The ACP contracted Blue Dirt to run the shuttles, later to perform trail maintenance, and was in the process of launching bike patrol. The second entity was, of course, the Alpine Community plantation, which was made up of all the park’s stakeholders and was responsible for everything else—financials, operational management and safety, genesis mountain bike marketing, etc. With a suspension system, riders have a solid cushion for the vibration and bumps the bike is going over, but with rigid bikes, your body has to provide this cushion instead. Rigid bikes differ from the previous two in that they don’t have any suspension system at all, which introduces a much smaller margin of error.
We found it comfortable for cooler weather riding and the enclosed design does work in the rain although the slightly bulky shape might not suit everyone. Certainly, if you’re riding regularly in a colder region, or commute year round, then it’s a lid we suggest you take a look at. Perhaps due to the extra protection, the Bell XR isn’t the lightest in class – a medium has a claimed weight of 285g while our large test helmet tipped the scales at 317g. It’s tightened with a wire and BOA dial system at the rear, which gives a secure, stable fit.
Also known as 650b wheels, these have developed as a happy medium between 29 and 26 inches. These have the fast acceleration and maneuverability known to the 26-inch but also tend to be a smoother ride going over bumps like the 29-inch, though not quite as smooth. That said, this stiffness can make for a rougher ride, as it lacks the absorbency that other frames provide. Due to the lack of a rear suspension system, these are generally lighter, more affordable, and easier to maintain. But a downside to this is that your legs act as the shock absorbers for the back wheel.
“Intermediate jump trails are some of the most popular trails no matter where you go, so we really want to grow that out. And then obviously looking at some of that technical classic singletrack that Maydena is known for,” he says. French says they also plan to go in after the trees are harvested to build new trails in the Mystic Bowl area.
Giro claims that the Eclipse is the fastest-ever aero helmet (non TT) – which we aren’t able to verify, although our tester did achieve his fastest-ever downhill speed and upped his average overall while wearing it. We found the helmet to be really comfortable, with an unrestrictive feel and fit. We also appreciated the little details, which are sometimes missing in other helmets – here the straps fit well without flapping and there’s space to insert your sunglasses in the front vents. A dedicated TT helmet, the Codatronca proved itself to be very comfortable in use with decent ventilation. This, coupled with the stubby aero design, makes it well-suited to sporting courses that entail changes of head and body position to cope with the hills and corners whilst remaining aerodynamic. There are wide price differences between helmets, so if you are operating on a budget, then visit our best budget bike helmets page, or if you commute regularly by bike then have a look at our best commuter bike helmets article.
It’s been a bit of a whirlwind in Bright, but we managed to catch up with Dirt Art and Elevation Parks Director Simon French to find out more about their role in Mystic and what’s planned for the bike park. Once you’ve decided which bike is right for you, you’ll need to factor in the size. For every sized bike there are frame measurements that are important to evaluate for proper bike fit. Mechanical genesis mountain bike disc brakes use traditional cables and cable housing that are the same used for the older type of brakes, v-brakes. However, instead of having brake pads that squeeze the rim of the tire to slow you down when you pull the brake lever, the brake pads squeeze a metal rotor mounted to the hub of the wheel. These are easier to install, adjust and replace due to the high availability of cables.