More I.B. for your F.Y.I./29er Thoughts

Been gazing at IB spy picts on the web all day. Found some more of the Salsa Mamasit-ahhhhh and a photo of the T6 booth with all their swank duds. All photos are from TwentyNineInches.com and Blue Collar. Check 'em out for more info. Unless of course you're some sorta square. One pict may be from Dirt Rag, I can't remember anymore. Burned out on InterBike bling watching.

Some personal opinions on riding a 29er HT/ST: I mentioned this sometime ago, but with all the 29ers showing up at InterBike I thought I'd bring it up again...

Publications like MTB Action were ushering in the death of the hard tail for the past few years. Showing us bikes that looked more like motorcycles than bicycles and had more thousand dollar, breakable gizzmos attached to them than anyone could possibly know what to do with, just to make it "feel & climb" like a hard tail.

In 2006 I saw Jeff W., Andy, Skip Brown, Dicky and others TOTALLY rip up the 100 mile series on hard tails, and I'm totally smitten with my Dos Niner that has just enough pivotless suspension to take the edge off, and in NO way should be mistaken for a FS bike.

I rode a FS for the past two years, my Salsa El Santo. It is more comfy, there's no doubt, and climbing has never been a major issue except for the weight (close to 30 lb. with my build, I'm sure a weight freek could get it lower) But more moving parts, more things to break, more things to maintain, and more weight.

Other than the weight I can think of only a couple other reason I don't want to ride it anymore- 1. As much as I like the suspension I hate the dull feeling coming off of logs, etc., I like more feel for the trail and 2. It does NOT have 29" wheels.

If it weren't for trying the Dos Niner and 29" wheels this year, I'd still think the El Santo was the "bee's knees". But when I can get a simpler, lighter bike that takes the edge off with 1" of worry free suspension and nice big wheels that roll over rocks and roots with ease, I gotta go with the 29er.

Seriously, I've been riding for 10 years or so and I've never felt more confident in rocks than I do with my 29er. I scoffed at them when they came out, but no longer. I'm sure they're not for everyone, but I know they work for me.

Seeing the crop of 29ers that came out this year has been very exciting. I'm smitten with a few as I've mentioned here, including the Cannondale Caffeine 29er and of course the new Salsa Mamasita.

I'm lucky that I may get a chance to ride a Mamasita in 2007 (if my purging of 26" wheele parts goes according to plan) along with my Dos Niner, but I'm also lucky in that I'm free to ride whatever bike I want, it just turns out Salsa (a generous team sponsors) make one that I lust for, thus making it more probable that I can be my chamois soiled on one. Sweet!! So all I can say is bring on 2007, I'm geeked up already!!!

Now, some picts... mmmmmmmm







This Salsa just about all that I'm looking for: Geared, disc only, cabon stays, bad ass color/graphics, and sweet flat "Dos like" chain stays to aid the carbon fiber in dulling trail vibrations. Only thing that concerns me right now is ($) and as much as I'm stoked that they took the cable off the top tube, I noticed they routed the rear deraileure cable like a road bike along the chain stay. Will this make it more prone to mud and gunk? Will cables with full housing be good option? Many thoughts to come during this off season.

Still many months to go 'till I need to make a choice but this once just passed the Cannondale on the lust list.

Finally here's a shot Brent & Ryan's Vegas home...


Sweet!

Later. Gonna make some Chili and have a brew. Code name: Dutch Oven.