With modern “enduro” bikes reaching new levels of capability, owning a downhill bike can be difficult to justify without regular access to shuttlable trails or gravity parks. However, there’s no substitute for riding a dedicated downhill bike. I’ve been thinking about it for some time now, and with the recent acquisition of a 2016 Norco […]
Northstar Bike Park: Pumps on Pedals
The Northstar Bike Park has been hosting a women’s only event every Friday with discounted lift tickets and opportunities of guided rides and coaching. Most importantly, it’s an opportunity to meet and ride with other women riders in the community. Having led more than my share of group rides, I’m a huge fan of them […]
Northstar Bike Park Presents Ladies Night: Pumps on Pedals
Riding the bike park at Northstar can be intimidating at times if you’re not already a regular gravity rider. Even if you are, as a woman we’re often riding with male companions. Riding in the company of other female riders can sometimes make a big difference in progressing your skill set to the next level. We’re […]
Northstar Bike Park Opening Weekend Photo Run: Gypsy Trail
The Northstar Bike Park opened for the 2014 season this weekend and we made it a point to be there for a day of gravity fed riding. The jump strewn Livewire trail never disappoints and has become my favorite warm up line on the mountain. The terrain at the park is known for dusty and loose […]
Upgrade your ride: Offset Bushings
The Santa Cruz Driver 8 was created to be a freeride specific park bike, and it does that kind of stuff really well. Big jumps and drops? Nailed it. But if you were hoping to rail the turns, the high bottom bracket and steep head angle will take a bit of wind from your sails. […]
Northstar at Tahoe: the Gypsy Trail
The Northstar resort in Tahoe is pretty much the summer destination for gravity addicted downhill and freeriding mountain bikers in the Bay Area and continues get a bit better every year. We missed getting a trip in last season due to having sold off DH bikes to pay bills, and although the quiver is now […]
Full-Carbon 2013 Santa Cruz V10c Now Available (and it’s very, very nice)
Gravity loving Santa Cruz fans have a new reason to put the hurt on their credit cards this upcoming season with the news of the full carbon V10c release. Having ridden the hell out of a carbon Nomad, I’m among the many that now believe in carbon, even for the aggressive riding and more frequent […]
Thrillium DH Trail — Camas, Washington
One of the best days of riding I’ve had this summer was during my trip to the northwest. I’ve been hearing all sorts of good things about a new trail in the Camus area in southwest Washington. Camus is a town a short drive away from Portland, a city known for being bike friendly but […]
The Quiver Lives Again: Santa Cruz Driver 8
Last year upon relocating to the Bay Area, I consolidated my all mountain and down hill bikes, selling them both off. In their place I built up a Santa Cruz Nomad, going with the popular “one” bike approach familiar with those trying to get the monkey known as “Visa” off their back. With a second […]
DH Practice at the Sea Otter Classic
One of the best parts about racing the downhill at the Sea Otter is the practice sessions. My favorite memories of racing have always been the times we’ve walked the course, then worked to dial in lines with friends. The race is certainly the most exciting part of the weekend, but the hours of waiting […]
Bike check with the Santa Cruz Syndicate carbon V10
The Carbon V-10 is no longer cutting edge news, but that doesn’t make them any less desirable. In fact, the new carbon wunderbike is finally available to the masses, and has even been added to the Santa Cruz website. At $3k for the frame only, the baddest on the block doesn’t come cheap, but with […]
2010 Black Rock Shuttle Day Gallery
Two days of shuttled riding. Funds were raised towards a great cause, and an incredible time was had by all those that came out to ride. Although it the trails were loose and a bit dusty, the conditions of the trails were otherwise incredible. It doesn’t get much better than a day at Black Rock […]