Message #15426

[jim-ratliff]

Bushwacka:

Thanks.  Just knowing that its a real challenge even for a "competent" rider and not something we are doing totally wrong is reassuring. The COM advice for going downhill is what others have advised, on our recent ride Lynn liked the feel of the bike going downhill at 18mph with more weight over the front wheel, but you are right in that she will need to get that weight back in a hurry before she applies the brakes.  Pulling "back" on the handlebars is a tip -- I was pulling up as I would with my road bike and found my front wheel getting bounced into the air so I stopped that (and slowed the rebound on the front shock).

Thanks for the video, will look at it tonight.  My brief look at the "Track Stand" is intimidating.

We use them for cross country type riding, not downhill or challenging stuff.  I ride some local trails here in Fairfax County Virginia and along the C&O Canal towpath from Washington DC north;  Lynn lives near the Delaware River in New York and has lots of roads/trails in her area.  Ten Mile River Boy Scout camp (12,000 acres) is less than 5 miles of dirt roads from her house, and we've had a couple of memorable rides there already (including one where we got a bit lost).

Thanks for the compliment on the bike selection. Yes, GT Marathon Carbon Pro with XT components and XTR shifters.  We got great deals last Christmas on prior year models from Performance Bike.  The pedaling is really smooth, I guess that is the I-Drive and the RP23 shocks performing as advertised.