MTB Gear

Frank Needham · 05-29-2009, 01:04 PM

If anyone can point me to some sources with good (read cheap) prices for MTB gear I would appreciate it a lot. I'm looking at buying something with protection for the chest, back, elbows, shoulders, hips, knees, etc. Also interested in full helmet. EVS and acerbis interest me as far as manufacturers go but I'd enteratain others depending on what they offer. Oh, sixsixone is another I'm looking at also. Anyway, thanks for any pointers!

Dave Van Skike · 05-29-2009, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frank Needham

If anyone can point me to some sources with good (read cheap) prices for MTB gear I would appreciate it a lot. I'm looking at buying something with protection for the chest, back, elbows, shoulders, hips, knees, etc. Also interested in full helmet. EVS and acerbis interest me as far as manufacturers go but I'd enteratain others depending on what they offer. Oh, sixsixone is another I'm looking at also. Anyway, thanks for any pointers!

it's been a long time since i geared up for anyhting as extensive as the superdh outing you seem to have planned but I'd look two places,

bikeman and cambria. I've had good luck ordering from them in the past, super fast turnaround adn not stupid prices. don't be afraid to poach gear off a MX site, the mobilty needs are very similar and MX stuff is usually made better.

Frank Needham · 05-29-2009, 09:01 PM

Thanks Dave, I don't know about being so ready for superdh as being ready to dump my sorry ass in a heap and wanting to walk away from it in relatively good shape. I'll check out the sites you gave me and will post up on what I get my hands on.

Mike ODonnell · 05-30-2009, 08:22 AM

learn the art of the tuck and roll.......and never stick out your arm to brace for a fall.

Frank Needham · 05-30-2009, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike ODonnell

learn the art of the tuck and roll.......and never stick out your arm to brace for a fall.

Today was the first day I've ever gone on a real mountain bike single track. This was at Bootleg Canyon and the tracks there are lined with volcanic rock where there is any trail edge, and sheer drop offs where there is no edge. Still, I did pretty well but I gotta tell ya that tuck and roll wouldn't help you when you fall and if you stuck your arm out to brace for one you'd likely get it stuck in some crevice and have it ripped off

Got my blood pumpin' pretty good when those drop offs come screaming up at you!

Dave Van Skike · 05-30-2009, 03:13 PM

once you start down the dark path, forever will it control your destiny.......

unless of course you signifcantly increase your density. in which case, the MTB thing loses it's appeal real quick.

Frank Needham · 05-30-2009, 07:15 PM

Yeah, the density thing was sorta what got me interested in MTB and I wanted to get less dense. I figured that for sure I'd enjoy the ride down but that's not where the real workout is right? So I made it a precondition for myself that in order to participate I would have to ride the bike to the top wherever I went instead of taking a wagon ride as I see lots of others doing. That way I get a great metcon in, which helps the density goals, and am rewarded with a adrenaline rush on the way down.

Don Stevenson · 05-31-2009, 01:05 AM

I concur with Dave's statement

mountain biking was fun when i was 85kg, now at 105kg its way too much hard work to haul my ass to the top of the hills and even harder work paying for all the broken bits.

Frank Needham · 05-31-2009, 12:33 PM

Dave and Don, I tend to agree with you. Yet, today on the way back from my park workout I saw an old boy (older that I that is) who was roller blading in full gear and looked like he was working really hard at it also. For some reason the sight of him caused me to reflect on the differences we all have in our approach to life, whether it be training or other things. If at the moment that I was observing the old boy he dropped dead in his tracks I would have stopped and cheered! Why? Instead of just accepting that his prime time was over and letting himself go he was still at it, making the best of things and ignoring the potential to create some disaster for himself. I hope, that in some small way, I'm like him. BTW, the initial topic of this thread is now dead anyway since I've elected not to buy a bunch of high dollar gear for myself but instead will be enrolling my wife in a fitness boot camp in the hope she will be challenged by it and learn to love the feeling that comes with being fit.