Issue #195 is here!
Originally posted on November 15, 2016 at 10:22 am
Cover illustration: Riding the primordial soup by Stephen Haynes
This issue is all about daring and adventure! Get it right here right now!
Columns and Readings
Watts Dixon tells about making a gorilla adjustment in Hangdown In The Wheelstrings and Stevil Kinevil makes his thoughts very clear on hikers who throw their bag of pupper’s crap into the bushes on his trails. We catch up with Matt Miller who has designed the first ever Brake Power Meter which will allow riders to accurately quantify braking, analyze braking patterns and then use the data to improve braking habits; i.e. go faster downhill and corner quicker. Plus, the amazing South Chilcotin Mountains in British Columbia, Canada.
Features
The Tale Of Blue Darby by Carmen Freeman-Rey
Hear the Tale Of Blue Derby in Tasmania. Hans Rey and Tyler McCaul explore this island 150 miles of the big island of Australia where purpose built singletrack saved this struggling mining community.
“Me Gusta.” Baja by Bicycle by Montana Miller
Follow along on a wacky bikepacking adventure south of the boarder. It’s true adventure at its finest:
“We’re going to San Felipe. On a bike tour,” I say to the Mexican border guard, nodding toward my dusty bike. We’re going a lot farther than that, but I’m hoping our first stop sounds more believable.
“San Felipe? On bicycle? No.” He looks at me like I’d just told him I was planning to row a boat to Mars.
The surrounding buildings are bright purple, doctors’ offices jammed on top of one another. White-haired American and Canadian snowbirds flap around in nervous flocks, looking for cheap drugs. Guys in front of the dentists’ offices yell, “Hey, amigo, need a tooth cleaned? Come! Best price!”
Over the Hills and Far Away by Beth Puliti
Author Beth Puliti and her husband go on a several months long bikepacking trip across Kyrgyzstan, a tiny landlocked country in Central Asia, also known as “The Switzerland of Central Asia.”
Access: The 42nd Parallel by Anthony Duncan
What is the 42nd Parallel? It’s two things, actually. It’s a ride but also a big straight line (that’s 42 degrees north latitude) that defines the border of New York and Pennsylvania. It also happens to run through some of the most beautiful forested hills you’ll find anywhere. Much of it crosses public land, including Allegany State Park in New York and the Allegheny National Forest (ANF) in Pennsylvania. Follow with us as we go on a multi-day supported mountain bike trip through amazing east coast singletrack that beautifully showcases this region.
Reviews and Stuff
This month we take a peek inside the home workshops of our editors, featuring some of their favorite tools. Along with a collection of shock pumps and torque tools we also have a fine group of bikes on test plus a whole lot more including:
- Rocky Mountain Element 970 RSL
- Trek Remedy 9.8 RSL
- Yeti SB4.5C