Ever Wonder about the Custom Bike Process?

So im not sure this is how all custom fab shops do it, but this has got to be one of the best videos on the web detailing the process. Check out their bikes and more here.

Geekhouse Movie from Geekhouse Bikes on Vimeo.

Great Interview

StumpJump 50k: Josh Wheeler from Rock/Creek on Vimeo.

Rock/Creek Race Team member and Chattanooga native Josh Wheeler, currently a pre-med student at Appalachian State, talks about his experience as an ultrarunner. Wheeler won the 2009 Rock/Creek StumpJump 50k. He would come back to Chattanooga a couple months later and win the Lookout Mountain 50 miler as well.


Rock/Creek StumpJump 50k 2010 from Rock/Creek on Vimeo.

Come run the premier 50k trail race in the Southeast. Taking place on a beautiful dirt-packed trail with Tennessee mountain stone thrown in -- and with a 5000+ ft. elevation gain -- the Rock/Creek StumpJump 50k benefits Wild Trails for trail access and maintenance efforts in the Chattanooga area. Looking for a shorter race on the same beautiful trail? You're in luck! There will be an 11-mile course offered as well.

Proceeds benefit Wild Trails, a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to the use, expansion and promotion of trails in greater Chattanooga.

50k Race Details >
11 Mile Race Details >

New Team Support Van!

Pic from Sportsmobile Custom

You can buy one as well here.

We Also Like to Climb

Rhapsody of Steele from Will Eccleston on Vimeo.


Heart of Stone - Standard Def from Andrew Kornylak on Vimeo.

Some cool movies to celebrate the completion of collecting $25,300 to purchase climbing "Deep Creek, TN" Did I mention it only took 6 WEEKS! If you want to help open up some climbing areas in the South East or save the ones you love check out the SEC here.

I hurt for this bike

My next BAMBOO Bike

Boo & Panda Bamboo Bike

This bike is absolutely amazing! Check out more Boo & Panda bikes at BikeRumor.

Very Cool Project

The Geography of Youth from Restless Collective on Vimeo.

Keirin, Where Football Meets Cycling

29er Vs. 26er

29 inch mountain bikes are not going to revolutionize mountain biking the way suspension forks did, however they do have their advantages and some people will swear by them.

When it comes to choosing the right size mountain bike forget about the size of the frame or the length your crank length and saddle height. The first thing you need to decide is: are you a 26er or a 29er?
I am of course referring to the size of the wheels on your bike. Check out the picture below for a look at their difference…

The 29 inch mountain bike ride is different to a 26 incher and it’s good!
Riding with bigger wheels at lower pressures the wheels absorb small bumps and holes in the trail and stick to it like a fly on maple syrup. The downside? Weight! You will never be able to build wheels on 29er mountain bikes as light as 26 inch wheels. And that extra weight is rotating mass so it counts double.
A 29 inch mountain bike is actually very similar to long travel dual suspension trail bikes. Both have extra weight and slow steering and are designed for similar situations. So which is best? Read on to find out…
…both types of bikes are actually very good at trail riding. A long travel dual suspension 26” bike will take the 29er on rougher descents and descents with tight turns but you will find a 29er to be more stable and confident in technical situations. This is due to its rigid frame, wheels that easily roll over small obstacles and a lower centre of gravity. A dually on the other hand will hang-up on rocks, its suspension will absorb valuable momentum and it will generally lurch around.
So does the 29er win the contest because it can match the performance of a more expensive and advanced dually, or does tuneable suspension make the 26er more versatile and the winner? Only you can answer that.

WHY 29er???

One thing I can tell you is that big wheels found on 29 inch mountain bikes can be run at lower pressures and allow a bigger contact area with the ground. This gives much more grip. The extra weight and momentum they carry at speed will allow you to ride a straighter, more confident line.
They are however more suited to taller riders who find themselves getting bigger frame bikes.
If you are not the tall then it comes down to how you ride. But if you can’t afford a quality dual suspension trail bike I would seriously consider the smoother ride you can get from cheaper 29er mountain bikes.
Of course you can always go for the much more expensive and much heavier dual suspension 29 inch mountain bikes, but that’s another can of worms.

Who Doesn't like 69

A combination between a 26er and a 29er, a 69er has a 29” wheel up front and a 26” wheel down the back. A small amount of weight is saved and they accelerate a bit faster than full 29 inch mountain bikes but the big difference is with the chainstay.
A shorter chainstay brings the rear wheel in close to the bottom bracket. This helps climbing and shortens the overall wheel base. It also helps to get the front wheel up in times of need (over a log or just chucking a wheelie). Maintenance and spares for 2 different wheel sizes can make things a bit difficult though. - Mountainbikeworld.com

No Time to Train

Brooks' Google Maps ride home

Brooks' Map My Run, Jog Home

If you find your self with no time to work an hour or so of running into your day, just work your workout into your commute. Example in Atlanta the average person spends 2hrs a day in traffic. I can run from my office in Buckhead to my house in Dunwoody in just over an hour. This allows me to listen to books on tapes, take in scenery that I would have never noticed and arrive home felling great about myself and ready to spend sometime with the wife and dogs.
There are tons of programs out there that allow you to track your miles, elevation, and time on these commutes. So as gas hits $4.00 a gallon make the folks in the Prius feel bad when you blast past them in the big gear.

Patagonia Does it Again!

Patagonia Inc., the environmentally minded apparel company, has teamed with some of today’s top artists, representing a range of genres, to form the Patagonia Music Collective. The Patagonia Music Collective was launched in the United States on March 1 at www.patagonia.com/music.

Exclusive tracks will be sold at $.99 each, with net proceeds going directly to the environmental organizations of the artists’ preference. Musicians on board thus far includeMaroon 5, Philip Glass, Mason Jennings, John Scofield, Umphrey’s McGee, Ben Solee, Drive By Truckers, Bobby Long, String Cheese Incident, Ziggy Marley, Los Lobos, Big Head Todd & the Monsters and many more.

“Musicians have been interested in partnering with Patagonia on our environmental work for years, but we didn’t have the right platform to work together effectively,” notes Rob BonDurant, Patagonia’s vice president of marketing, “The Music Collective provides us with a way to partner directly with enviro-minded artists and to engage their fans in environmental efforts. It’s truly a new model for green giving.”

The Patagonia Music Collective was launched with 22 tracks bundled into two volumes of 11 tracks each. It will continue as a long-term project, with one new benefit track and three emerging tracks to be released each subsequent week. Exclusive benefit compilation albums will be available at varying intervals at Patagonia stores worldwide.

The collective encompasses all genres of music from pop to roots, reggae to indie rock, jazz to alt-country, and supports a similarly diverse range of environmental action. By featuring previously unavailable material from both established and rising artists, the Patagonia Music Collective aims to engage a diversity of fans directly in environmental giving.

As the latest in an extensive series of initiatives Patagonia has lead to further environmental action and awareness, the Patagonia Music Collective builds upon the success of such programs as 1% for the Planet (a coalition of 1400+ companies that pledge to give 1% of their annual sales to enviro organizations) and the Conservation Alliance (a coalition of business  that grants 100% of its member dues to grassroots environmental groups). The Patagonia Music Collective is not a record label, nor is it simply a downloads-for-charity campaign. It is a perpetually evolving program that allows musicians to direct money to specific environmental causes while giving listeners rare access to previously unavailable music.

The program will roll out internationally in Japan, the UK, Canada, and elsewhere this June. - PopSop 

New Dirtbag Diary has Arrived!

"Our sports transcend languages. Ever seen two climbers mime the sequence to a boulder problem? Smiles between skiers on a powder day? Our passions become a vehicle to explore a world outside of our own. Jacob Bain has traveled to SE Asia, Cuba, and Africa. And though he sometimes has climbing gear, he always has a guitar. Through music, Jacob has jammed with locals, incorporating the new sounds and experiences into his music. In the summer of 2010,Johnny Fernandes invited Jacob and his band Publish the Questto Cape Verde to partake in a musical experience as part of his goal to preserve the local music. Can a hook, a horn line and a new take on a traditional song overcome culture and language barriers?" - Fitz Cahall

South East MTB

Red Bull Night Shift 2010- Clemson, SC from Josh Darling on Vimeo.

SORBA.org
Check out more at the SORBA website

Chasing HardTail Uniforms

Chasing HardTail Team Photo

Chasing HardTail Team Photo 

Chasing HardTail Team Logo 

From left to right, Zach Riggins, Brooks Harvard, Tim Davis, Bucky, Buchanan. 

Transition Bike Co lightens Up

Transition Bikes Bandit Introduction from Transition Bikes on Vimeo.

From Transition Bikes

The Bandit is a new ride from Washington based bike company Transition. They are known for making solid all mountain/freeride bikes that are bomb proof. This year they expanded their line with a bike that can take on the XC world (but won't crumble when you land hard on flat). Check the bike out in action here

The Bandit is a true to form lightweight trail bike designed to rip up and down the mountain. We pushed the envelope of tube design and machining of frame parts to create a bike that absolutely floats through singletrack. Careful attention to pivot placement and leverage curves make the Bandit feel like a long travel bike on the descents and a XC race bike going up. Our goal was to create a trail bike that combined the ultimate uphill pedaling feel along with a playful spirit on the downhill that is a treat to throw around corners, bunny hop and pull the front end up over obstacles. The Bandit gets you the best of both worlds without having to compromise

BikeRumor drops this additional info on us, " Transition bikes has released some information of their newest offering, the 130mm Bandit, designed to fill the gap in their line-up for a shorter travel trail bike. The 130mm rear end is combined with all the features demanded by today’s mountain bikers; tapered headtube, hydroformed tubing, 31.6mm seat tube, and a decent 68-degree head angle with a 140mm fork. Transition have designed the bike with a slightly regressive suspension rate which they claim makes the bike feel “ like a long travel bike on the descents and a XC race bike going up”.A regressive shock means that the shock gets easier to compress as it moves through it’s travel, meaning that the bike will feel firm during pedaling and smaller hits but once it gets into the mid-range of it’s stroke will become more compliant. The natural ramping up of air shocks should kick in towards the end of the stroke reducing the chances of bottoming out. Given Transition’s stated goal of creating a trail bike “that is a treat to throw around corners, bunny hop and pull the front end up over obstacles” this is a bike that is bound to be a lot of fun to ride. More pictures, full details and a video of Kyle Young ripping on his bike and talking us through the details after the break." - BikeRumor 

Chris Akrigg: A Hill in Spain

Almost as intense as my training for Burn24.

NAHBS Off Road Bicycle Winner

Photo From NAHBS 

Black Sheep Bicycles makes a crazy custom ride. Their full Ti mountain bike won this years hand made bicycle show (NAHBS) in Austin. Jump over to Bikerumer to read more and check out some awesome close ups on the welding. "Fort Collins, Colorado’s Black Sheep Bikes won the NAHBS Best Offroad category for their 26″-wheeled, fully custom MTB with integrated racks.

The bike was built for a customer to ride this year’s Continental Divide trail race – 2745 miles self-supported over the Eastern continental divide in August.

Almost as much time went on making the fully integrated TI racks as the frame, said the Black Sheep brothers, and the results certainly bear this out. Super-smooth welding, sweeping curves and a host of useful features for the owner, who – as you can see – plans to race single speed. He hopes to complete it in about 21 days – 2 or 3 days longer than the quickest geared riders.

The belt-drive is a relatively new, self-centring model, but, when asked, the Black Sheep brothers said they were looking forward to the feedback on how a belt drive withstood such a test!" - BikeRumor 

Team Logo!

Image from Chasing HardTail

Why Fix What Ain't  Broke

The Machine's Behind the Men

Starting top left: Erzulie, Advance, 4500, Scalpel

Taking a look at the bicycles that will carry us to a mid/rear of the pack finale at Burn24. Up first is Tim's VooDoo Erzulie (steel frame badassness), next is Bucky's solid Gary Fisher Advance, then Zach's Trek 4500 (same frame as Bucky's Advance) and finally Brooks' slightly off balance Cannondale Scalpel

In Pursuit of Hardcore

Picture from Dirt Bag Diaries 

What is Hardcore? Have you ever done anything Hardcore? Well the answer was easier to find then I thought. All I had to do is listen to the Dirt Bag Diaries!
"Our sports have long heralded rating systems that let us know just how we're doing. We may bicker over their ratings, but we return to them again and again. They help us set goals, and push ourselves harder. But what happens when we go beyond the limits of these systems? How do you measure fatigue, thirst and mental resilience? When these elements merge together, we begin to enter the mythical realm of hardcore.  Today, Brendan Leonard dives in with some simple ideas on who and what are hard core. How do you measure up?" - Fitz Cahall 

Brooks Harvard

Chasing HardTail 

Rider Bio: Brooks Harvard "Beast Man"
Occupation: Sales Machine
Team Job: Captain
Age: 26
Temperament: Moist
Sex: It Happens 
Home Town: Prattville, AL (Currently Reside  in hot lanta)
Ride: Cannondale Scalpel
Favorite Band: Allman Brothers Band 

Timothy “Timbo” Davis

Chasing HardTail

Tim "Timbo" Davis 

Occupation: Student
Team Job: Legal Advice
Age: 27
Temperament: frisky
Sex: Not often enough
Home Town: Ashville, AL
Ride: Voodoo, Erzulie
Favorite Band: Ween

Zach "Macho Man" Riggins

Chasing HardTail

Rider Bio: Zach "Macho Man" Riggins

Occupation: Photographer

Team Job: Photographer

Age: 31

Temperament: Happy

Sex: Once

Home Town: Springville, AL

Ride: Trek

Favorite Band: Devo

Zac “Bucky” Buchanan

Chasing HardTail

Rider Bio: Zac “Bucky” Buchanan

• Occupation: VP of Operations
• Team Job: OSHA Compliance
• Age: 27
• Temperament:Ornery
• Sex: More then most people
• Home Town: Arab, AL
• Ride: Gary Fisher, Advance
• Favorite Band: Slightly Stoopid

Burn 24 Hour Challenge

Photo From Burn24

Chasing HardTail will be making another journey Wilksboro NC to compete in the Burn 24 Hour Mountain bike race, presented by BikeRumor. This year the course looks to be the same as last year and our team will be the same as well. Zach, Bucky, Tim, and I are starting the training and hope to beat last years total laps by about three!