Trail Reports
- Thread starter Norm
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Glancing Aft
Active Member
Any updates on Ringwood? Trying to figure out what kind of bike to bring up tomorrow for Chirstmas...
kush
Active Member
We did 6 mile "this afternoon" followed by righteous Jorba-affiliated mex-ipine food.
The snow was deep, like 6-12 inches, but mostly rideable (by mostly I mean slightly over 50%). Once you get your groove on, it gets easier. We discovered that fresh powder snow is way better than snowshoes tracks or footprints, as it doesn't mess with your front wheel tracking.
The snow was deep, like 6-12 inches, but mostly rideable (by mostly I mean slightly over 50%). Once you get your groove on, it gets easier. We discovered that fresh powder snow is way better than snowshoes tracks or footprints, as it doesn't mess with your front wheel tracking.
bobkennelly
Member
New York city is ridable, got 22 in yesterday and doing the same today!
You could always run too, got 6 of those in on Monday along the scenic East river. Just me and the homeless people.
That will be it until Monday, Merry Christmas all!
BOBKE
You could always run too, got 6 of those in on Monday along the scenic East river. Just me and the homeless people.
That will be it until Monday, Merry Christmas all!
BOBKE
Neilism
I Owe Norm $10
Word. Went in 2wice and came back out before lowering tire pressure to "damn near flat" and following Kush's inspiring lead only to discover that it wasnt so bad afterall 🙄. That being said the distance covered in an hour would normally take about 15 minutes. Good fun nonetheless. Wear your finest winter shoes and be prepared to hike at 6m for the first time ever.....
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>>We discovered that fresh powder snow is way better than snowshoes tracks or footprints, as it doesn't mess with your front wheel tracking.<<
Yup, if just a couple of people have been through it's way better to avoid the prints. At some point it's better to go where it's packed. The Tourne now has a fair amount of packed riding. This dry snow is packing down to a surface with really good traction and is super fun to ride.
Another thing I learned yesterday is if you go on trails where the only track is a bicycle watch out. I went on some almost virgin trails that only I had ridden the day before and the wind filled in the rut really well. Too bad the snow is packed much harder there, it forms a ridge that is tricky to cross. I could barely see my old track but it almost took me down when I crossed it on a little downhill.
bruce b.
Yup, if just a couple of people have been through it's way better to avoid the prints. At some point it's better to go where it's packed. The Tourne now has a fair amount of packed riding. This dry snow is packing down to a surface with really good traction and is super fun to ride.
Another thing I learned yesterday is if you go on trails where the only track is a bicycle watch out. I went on some almost virgin trails that only I had ridden the day before and the wind filled in the rut really well. Too bad the snow is packed much harder there, it forms a ridge that is tricky to cross. I could barely see my old track but it almost took me down when I crossed it on a little downhill.
bruce b.
lou_b_83
New Member
The D&R Canal towpath is able to be ridden in the Trenton and Princeton area.
Route 1 bridge.
Fresh tracks
Snow clogging up my bike. it was much deeper than it looks the bike is under big evergreen trees in this photo.
I like that bar tape. Did it come that way or is it 2?
Fogerson
Former Resident Nerd
Mahlon Dickerson, 12/23
Headed out this AM at a brisk 17 degrees with a brandy new 2.4 MK on the back of the SIR9.
It wasn't a long ride; picnic area, past the turtle, over by 3-stone, down to the rail bed, over to Saffin, road back to parking (more on that in a minute).
As you might imagine, areas that don't get a lot of sunlight are still a tough haul. Only about 4-ish inches on the ground, but those areas are still pretty much loose powder. Toss in a lot of horse/person/xc ski tracks and the fun-o-meter was on low. Most energy was gobbled up just keeping the thing pointed in the right direction and upright; forget about climbing even the slightest incline (on a SS anyway).
However...
Stick with it. Once you get to sections that get a decent amount of sunlight, you'll find about 2 inches of powder on top of a nice 'n crunchy base. At that point, the traction genie will pay you a visit. The MK's hooked up nicely and away I went. 'Was even able to climb some stuff. And as stated previously, avoid tracks made by others...that way you only have to worry about rocks you can't see changing you trajectory.
It was still a tough haul for me, though. On the SS, there were a lot of climbs that I couldn't make, even if I could get decent traction. Simply, couldn't push the gear. Honestly, if I were to hit the base of these climbs on a clear trail at the speed I did today, I wouldn't have made it either. In fact, once I got to where there was that crunchy layer, most climbs I didn't make were lack of momentum/gear pushing related--not traction related.
After grinding for a bit, I decided to rail bed/road it back as my knees were killing me (was going to do the north loop around back to cascade). Since I don't have a 21 or 22 tooth cog laying around, I'm thinking the gears are going on the SIR9 this afternoon.
Summary
Headed out this AM at a brisk 17 degrees with a brandy new 2.4 MK on the back of the SIR9.
It wasn't a long ride; picnic area, past the turtle, over by 3-stone, down to the rail bed, over to Saffin, road back to parking (more on that in a minute).
As you might imagine, areas that don't get a lot of sunlight are still a tough haul. Only about 4-ish inches on the ground, but those areas are still pretty much loose powder. Toss in a lot of horse/person/xc ski tracks and the fun-o-meter was on low. Most energy was gobbled up just keeping the thing pointed in the right direction and upright; forget about climbing even the slightest incline (on a SS anyway).
However...
Stick with it. Once you get to sections that get a decent amount of sunlight, you'll find about 2 inches of powder on top of a nice 'n crunchy base. At that point, the traction genie will pay you a visit. The MK's hooked up nicely and away I went. 'Was even able to climb some stuff. And as stated previously, avoid tracks made by others...that way you only have to worry about rocks you can't see changing you trajectory.
It was still a tough haul for me, though. On the SS, there were a lot of climbs that I couldn't make, even if I could get decent traction. Simply, couldn't push the gear. Honestly, if I were to hit the base of these climbs on a clear trail at the speed I did today, I wouldn't have made it either. In fact, once I got to where there was that crunchy layer, most climbs I didn't make were lack of momentum/gear pushing related--not traction related.
After grinding for a bit, I decided to rail bed/road it back as my knees were killing me (was going to do the north loop around back to cascade). Since I don't have a 21 or 22 tooth cog laying around, I'm thinking the gears are going on the SIR9 this afternoon.
Summary
- Mahlon is rideable.
- Areas with limited sun exposure are a tough run still...especially if there has been a lot of foot traffic.
- Traction is good in areas with decent sun exposure.
- If you're in better shape than me and have a good snow setup on your bike (whatever that means for you), I think you can get in a good ride there. Hard to see getting in a great ride, but then again, I'm not as twisted as some...😛
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BiknBen
Well-Known Member
The Kalmyk
Well-Known Member
It is two...that's all I'm telling. It's a secret.
White wrap over black switches to black wrap over white behind the brakes??? How you did the diamond design I haven't a clue...I think if I see it I can figure it out
maybe
mwlikesbikes
Well-Known Member
So what is good out there? I need to get a ride in tomorrow morn. About 9am. Considering C-Rock, but am open to a little more north. How's Lew Mo or KVSP? BTW I don't have studs. Is Hartshorne rideable???
gtluke
The Moped
Rode LewMo today. It's really hard. Maybe I suck at snow biking but anything with footprints in it was unrideable to me. I could get good traction in the virgin stuff but anything with the CX skii marks or hikers or whatever tossed my bike ALL over the place. I couldn't even ride downhill on it. In the virgin stuff it was good though.
John Baumann
Active Member
Let us know how it is please...
I'm planning on a Christmas Day ride there tomorrow before the rain.
Didn't make CR, ended up at Round Valley. Rode from F&W boat ramp accross small dam along the lake trail. Made it 1.8 miles to the first big climb. The trail to that point was 100% ridable. There was a trail about 18 inches wide well packed down with great traction. Once I got to the first big climb, lost all traction and my biking shoes are for summer not snow. Headed back, all in all a good ride but only 3.6 miles. 😀
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