spring rate near the end of travel), and spring rate (air pressure). These are all the controls you need for everything from stuttery, rutted, rocky trails to big drops that would normally cause your bike’s rear end to bottom out.

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Ok, so how is the performance? Thing is that all this doesnt work in harmony together.
High speed and low speed compression are barely noticeable from its low-high setting, rebound is ok, but its easy to adjust either too much, or too little. Speaking of rebound, it feels like its loosing its "power" when you return from mid or end stroke, like if you prejump something, that results in a bike thats less "pop-able" good for some riders, bad for others I guess - I didnt like it. The volume control works great tho', and has a good use if you like to tune the end stroke a bit. Speaking of end stroke, this shock makes good use of it, just like the midstroke, this shock takes some effort to blast through it, making this shock effective even when sagged deep - good for those DH sessions, make no mistake tho' a coil will do the job better.

The ISX-6 is useable for trail riding, but there are better shocks for this.

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Let it loose in a bikepark, and enjoy its performance. It wont beat a coil tho'

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I have been on 4 different shocks in 2010, but after aprrox 4-5 months of effective trailtime on the ISX-6, the shock finally failed. Big disappointment, this is an high end and expensive shock, and it really shouldn't fail this fast. After a medium sized drop at 1.5m (4-5 feet) to a good transition, my ISX-6 rearshock made a "pop"-sound and all air blew out of it(!). Adding more air did nothing - the shock was dead. Here you see how the shocks sits in its travel when I sit on the bike. Indicators on the picture show how much travel I have left.

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I was about to score this shock 3/6, but since it failed after only 4-5 months of effective use, I cant give it more than a zero, this failure is unacceptable. The Manitou ISX-6 is an expensive way to partially enjoy good midstroke and end stroke support.

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The good:
-Bottom out resistance adjuster works well.
-Can be sagged deep without blowing through the rest of the travel
-Acceptable midstroke

The bad:
-Low/High speed compression dials have little effect
-Rebound is not consistent
-No real online support
-Difficult to tune for efficient trail riding.
-It ultimately failed

Score: 0/6

Winter all mountain riding

So I'm back on the FOX DHX 4.0 coil rear shock, and its been a joy to play around the descends and jumps. The climbs has gotten a bit harder tho', and it bothers me that the shock never really settles when riding - its always doing something. Nonetheless the rides recently has been friggin awesome, one of the trips even offered one hell of an all-day ride where we cashed in 6 hours and 20 minutes of trail time..not bad for a winter ride! I'm ready for more.

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Wait a minute, isn't that?? Well yes it is...

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Thomas trying out a natural drop:

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The spitfire in action:

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Working the whip, we really need a proper jump to practice it, with a proper kicker, and a whip-friendly landing.

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Review: Kenda Excavator 2.35"

This Kenda Excavator 2.35" is one of the newer offerings from the Kenda family. It saw introduction in 2008, and was hailed and promoted as a moddable tire, as well as a (Kenda) Nevegal variant -but with more grip. The Kenda Nevegal didn't impress me, so I had some reservations regarding this tire - I'm happy to say that my reservations got put to shame. This is nothing like the Nevegal.

At first glance, this tire does looks like its going to create one hell of a rolling resistance. The odd placed knobs and special pattern made me think that this tire would feel sluggish and heavy. Happy to say  I wrong!

The Kenda Excavator is a true workhorse, and that's apparent from the very first ride, it digs in and works with the soil and dirt as soon as needed, and does everything it can to avoid spinning or loosing grip. Roots, rocks, just bring it on, and you'd be surprised to see that wet conditions doesn't scare this tire away - it continues to work hard. The only time I lost control was when I hit deep mud in turns - but that pretty much kills every tire, unless its mud-specific, so I feel a bit bad about even mentioning it.

The weight is acceptable for AM, not too heavy, not that light, it just sits in the middle. The Excavator has a moderate rolling resistance, its size wise generous, has a very good braking and drifting control - definitely positive assets for any AM biker. I did wash out a few times, but I always saw it coming. The drifting that's possible with this tire leaves you with a big smile. The tire holds its thread impressively long, and I don't even remember cutting it any slack. The sidewall is strong, and proved itself through dozens of sharp rockgardens.
I see this tire as an all-year performer, for the trail rider, or the all mountain biker, you can even get away with it for dry DH/FR sessions. You wont get the most out of it by riding it on hardpack, nor does it excel in deep mud for DH, but spin it on some more "normal" yet demanding soil, and it will work for you. This is a very competent AM tire.

The Excavator won the best-tire award on mtbr.com in 2009, the fact that its modifiable make it even more desirable.

Size: 2.35" DTC
Tested on: Rear
Claimed weight: 735 +- 35gram
Actual weight: 752 gram
Score: 5/6

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Check out the official modding tips for this tire:

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Heavy Tech AM

Oh yearh, 5 Hours of solid AM riding, jumps, drops, and fast lines was the name of the game, and we got what we came for. Some of the pics came out pretty good imo.

Christian rips it into a corner, and into a descend:

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Say hallo to "The Wall". A new spot that offers everything scetchy. Approach, kicker and landing, its all scetchy, and toys with your head, whispering "dont do it". But we did, although it took some mental persuasion. Here you see one of the 3 drops "the wall" has to offer, biggest is approx 4m (13 feet) - we didn't ride that tho'. Anyway, pic shows Christian and Kim discussing ridable lines. Awesome spot.

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I got to hand it to Kim, we tried to stress this guy with scetchy stuff, but time after time he ended up riding the same stuff as us "locals". Props man.

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Chritian and me playing around with whips (still learning mind you), we have two very different approaches to it. Whereas Chitian is using his energy to pull the whip back in, I on the other hand want to flip it out as far as possible, while still landing on the front wheel - making my get-away. Pic of my take on it comming soon. Meanwhile Chritian brings it:

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Working for speed:

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One of my best pics yet, no edits, this is how it actually came out.

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Christian drops "the wall" - we all did btw. Raw edit. No sound. 210 fps. 17 sec:

Frosty AM riding

The snow has retreated, thus opening otherwise inaccessible trails. Makes me a happy mountain biker : )

Its good to be on back on the AM trails again:

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Frost is a returning guest, the good thing is that it makes the forest ground very hard, and that makes for some pretty fast lines:

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New lines are popping up everywhere these days, kinda crazy, Ive been riding past by some of these spots for years without noticing them. Testing a new line:

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More post-snow fun:

Ive been on my Manitou ISX-6 rearshock the last 3-4 sessions, but last time, after a medium sized drop at 1.5m (4-5 feet) to a good transition, my ISX-6 rearshock made a "pop"-sound and all air blew out of it(!). Adding more air did nothing - the shock was dead. Here you see how the shocks sits in its travel when I sit on the bike. Indicators on the picture show how much travel I have left...talk about a deep sag ; )

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Ok, so now I'm impatiently awaiting my Monarch RT3 2011. Its already delayed 2 months..and I'm starting to look at alternatives.. Meanwhile, its back to the FOX DHX 4 Coil.

The lost pictures.. 2010

Shot in 2010, printed in 2011. Sometimes we end up shooting a lot of good or interesting pictures, but not all make it all the way to this blog. So I decided to bundle a small selection of some of the good/curious/interesting/disturbing pics from 2010, that missed the blog-publication. Enjoy the pics.

Lets start out with this cool pic. Morten sticks the bike into the air in the midst of a dawn

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The most evil mountain climb I have ever ridden, it just went on like this, and there was no "line". Tatry Mountains, Poland.
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Hilmer on the Continental track in Winterberg, Germany.
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Ever seen a forest crab?
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Some pics miss publication for obvious reasons. My eyes.
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I shot this pic from a "trail" in the Tatry mountains, this place still stands as the best AM terrain ive ever ridden. It spawned an endorphin explosion in my head. Good times.
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Most WANTED gear of 2011

2010 was a good year gear wise. There was alot of new stuff for mountain bikers to get excited about, and 2011 is no different. I took a look at  whats interesting for 2011, and why you should keep an eye on it.

RockShox - Monarch RT3 2011

Why its hot: Because the suspension tuning experts at PUSH said this when asked about the otherwise king of airshocks; the FOX RP23: "We do prefer the Monarch air (RT3 - ed) shock. We are not a "dealer", nor do we give advice to a customer that isn't in their best interest. I'll let our reputation speak for itself on that one." - thats not small words from the leading shock experts.

FOX -  DOSS (Adjustable seatpost)

Why its hot: FOX are masters of reliability, and are big players because of that. This could well be the very much needed reliability injection that the adjustable seat-post market needs. FOX are also known to do light weight stuff, and since this post is mechanically activated, it might come out pretty lightweight if FOX does its job right. Reliable and lightweight, that's a winning formula for this market, that sofar, no one has archived yet.

The only bad thing right now is that we might have to wait for 2012 for this post to ship.

Prototype pic:

RockShox - Lyrik RC2 DH

Why its hot: RockShox has been stepping up its game the last year, and that's evident by its 2011 product range. The Lyrik RC2 DH is all about performance, and RockShox has admitted that the former floodgate option had some drawbacks regarding small bump performance. So it got ripped out for the RC2DH to  improve trail response, and overall damping quality. The solo-air performance is tamed by adjustable high/low speed compression, and a beginning and end-stroke rebound (end stroke is factory set). The latter is very interesting to me as a rider, as I really like fast rebound for techy stuff but dislike the fast rebound for drops and jumps. Having a fork that takes care of both things sounds greatly appreciated. This fork might be the ticket to perfect AM front suspension.  

Troy Lee Design - Shock Doctor Chest Protector CP 5955
Why its hot: Its the newest generation of bodyarmor and it centers around the Leatt Brace. 2 years in development, this bodyarmor lets your merge the brace with the bodyarmor itself, by "clicking" to brace into it. With more than 50 size configurations, and focus on cooling the rider via vents, this armor is out to make a stand.

Unofficial pic showing a prototype, with the Leatt Brace inserted:

Canfield Brothers - 2011 ONE

Why its hot: Most major bike brands talk about a true do-it-all bike - none have delivered if you ask me. Canfield Brothers might just be on to something. Featuring a parallel link suspension system (think virtual pivot), the ability to use 2 different shock sizes, and a total of 4 different travel settings (165mm-203mm (6.5"-8")), a thru' rear axle, a Cane Creek AngleSet compatible 1.5" headtube..oh and did I mention its build up to be dual-crown compatible? Oh yes, complete with a 64 degree head angle. This frame has the potential to be build for the All Mountain rider, but converted to a true DH slaying machine simply by changing the fork and shock. Im crossing my fingers that the Canfield Brothers actually pull this off.

Early prototype pic:

So that's about it, expect to see reviews of some of these products during 2011 right here on All Mountain Next. Got something to add? or something on your mind? well put your thoughts to writing in the comments section, it does not require a sign in.

Review: Schwalbe Ice Spiker Pro 2011 (UPDATED)

The Schwalbe Ice Spiker Pro is an evolution of their former spike tire series. This version has more spikes, and has a more aggressive side-profile.

The first thing that impressed me was the weight. Considering that the tire has more than 300 spikes, Schwalbe has done a great job of cutting down the weight. The tire is easily installed, but to my surprise there wasn't any tire rotation instruction - you can fit it any way you want. That makes me believe that Schwalbe has missed some optimizing opportunities. The tire itself does rotate a bit slow on the ground, but not so much that it should hinder a potential buyer. In fact, it actually rolls a bit faster than I expected. Its just not a high roller.

The tires grabs onto ice, loose over hardpack-snow, heavy and light snow pretty good. Way better than regular tires especially on the ice. But let me be claer; its not slip-proof - if you dont pay attention, you will end up on the ground. The tire does however create better possibilities for faster speed and more control - and a safer ride.

If I was to improve on this tire, I would have made the side-spikes bigger and more aggressive, so that traction on the high speed turns could have been improved.

All in all I see this tire as a winter-tire only, for the xc riders, trail riders, and the AM riders as well. If you are out riding in the snow and ice, and want better traction, then look into this tire. It gets the job done.

(UPDATE)

So finally had a chance to test this tire on the rear as well. And my thoughts are very positive because of one particular thing: The Ice Spiker Pro tire sticks so well to slippery snow and even pure ice, that it allows otherwise inaccessible trails to be ridden, and that's an important point. Whether its climbing or descending, or even braking, you can expect a surprisingly good performance from the Ice Spiker Pro as a rear tire. Ive added an extra point to the overall score, because of performance and shear value.

Size:2.1"

Tested on: Front and Rear
Claimed weight: 695 gram
Actual weight: 657 gram (tire1)
Actual weight: 696 gram (tire2)
Score: 5/6

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Tech AM

Had a pleasure of 2 good and technical AM trips recently. Shot some pics and vids as well. On top of that we found 2 new lines, and a single very technical spot. So it was all about keeping it techy and fun. Awesome.

Clearing a bump while turning. Front wheel tracks the ground at all time while I reposition the back. Christian does something similar in the vid below.

Speaking of the man, he just couldnt resist:

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Testing some lines:

Is this a normal sight?

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Video. First of, its christian playing around. Second scene is another new line, that has a mini g-out into a turn, very fun suff to ride, this was my first day riding it. 

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Snow - ON/OFF

Been out riding alot in December, a quick look on the actual numbers I see that ive been out riding 10 times last month, thats a mtb trip with minimum 1 hour of actual trail time every third day during the whole month. Not bad considering the weather and conditions in general. The last 4 weeks has been a bit skitzofrenic regarding the snow..

first...

...the snow came:

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...then it went away:

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...then it sort-of came back again:

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...then it really hit us:

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...now its melting again:

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Ive already had my first January trip, and hope to see alot more, so lets keep the snow melted, I prefer it that way ; )