Misfortunes for Eastcoast Bennefit the West.

A mountain I basically grew up on, Mountain Creek in Vernon, NJ has recently lost its world-renowned mountain bike park due to contract conflicts and lack of future interest from the resort directors. Diablo Freeride Park was Mountain Creek’s downhill-mountain bike haven in conjunction with its waterpark which is an ever-growing phenomenon on east coast ski mountains in the summer months. According to property owners, the bike park did not produce the traffic that the water park brought which explains the growing trends to these fiberglass monstrosities that sit on ski hills dormant during the winter months. The mountain bike trails see just as much action during the off-season with exception to riding in the fall when it is too cold to be in the water. The environmental and ascetic damage that these water parks cause is something to be considered but it can be argued that bike trails cause erosion. To his their own…

RIP

I could rant all day on how much I dislike water parks but what it really comes down to is the lack of adventure that our culture is possessing. More are willing to jump down a 100ft vertical slide than go ride nasty downhill trails. Though water parks may have their place in the realm of fun, they require little skill and unlike riding bikes, they get boring after a day of being pruney. My goal with this blog is to project my love for bicycles and encourage those who have been wanting to go ride to do so. Picking up a skill overall is what more should seek to do rather than consumer their time with the mundane. Riding for me is a way for getting away from it all and I can thank places such as Diablo Freeride Park for sparking the want for me to always strive to become a better rider.

This news was sad for me as I will always remember Mountain Creek as one of my home mountains and seeing my favorite part of it go will be hard to bear. Though this news is somewhat depressing, there comes a good side to the story. The US Open of mountain biking is held in the spring every year at Diablo and it is one of the largest US mountain biking event. Large cash purse and a huge prize selection for ammeter riders brings Pros and Ams from all over the world to race. With Diablo meeting it’s demise the US Open is in search of a new mountain to call it’s home. According to press releases there is talk about being it to Lake Tahoe. Now there has been no name mentioned but the only name that rings a bell to me is Northstar. Holding the pro GRT finals for the past 2 years, it is hard to see any other mountain join the Downhill scene in Tahoe. Northstar is the only established lift accessed mountain in Lake Tahoe with many such as Kirkwood and Squaw Valley trying to join the bandwagon but falling unsuccessful each year. Maybe this bid to push the US Open will give these other resorts the extra incentive to get their act together and really introduce downhill mountain biking the right way with a proper trail crew and proper group of riders to help promote a new mountain that can hold up with Northstar’s established and growing trail network and rider following.

10' Northstar GRT

Two Shocks… One Linkage

Got to ride one of these hot tickets the other day and from a short little jaunt in the parking lot, I was impressed. This is Cannondale’s new take on the do-it-all trail bike capable of descending just as quick as it can climb. Most of the hurdles within building a multi purpose full suspension bike is the geometry that is created from either a long travel shock or a bike that utilizes a short travel platform. In most cases when a bike possesses a long travel platform the handling characteristics are compromised and usually only work well in steep and rough terrain. On the contrary, a short travel bike has steeper geometry angles and it’s characteristics are catered for those who like to climb rather than descend as well as stay away from the rough sections of the trail.

Luckily with Cannondale’s partnership with Fox Racing Shox, they have created a new suspension design that is truly unique to the mountain biking community.  The Claymore is equipped with a shock unique to this bike only which allows it to drop travel and change bike geometry in just one, on-the-fly switch. It was once said that “to be a true cyclist you must own 7 bikes”, well Cannondale has now eliminated your cross country and trail bike and built them into one rig. Weighing in at only 32 lbs this bike is the prime candidate for your all on one Tahoe ready bike. Most of the trails in our area require a good climb in order to experience the good downhills. With Northstar being the only lift accessed mountain for bikes in the area, many are selling off their downhill bikes and settling for something that dose not require chairlift or pickup truck to make it to the top of the hill. With technology getting increasingly more intricate in the mountain bike world, the 7 bike theory is going to quickly become a thing of the past. I can’t wait for an actual trail ride on this bike because the concept behind changing bike geometry via suspension tuning is incredibly intriguing. Having the ability to flip a switch that activates 2 completely different characteristics of the bike can be a recipe for the most versatile bike out there or just another technical nightmare that will leave you stranded trail-side… I’ll just have to wait and see.

Weather Nerd.

Jan 14

As most of you know we are currently experiencing one of the driest winters in a long time. With warmer temperatures during the day and blue bird skies, the riding on any cycle of your choosing has been impeccable. In mid January this is a luxury for avid cyclists but on a negative note we will be experiencing an interesting fire season in the summer if this weather pattern persists. Luckilly the above image is going to drastically change in the next week as our winter is finally going to consist of some precipitation.

I feel like my life’s activities  revolves around weather sometimes and therefore have a constant eye on it. Lately with the lack of snow and warm weather in January, it has raised a lot of concern for what our winter is coming to consist of. As of this weekend, there has been a very large cold front moving in breaking the warm temperatures that we have been experiencing. With this drop in the mercury level, the same jet stream that pushed in the cold is followed up by moisture in which we anticipate a substantial amount of snow. 

Last winter gave us record setting snow pack numbers which allowed the Truckee Meadows to remain green and have low fire danger all year. This system moving in will provide a lot of the needed moisture for our area but it will only be the base to what is required for our area’s thrust to be quenched this summer. As there is little rain on our side of the Sierras, we rely on this snow even though it might throw a wrench in to an almost perfect winter for cycling. The riders dedicated to riding weekly will now find them selves traveling to Vegas and into California where there is rain rather than snow. Given the burden of travel needed to ride due to weather, it now provides rain in the foothills on the California side yielding superb trail conditions where there is little dust and tires gain optimal grip in the moist soil. Even though it didn’t seem like it was going to happen, every season must come to an end regardless of how perfect it may be. Without the snow in the Reno / Tahoe area, our following spring and riding season will be a disaster with dusty trails not to mention the possibility for a drought and increased fire dangers. For those who are unable to throw their bike in the car and get out of town for a weekend, I suggest you learn how to play in the snow because it will be on us in no time now…

Cafe Racers?

Lately I have been looking into the new trend that has been increasingly becoming more popular in motorcycle culture. “Cafe Racers” are a bit of a mash-up between new school and old school. It combines 70′s technology with modern re-working and handling upgrades to the older platform. It offers an opportunity for people to get creative with their bikes as the scene behind it revolves around customization and innovation of older bikes to make them better cater to a certain individual’s riding style and overall personal image.

Traditional large displacement Cafe platform (77 Honda CB750)

I like the ability to tune anything to your personal likings and cafe motorcycles are the epotomy of this mindset. Many of the “American motorcycle enthusiasts” make fun of this platform because they are based off British and Japanese bikes. It’s often said “if you want something truly unique and custom, go get a Harley or chopper.” I disagree for they are not unique, they all look relitively similar to each other and everyone is just as loud as the other. When one spots a Cafe bike on the road, you know what it is right away and each bike has it’s own style to it and you better believe it was hand built. Cafe bikes are not mass produced and every bike has been a creation formed in it’s owners mind.

Yamaha Maxim bobber

Along with cafe bikes are “bobbers” which are built out of the same types of bikes but are less focused on improved handling and more towards comfort and style. More relateable to “choppers”, bobbers put more emphasis in the style of the bike rather than how fast it will go around the track. Still utulizing the vintage foreign street-bike platform, they are still highly powerful but have a lower seat done by chopping or “bobbing” the subframe of the bike.

I have a lot of respect for the custom import bike world. Cafes & Bobber motorcycles made popular in Europe has becoming increasingly more popular in the Americas for its wide possibility for creativity and the low costs associated with building one. Most of the cost’s incurred to build one of these bikes is usually in your own time and labor. Lots of thought and personal additions are are required to build a good looking and running bike. It’s often easy to find a 70′s Japanese bike for under $1k and then possibilities are endless from there, the only thing needed is confidence in your own abilities and good ideas.

Image Credit

 

Hydration and it’s effects on recovery.

Whether you are running, cycling, pulling full days on a moto or just working hard, hydration is important for your body. The main factor that leads to fatigue and cramping is lack of water and nutrition. This is something that effects me often as I am usually known for hopping out of bed at 9am, taking a few swigs of water when I brush my teeth and then not consume any sort of nutrition until 3pm. This leaves me completely energy depleted by this point and entirely sore to boot. On heavy ride days it is easy to get caught up in having fun and forget to hydrate but this can be the main fuel to continuing your day of activity.

Lately I have been experimenting with Hammer products which is a line of nutrition popular with avid cyclists and runners. Hammer creates a wide line of products that hits the every need for athletes that regularly punish their bodies. From energy gels and drinks, to recovery aids and protein mixes, an athlete can fuel and maintain an exercise or an activity without the sluggish feeling of solid foods. I am not one to eat much especially during constant activity. Drinking more often is something that I have been pushing to do and Utilizing Hammer’s “HEED” with a Gel packet mid ride provides me the energy and nutrition I need to keep going. HEED is a energy drink that can be used for sort or long length activities. For more strenuous and longer activity the “Perpetuem” is a more suitable choice as it slows down fat consumption and maintains energy stores.

Along with the HEED I have been using the “Recoverite” and the “Whey” in conjunction to reduce the amount of lactic acid build as well as replenish your glucose levels. These supplements help ease stomach aches at the as well after heavy activity and the cramps that develop from it. It is amazing how much the right nutrition can improve your feeling after a hard work out. I went from someone who crashed on the couch after a long ride to a still productive individual that can ride even longer. Having the strength and energy to seize the following day is the largest benefit I receive as soreness sets in quickly without the proper nutrition and hydration. With a little bit of help from Hammer, my notoriously weak stomach is able to fuel my continuously active body with the proper nutrition it desires.

Hammer Smorgasbord

Welding: A Lifelong Journey

Growing up on a farm I leaned to be innovative and fix things rather than buy new. This mindset continues today but my skills as a Craftsman has vastly improved. One skill in particular that has saved me a lot of money over the years has been learning to weld. At the ripe age of 10 my father taught me to arc weld with your ordinary Oxygen and Acetylene torch and a typical metal coat hanger as the rod. Looking back I am glad that I learned in such a crude manner for it bennefit me greatly down the road learing the art entirely.

I currently have a Honda 400ex in my garage that I was sort of defaulted through a friend. I used to be in to quads but not so much anymore as the dirt bike provides me more enjoyment. The motors are the same and I know how to work on them so I decided to take the project on. It needed a new top end (complete piston/rings and cylinder machining) and a few other odds and ends to make it into rideable shape. one of the odds and ends was rewelding an aluminum canister on their exhaust silencer. Now as I mentioned before I learned how to weld with a coat hanger which was STEEL so I knew very little about welding ALUMINUM. Luckily my good friends the Gutknecht’s who are well versed machinists and welders, were willing to show me.

I was very intimidated going to the process from my past experience but if it wasn’t for having any experience at all in this area I would have had a major disadvantage. Learing to crudely do repair welds earlier in life allowed me to build off that and acclimate my knowledge to a more refined style. I think this sort of mindset holds everywhere, if you want to learn something than do it which ever way you can with what ever means possible. I am grateful that the Gutknecht’s allowed me to use their equipment let alone teach me the basics to learn. I never thought I would have an oppertunity to learn this skill as most of these machines sell for $5k+ and the owners of them are very protective of the equipment. Opportunities like these are crucial to learning and progressing in life and whenever they become available I try to take in as much knowledge as possible. 

A quick little hydraulic brake tip…

I’ve had to explain the task of trimming hydraulic brake lines several times so I figured this write-up might help. If anyone is somewhat handy and willing to take on a hydraulic brake system, the process is relatively easy and straight forward if you always consider gravity as your friend like in any brake bleeding scenario.

This might seem complicated but all you’re doing is cutting the line and re-joining it at the lever with the correct amount of fluid and no air between your joint. It eliminates the need to completely re-bleed your brake system when disconnecting a line. This makes the job much quicker and cleaner given that the wheel’s and brake pads can remain in the bike and the lower caliper is not needed as it otherwise would in a traditional bleed, hope this helps…

Unlike Hayes, Avid brakes and some others, you’re able to remove the compression bushing from the line when you disconnect it at the lever… re-use it. All that’s needed, is to remove the fittings at the end of the line, cut it to proper size then… here comes the trick… take a hypodermic needle, fill it with DOT 4 brake fluid. The needle will be used to insert in to the small brake hose to fill the existing line after you replaced all needed compression fittings. (new silver bushing should be used but rest of hardware is ok for Avid’s) Proceed to fill the line while gradually removing the needle all the way untill you have the line filled to the point where there is a meniscus over the end of the line (steady hand needed)

Do the same with the lever… fill it with fluid using the needle, pump a few times to make sure the reservoir has no bubbles, and all that is cycling through the lever is fluid with no air left…

(No need to completely fill lever blade, usually a 1/4″ below the compression bushing threads is a good rule of thumb. Any excess will be expelled when you thread the line together, be ready to catch it with an absorbent rag). 

A needle can be a helpful tool to have for any precise application, (Find a good friend in the nursing department or I’m sure they can be purchased at a pharmacy) They come in super handy with brake bleeding as well any hard to get to spots in shifters, hubs, and derailleurs.

I will have pictures to supplement this process in the near future.

Peavine Trail Map

You don’t have to have a bike to enjoy the most prominent geographical feature in Reno.

I would consider one of the largest off-road playground in Reno to be Peavine . The diveresity in landscape goes from some of the nastiest rock sections to fast and smooth fire roads that can be enjoyed in an average 4×4. Upon moving to Reno in 2006, I searched out the most immediate grounds to get my biking and off-roading jollies taken care of. Located right at the north end of Reno, Peavine was the most logical choice for me as I was not entirely familiar with the area yet, and if I got lost, the city was always in view to guide me back to the surface streets. I feel that even though I have explored this mountain and it’s trail system for the better part of the past 6 years, I have still not tapped in to the best of what it has to offer. There are hundreds of trail systems that line the mountain side with beautiful views of the Truckee Meadows that can be accessed by most any means of travel from motorcycle, jeep, bicycle, or just a good ol’ hike. I wanted to highlight the main trails on the mountain that are most popular and maintained more frequently. Depending on your location and means of travel, most anyone can get a quick daily hike/ride in before class begins at UNR. I encourage everyone to take a hike up Keystone canyon to the big “N” or one of the neighboring trails for the views are excellent and your mind/body will thank you for it.

Click Image to Enlarge

Sunday on Peavine.

After a week of work and running around I felt a good ride was in order. The weather has been incredible here in Reno and with wintermester and other errands, I have not been able to take advantage of it. Yesterday a buddy and myself decided that since Peavine mountain was basking in the sun, that we should be too and go rip some trails. Usually the rides begin in Keystone canyon or at the top of Hoge. RD but we decided to go all out and begin from the towers at the very top.  Usually this time of year temperatures and the wind are somewhat of a burden since the mountain’s elevation is another 5,000ft above Reno. Lucky for us it was just as nice at the peak as it was in town. If it wasn’t for a few ice patches on the single track at the top it would have been excellent trail conditions. Due to the lack of moisture that our area has gotten in the past few months the lower portion was very dusty and it was a bit of a challenge to follow anybody close as the dust made it hard to see.

Overall the day was a success, no one got hurt and we did not push ourselves to the point of becoming over worked. Descending from 8,100ft elv to 4,700 ft on some of the roughest terrain of in our area was a much needed challenge that provided myself a good relief from the everyday run-around. It is not often that people ride bikes from the top of this mountain as trails are sparsely established and it takes a good sense of direction to make it to the more established trail network at the bottom. I would not recommend this ride to a first timer for it is very easy to get lost as well as get hurt due to the un-maintained trails at the peak.

Welcome!

Hey everyone, thanks for checking out the JonesKraft Blog. My name is Ben Jones and I wanted to create a brand that has a general appeal to those involved with anything on two wheels and motor sports in general. Hailing from the greater Reno/Tahoe area, myself and others alike have a huge opportunity to utilize our very large and diverse outdoor landscape here in northern Nevada and California. As seasons change, so do our focuses. Spring and Fall leave perfect time for mountain biking as the the USA cycling season kicks off here in early April and the Collegiate season begins at the beginning of the Fall semester at UNR. Winter is an excellent time for motorized toys and skis, with snowmobiling on the hill and motorcycles being ridden in the valley. I like to keep myself active in the saddle all year and this site will provide others like me in the area a location to gain information on current conditions, local news within the culture, and new innovations or projects with which I am engaged.

I have been well versed in the cycling world, specifically dealing with mountain bikes for the better part of the past 10 years racing and working in the industry. On a side note, in my spare time I rebuild motors and suspension in machines including, but not limited to bicycles, automobiles and motorcycles. In general, I would like to focus specifically on bicycles as well as a slight look in to anything technical and powerful. Much of my childhood revolved around the motorized side of the 2-wheeled lifestyle, which I am still well involved with and use for training. Riding Motocross (moto) helps develop focus, strength and stamina for cycling, not to mention it is one of my favorite things to do. Riding as a whole gives me a feeling of balance when everything  else in life seems to be out of place.

These interests sum up my overall, singular hobby and I want to create a portal that represents this for others who feel the same. There are many pages out there that cover core issues in either cycling or motocross but I want a general resource that hit both ends for the performance-minded recreationalists, most notably in the Tahoe region. For those who hold the same passion for two wheels and speed like I do, you have found the right place as my future posts will be filled with random yet pertinent information to the happenings in the world of cycles in our area.