White Ranch Trail: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

March 7, 2013

White Ranch Trail, Golden, CO

If grueling climbs, steep and narrow descents and tight switch-backs are your thing, then White Ranch may be the trail for you.  White Ranch Trail, located in Golden, Colorado near the Peak Cycles bicycle shop, offers an extensive trail system of 20 miles of multi-use trails over both gentle and rugged terrain.  Here’s our take on this popular trail.

The Good:

With steep grades, loose rock, and fast descents along sloping terrain, this trail is a favorite for advanced mountain bike riding on the Front Range.  Rugged and rocky steep climbs challenge even the best of riders while smooth and gentle meadow shots offer a release from the death grip on the brakes.  Your hard climbing efforts are rewarded with sweeping views of the Great Plains and the Denver skyline.

The Bad:

It all depends on what you call “bad.”  Starting at Belcher Hill with an extended, technical climb up can be a challenge.  If you aren’t up for that,  you might consider that a negative. Also, with two foot + drop offs, you need to be ready for technical sections and not a walk in the park type of ride.  Take note: hissing isn’t just for aggravated riders or flat tires.  There are plenty of snakes on this trail.

The Ugly:

Not having the right bike parts  or gear.  A full suspension mountain bike  is recommended to easily navigate  rocky sections, water bars, steps and drop offs.  Also, because of a majority of the park is exposed, the sun exposure in the summer months can be brutal.  A hydration pack is recommended not only to carry plenty of fluids but also for easier drinking riding over technical terrain.

There are 2 possible starts.  Opt of the East Access: 5611 Glencoe Valley Road, Golden for an easier ride.  Or, take the West Access: 25303 Belcher Hill Road, Golden for the long climb up to the top.

Either way, White Ranch offers cyclist living close to Golden, Boulder, and Denver a more advanced area to mountain bike and better yet – it offers a great escape from city riding.

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Posted by staffwriter8

Train the Brain: The Power of Mental Suffering

January 24, 2013

When we catch ourselves visualizing or fantasying about racing, winning or accomplishing something big in our race dreams, rarely do we visualize ourselves falling apart.  On the contrary, we view the victory as coming rather easily.  Even if the scene involves us digging to the depths of our inner being to pull something out of nothing, that agonizing pull from our inner selves is viewed in fantasy world as masterfully manifested.

In real life, we all know it doesn’t actually work like that.  Many of us can suffer but there are breaking points and limitations to the line we cross. And while we aspire to be our better selves and pull out the magic in a moment of victory, the magic won’t be there if we don’t train it to be there.  Sure, we know how to train the body for suffering on the bike.  But the real master to train is the brain.

How are you training your brain?  Daily workouts offer opportunities to dig deeper.  Extended minutes at threshold heart rate or within specific power zones offer challenges.  Conquering a hill climb or masterfully navigating technical sections on the mountain bike  build confidence.  While these rides garner motivation to go beyond our limits, bigger challenges garner insights to training your brain for mental suffering.  Take these early season races and rides as an example.

Compare your mental attitude, preparation, and willingness to “get after it” when considering a race like the Triple Bypass  or the Copper Triangle versus a training ride with a group of spirited athletes.  The level of digging deep and mental suffering for a race exceeds that of a fast paced training ride.

Bigger challenges help to prepare for the mental suffering athletes are bound to encounter during the season.  They also help build mental fitness and confidence.  On the other hand, it is true, some athletes and recreational enthusiast focus on the bike itself.  As in, “Is it light enough?”   “Does it have the latest and greatest bike parts?”  Granted, having the right bike components and bike accessories makes a difference but to perform your best, you have to train your brain.

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Posted by staffwriter8

Light Your Bike Up Like Rudolph!

December 20, 2012

holiday light bikeHoliday lights, whimsical accents and outdoor Christmas decorations are trademarks of the season.  One of the best way to enjoy all the glittering Holiday splendor is to view a brilliant light display by bike.  See your neighborhood as it sparkles.  Enjoy nighttime views and the ambiance of your town.

But nighttime riding doesn’t have to occur only during the holidays.  There are benefits to training at night for cyclist.  Switching up the training regime can freshen your attitude, spark some fun, and maintain fitness.

The trick to capturing the benefits is to outfit your bike with a good light system.  Whether you are bike commuting, going for a holiday stroll, or getting in base miles, being visible is critical. Here are some tips to getting the right bike parts.

A Well Lit Bike

  • You will want lights for the front of your bike.  Consider having multiple lights for the front of your bike.  One on your helmet so you can shine side roads and traffic and have a second light on your handlebars so you can see at least 10 ft. or more in front of you.
  • For the rear of your bike, opt for a rear red light- particularly one that blinks. A blinking red light is much more likely to get the attention of a passing motorist who might otherwise not notice you.

A Well Lit Cyclist

  • Purchase apparel that is visible.  There are options to choose from including vests and ankle bands.
  • Also, reflective tape is a good idea. 3M makes black reflective tape that is great to put on black wheels. You do not notice it during the day and it shows up white at night.

So, let there be light!  Enjoy strolling through your neighborhood enjoying the Holiday season or prepare for training in the New Year.  Be safe and have fun by lighting up your bike!

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Posted by staffwriter8

5 Training Tips to Get You Through the Holiday Season

December 6, 2012

Healthy Holidays! Holiday parties, shorter days, cooler temps, all temptations pulling us away from time on our bikes.  While this time of year poses unique challenges, there are ways to maintain fitness, reduce the holiday stress levels, and prepare for next year’s riding season.

  1. Eat Well: The holidays offer irresistible food temptations adding extra pounds to our waste lines and robbing us of precious energy.  Instead of reaching for the holiday goodies, opt to choose your bike nutrition when you need it most- on the bike.  Being mindful of your food choices can positively affect your energy levels and help maintain your ability to ride and perform better.
  2. Buddy Up: Shorter days creates less motivation and time to ride.  Combat the winter woes by asking a friend to join you for a trainer session. Committing to a time, place, and a friend creates structure and accountability.
  3. Get Visual: Trying something new like a training video or dvd can add a new dimension to your riding schedule keeping it fresh and inspiring you to get on the bike even during the hectic holidays.
  4. Shop Ride: Join us on Sunday mornings at Peak Cycles in Golden, Colorado at 9:00 AM for our shop rides.  Nothing is more fun that joining a group of passionate cyclist out for a morning ride.
  5. Relax: If you just can’t find the time or motivation to ride during the holiday season, at least feed your velo passion with pictures of new road bikes , new mountain bikes, and cool bike parts.  It will feed your spirit and breathe life into next year’s bike season.

Maintaining a holiday fitness plan doesn’t have be hard.  Be flexible, mix it up, and enjoy!

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Posted by staffwriter8

BikeParts.com You Tube Channel

April 9, 2008

We have setup a YouTube Channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/bikepartsdotcom to post all of our video. Check it out.

      

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Posted by sysaux

Alien Run MTB ride – Aztec New Mexico, UFO Crash site

March 30, 2008

Alien Run is a 25+- MTB single-track and oil-field road mountain bike ride in Aztec, New Mexico.

The ride is named after the fabled Hart Canyon UFO Crash site. Little green men – or women, whomever you prefer.

 

The ride / race course is accessed through Aztec New Mexico. We started at the Aztec Motocross track for about 8 miles of Mountain View trail before we got to the Alien run trailhead. From there it was an 8 mile loop. Sandy, twisty singletrack with some slickrock then back to the moto track via Mtn View.  Total ride time about 2.75 hrs easy with breaks.

Alien Run MTB ride Photo Album
 

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Posted by sysaux

Ribbon Trail – Grand Junction, Colorado Mountain Bike Ride

March 27, 2008

So Tyler and I spent 5 days of our spring break riding in the Fruita/Grand Junction area.  We rode Rabbit Valley, 18Road, Ribbon Trail, Free Lunch, Moore Fun, Horsethief and Gunny Loop.  Check out some of the photos here and some of the video too!  Props to Ross Schnell for letting us invade his house during the trip!Rabbit Vally - Colorado/Utah border

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Posted by swiftjesse

Durango Herald – City red-faced over the blue ‘punji stick’

March 27, 2008

Action Line

by Mike Smedley

I made the Durango Herald with my inquiry about the Bike Path Punji Stick of Death. Article Follows.
Link to Article on the Durango Herald website

————————

City red-faced over the blue ‘punji stick’
March 24, 2008

What’s the deal with the metal punji stick along the Animas River Trail behind the fire station? I don’t think the blue paint covering the tip is going to stop anyone from getting skewered. Does it have a purpose? Can the city remove it? – Matt Smith

That 3-foot-tall pointy pole was a waterline marker, according to Cathy Metz, director of the city’s Parks and Recreation Department, who had to do some digging to find out about it. “We had no idea it was there until you called,” she confided. After parks and rec crews visited the site, there was a collective “yikes!” “We looked at the pole this afternoon, and it will be removed tomorrow morning,” she said. That was on Wednesday, and so the marker from a bygone era has gone bye-bye.

But you can view an excellent, and now historic, photo called “Durango Bike Path Punji Stick of Death” at the following link: tinyurl.com/2lljvh.

The pole was installed decades ago to show the location of the underground water line serving the Crestview area, whose residents hate it when Action Line calls their neighborhood Tupperware Heights.

Nowadays, the city uses special sensors to locate waterlines, but it will hold on to the Bike Path Punji Stick of Death just in case.

“We might have to reinstall it along the blind curve behind Albertsons as a way to encourage speeding bikers to slow down,” Metz joked.

Durango Bike Path Punji Stick of Death

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Posted by sysaux

Golden CO Mountain Bike Ride, GPS – Dakota Ridge and Green Mountain

March 20, 2008

So, I took my new Garmin EDGE 205 GPS out for a ride today. Check out the map and this link to all the ride details! – swift

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Posted by swiftjesse

Its good to be in Golden…

March 15, 2008

Today we went for a 4 hour ride on the mountain bikes and only had to ride pavement for a handful of miles! I love Golden, Colorado!Img_0252

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Posted by swiftjesse

McDowell Mountain Park Mountain Bike rides

March 12, 2008

It’s finally spring time, at least in AZ. After 3 months of  cold weather riding I headed down to Fountain Hills, AZ for a week of MTB. McDowell Mountain Park is a great local trail system, and former home of the Cactus Cup. In fact, the last time I had ridden there was the 1998 Cactus Cup. Ride you bike to the park from Rio Verde or Fountain Hills and pay $1 to get into the park. Drive and pay $6 for a car.

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I vividly remember my buddy Will making monkey sounds at Gert-Jan Theunisse during the crit. We all use to think that Gert hit the sauce a little too hard in his career and ended up with a Neanderthal forehead. At the time Gert was coaching Bart Brentjens and Filip Meirhaeghe. Filip was later popped for epo.

I rode a new Giant 2007 Anthem 0, stock OTB with mavic crossmax wheelset XTR pedals and Ron Andrews custom Titanium King Cages.

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McDowell has a sweet trail system, directional and clearly marked. The “competitive track” area is composed of three main loops, the long loop ,sport loop and technical loop. All are fairly wide open and fast. The sandy, gravelly trail surface is slippery at high speeds. Drifting corners while navigating cactus is a necessary skill. I ran about 160lb in my Fox front and rp23 rear shox. A little high but ok due to high speed, rocky conditions.

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Corners can be very slippery.

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Click here for more Pics.

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Posted by sysaux

Bear Creek Race – Mountain Bike Race Course Change

March 6, 2008

So, the closest “mountain bike” race to Denver is the Battle of the Bear in Lakewood at Bear Creek Reservoir. This course is flat and fast with 7-8 laps. One year it snowed 6″ the day before the race, only to have 90 degree temperatures the next year. I always enjoy the race because its a good time for the family and friends to come out and cheer at a course that doesn’t send me 30 miles into the lonely wilderness. I was excited to see that this year they have lengthen the course so you dont get dizzy racing it! 🙂 Check out the map of the new course and the race website! See you on the dirt! – swift Battleofbear2008sm_2

Garmin Edge 205 GPS Unit – used to make this map!

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Posted by sysaux

A Weekend in Moab, Spring 2008 Mountain Bike Rides

March 6, 2008

So, Matt, Tate, Colin, Josh and I headed west for the weekend and spent a relaxing weekend riding some new trails in Moab. On Saturday, we climbed Amasa Back and looked for the RockStacker trail. After Josh slipped on the sandstone, we found the killer trail. Click here for more photos of the days adventure!Img_4247

Then, while it was snowing 12″ inches in Denver, we went for a ride up Porcupine and down the Portal Trail! It was a little chilly but much better then the Front Range! 🙂 Click here for some photos of Sundays ride!

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Posted by sysaux