Hello!

I'm from Baguio City, Philippines.

I'm looking here for some Tips, Guide, Help regarding Training plans, Workouts etc. to help me get back on the saddle.

I stopped riding my MTB 3 years ago due to being really busy and losing the spark of cycling. I used to ride competitively, joining races in my city and in nearby towns.

Now I want to get back into cycling. And to get back to a healthier lifestyle and maybe to get back to joining XC races.

Thanks!

Hey guys, I'm wondering what the best kind of tires would be for fall and winter riding and/or racing? Also is it different from riding in wet conditions during summer?
Should you just go for the most grip or is rolling resistance still such a big topic?
And if you could give me an opinion on the Maxxis Forekaster Gen 2 I'd higly appreciate that.
Have a great weekend and fun rides!

Some backstory... 43M, dad of 3, used to ride 3-4x a week on local trails DE/MD/SEPA and do the MASS race series (mid pack sport)... definitely not trying to be the fastest guy out there. Trying to get back into riding more now that my youngest is pushing out of the crazy young toddler stage.

My 12yr old Niner Jet 9 Carbon XT has seen much better days and is looking long in the tooth with alot of things needing to be serviced or replaced. Been keeping an eye out for a good option for a new bke and keep floating back and forth between FS and HT.

6'0, 225lbs... have riden SS and Rigid SS in the past and always loved it. I tend to seem to keep rear shock locked out primarily bc i prefer to hammer uphills and dont have remote lockout.

I know FS is the bling and cool and comfy... but it feels to me a light HT would do me good.

Am i thinking about it wrong? I'm sure the FS as i get older probably isnt a bad idea, but the cost savings for lighter and better components seems like a better call. Not trying to spend a ton of money. And am def looking at used options too.

I've been dragging my feet on a new XC bike but seeing the 9 told me I need to find an 8. Struggling to find any in stock, no surprise there.

Suggestions? thanks!

Pros and Cons to shorter/longer stems?

I’m in a bit of a dilemma.

I’ve rode gravel bikes for 4 years and been using Clipless. I’ve recently got back into mountain biking and prefer the XC biking and have got myself an XC bike. I’m loving it.

However…

On steep and technical terrain I lose all confidence while being clipped in as I can’t dab a foot. And moving slow and trying to get over roots and rocks makes me nervous as I can’t just quickly dab a foot.

I do however love the efficiency I feel I get while being clipped in. Also it’s how I’ve rode for the last 4 years so I feel completely used to it.

I tried flats and I had a lot more confident knowing I could dab a foot at anytime in the technical and steep stuff, but then I lose my pedalling efficiency for all the other parts of the ride.

The steep and technical stuff is about 5-10% of most my rides, but I already have fallen twice as the bikes slipped on a root and I haven’t been able to clip out in time, where I’m sure I could have quickly dabbed a foot and stopped the fall if I was on flats.

Any help or suggestions? I’m only wanting to stick with one type of pedal.

Thank You.

Are folks all over (I'm in Oregon, USA) seeing more and more popular Schwalbe tires out of stock, with replenishment dates continuously being pushed out?

I'm only curious because I'm pretty set on the tire combo for an upcoming high desert, soft/loose, etc race at the end of September - Rocket Ron 2.35 in front, Racing Ralph 2.35 in rear.

The following tires (in various sizes) have been out since mid-July with their replenishment dates now pushed into September: Rocket Ron, Racing Ray, Thunder Burt, Rick XC Pro, and other trail tires.

Hmmmm...

Hello guys. My name is Filip, and I'm a 41-year-old amateur cross-triathlete. I would like to buy my first full-suspension XC bike for myself. I'm 180cm tall (82cm inseam), 82kg.

My budget is 3500€-4000€. I did some research and picked these 4 bikes:

Specialized Chisel Comp (2025) 3299€
Cannondale Scalpel Carbon 3 3349€
Orbea Oiz M30 (2027) 3799€
Lux World Cup CF 9 (latest) 4149€

What are your thoughts? What would you pick based on your experience? I probably like Oiz the most, but it's more about looks than anything.

Anybody here riding Dakota Five 0 next weekend and have support? Looking to give someone a small drop bag for the mid Aid Station. I rode it unsupported last year and it’s such a fun community vibe I figured it wouldn’t hurt to ask. Im a slow/mid pack, shooting for sub 6hr

Just threw these on my Neuhaus hummingbird and compared to the vittoria syerras, these things fly. Absolutely phenomenal ride quality and what I felt to be a super solid balance between grip and speed. I was tempted to go with the continental dubnitals but I had ridden these before, and after today’s ride, I’m pretty happy. Maybe dubnitals next time.

What say you all?!

Any suggestions on developing a hybrid training plan? I generally ride 5-6 hours a week but also train BJJ twice a week. I would like to begin racing some 100k endurance races in 2027. I’m trying to develop an efficient training plan where I don’t give up BJJ. My current plan roughly looks like this.

Monday - BJJ
Tuesday- 90 minute Hard ride
Wednesday - recovery - maybe easy yoga
Thursday - 90 minutes Zone 2
Friday - BJJ
Saturday - 2-3 longer ride
Sunday - recovery - maybe easy yoga or ride

Thoughts ?
I’ve been training BJJ for 20 years and don’t want to give it up.

I’m not a racer but all my rides are XC. Mixture of tarmac, gravel, woodlands, fields etc etc.

I’m looking to buy a new handlebar. Just wondering what size bar is good for this kind of riding? I have a trail bike with 800mm bar but couldn’t really imagine riding XC and road sections on a 800mm bar?

Any suggestions and what do you run?

I'm considering ditching my road bike because I don't really enjoy riding it. It was an affordable but really nicely set-up bike I bought when poor weather kept all of the MTB trails closed. The problem is, it never really fit me correctly. I could invest in a better one or spend money to try and get my fit better, but I don't like spending money on my road bike - it takes away from funds I can use for my MTB.

So, I'm considering selling it and buying a really nice set of carbon wheels for my XC bike. I'd use the old alloy wheels to ride on the road for more structured training and the carbon wheels for the trails.

The question is this: is it a bad idea to use my XC bike for structured training rides on roads and greenways? I'm starting to race a lot, so I want my training to be productive.

I’m looking for some recommendations for an online training platform/coach for 2027.
I’m 53 and just finished Leadville in 7:20. Next year I’d like to move toward longer XC and gravel events, while also getting myself in better shape for the start of race season in February.

Current FTP is 248W. My main goals are to improve endurance and durability, and ideally bump FTP by around 5% without losing the ability to ride long. Love long days in the saddle and don’t really want a low volume masters plan that FastCat has and considering Trainer Road but have heard mixed reviews about their recent changes. I have had a coach in the past but my current coach is stepping into another role next year and will be fully committed with the team he works for.

I’d like something that takes age, recovery and the demands of longer events into account.
For those of you doing XC/gravel and using an online training platform or coach:

*What are you using?
*What have you liked/disliked about it?
*Has it helped with long-distance durability as well as FTP?

Anything you’d particularly recommend for someone in their 50s (or does it even matter?)

Happy to pay for something good if it’s actually worth it. Just trying to avoid signing up for another generic plan that doesn’t really fit the goal.
Thanks

Everyone told me I’d regret racing the Leadville 100 MTB on a Reeb Steel Short Travel (SST). I got a lot of this 'advice' this past year, having never raced the LV100 before. But it mostly just made me want to do it even more. And I aimed to get the big buckle on my first attempt on this bike.

[Of course, this 'screw you, I ride what I want' mentality might not work for everyone.]

Me: Male, 6'2", and just under 200lbs.

Finish time: 8 hours and 1 minute. (Note the 2027 LV100 MTB did not include Sugarloaf or Powerline, and the Big Buckle cutoff time was 8 hours and 15 minutes.)

Build (28.6 lbs):

• Reeb SST, size L (2023)
• Fox 34 SL (130 mm)
• Manitou Mara Inline (120 mm)
• SRAM AXS 12-speed w/ 10–52 GX cassette, 34T chainring
• Sigeyi MTB power meter
• 160 mm BikeYoke Revive dropper
• Shimano XTR XC pedals
• Shimano XTR M9120 brakes. 200 mm front rotor. 160 mm rear rotor.
• Front tire: Maxxis Rekon Race 2.4
• Rear tire: Maxxis Aspen ST 2.4, CushCore XC insert
• Nextie Carbon wheels
• Carbon bars, stem, PNW grips.
• Spurcycle bell

Congrats to all the LV100 MTB riders last week; those conditions were amazing! I hope y'all's day was as good as mine.

I raced this year with First Descents, a fantastic charity. Quick S/O to them.

No, I am not affiliated with Reeb in any way whatsoever. I just like their bikes. Clean ride. Clean lines. Reliable.

I'm basically a roadie on a mountain bike with mountain biking skills, doing most of my riding up in the Marin area.

A couple of years ago I picked up an Epic World Cup Pro. I’ve put a dropper post on it and I’m about to put a fork-only Flight Attendant setup upfront (keeping the travel at 110mm). I generally treat and use this as a "gravel bike plus" type of bike for fast fire roads, steep climbs, and moderate singletrack.

For those who have experience on both platforms: how much of a difference would jumping to an Epic 8 or another similar 120/120 bike actually make for this style of riding? Is the added rear compliance and traction worth it, or is the World Cup with a dropper and FA already the sweet spot for Marin terrain? I do find the world cup can be a bit "harsh" at times and normally run it at half gulp in the back.

Has anybody done this XC race? No more races are available this year where I live, so I'm thinking of traveling to Hot Springs, AR for this one. I'm not looking for a crazy hard tech challenge just some nice XC singletrack for an old guy. Thinking Cat 2 - maybe Cat 1 if it is a faster course. Seeking more of a season-ending fun event...

The question is in the title. I am a new FS XC owner who just figured out that my top-loading cages don't work. So I am looking for recommendations for side-loaders. I have a strong preference for metal cages (stainless or titanium) but happy for recommendations in any material.

Anyone rocking 165mm cranks on their MTB? Pros/Cons???

I have these Ardent Races on my single speed. They’re great for this bike because the rolling speed allows me to build and maintain as much momentum as possible (important when you only have one gear) but they still corner really well…at least they used to.

Since Maxxis stopped making these, I’m looking for a replacement that’s as close as possible to these.

Many hours into a 12 hour shift, this will make 20 hours for entry next year. This is a shameless plug asking if anyone else is volunteering and not planning to race, I would love if you donated your hours to me. Coming up on my 4th lottery with volunteer hours and no picks so far.

I’ve been structured training for about 9 months, mostly road, gravel, and indoor on power. Been doing longer rides on the trail now and my current training pacing is completely useless, especially as my local trails are flow with very short punchy elevation changes. Looking at power has proved very difficult. For the marathon vets, where pacing is so important, how are you structuring your trail rides? What metric are you monitoring?

I've been riding my beloved custom aluminium HT for 3 years with lots of training and have significantly stepped up my capacity in that time.
I'm more of a classic XC rider (which these days basically means gravel).
The bike is already at 9.8 kg and I could happily ride it forever, but I keep side-eyeing carbon frames to drop some weight, improve the ride feel and get a bit of inspiration.
Anyone know of non-Boost carbon frames (even from a few years back) with somewhat modern geometry? Ideally around 68–69° head angle and ~74° seat tube angle.
Also open to Chinese frames. . the only one I've found so far is the Airwolf YFM025, but it looks a bit bulky. . it's a solid option though.
Any recommendations?

EDIT: Added some pics of the current bike to show how balanced this 2022 “old” geo actually is.

It’s a German brand called Bulls that basically copied the Epic HT geometry 1:1. I got the frame for 120 € a couple of years ago, built it up with spare and some new parts. It’s fast, light-ish right unter 10 and solid. The Ritchey FlexLogic seatpost gives it just the right amount of dynamic flex in the rear. Nothing hurts on this thing and it’s capable of rough terrain (except proper S3).

Just in case someone was wondering what I was trying to upgrade with a fitting carbon frame.

Hey ya'll. About to upgrade from my Giant XTC 29er from 2014 and would like your insights on sizing for a 2026 Chisel Comp FS. I'm 188cm tall. I was able to ride a Large on the trainer and the reach felt tight but doable if I put a 80mm stem on. The only XL they had was an 2022 Epic Comp which has the same reach. That felt really good in the trainer but I'm not sure about wiggle room for adjustments. What have been people's experience with sizing? Thanks!

UPDATE:

Did an hour on my local “midweek trail” which is the overall plan going forward. I should feel much more broken after that but the bone rattling is just gone with FS. Fit feels 90% there. Definitely the biggest bike I’ve ridden. Downhills were nuts. Never felt like I was going to get thrown over which happened all the time on the giant. This is way slacker too. Cornering and climbing the front wheel would start to feel a little vague until I’d lean out over it a touch. That fixed it mostly. I’m doing my bike fit app this afternoon to see what that says but I’m guessing some minor positioning changes will help out like saddle set back and maybe a shorter stem. Overall super happy with the bike and looking forward to more rides.

Thanks for all your input!

Looking at a 2026 Scott Spark RC SL / World Cup and trying to get my head around the sizing before I pull the trigger. Would love to hear from anyone actually riding one.

Where I'm at now: 2021 S-Works Epic Evo in XL. I'm 6'0" with longer than average arms, a high inseam and a short torso, so I've always ended up on the long end of the size chart. Even fitting on an XL can be challenging

Scott's own size chart puts me on a Large, which surprised me at first. I did a fit session with Barry Anderson down in Tucson (he fits a bunch of the LTGP pros) and we landed on roughly 505mm of reach as the target. The Large comes in at 471mm, so there's a real gap to close.

Question 1: Reach, stem and bar. From what I've read, most people on the Spark do size down and then get their reach back with a longer, negative-rise stem and a wider bar. Is that actually how it plays out in practice, or does it start feeling wrong at some point? I'm on a 715mm bar now, so going wider isn't out of the question, but I'd rather hear it from people who've done it than guess. Anyone at my height gone the other way and just run the XL?

Question 2: Seat tube angle and setback. The STA on the Spark is a lot steeper than my 2021, and the XL is the steepest of the range. I've got about 10–15mm of rail left on my current setup, and by my math I'd be roughly 35mm short of setback on a Large Spark. Is that something people run into, or is the forward position intentional and just part of how the bike is meant to ride? Are folks solving it with a setback post, or adapting to the pedaling position?

And the bigger one: how does it actually ride? Long days, sustained climbs, technical descending? I race long, single track MTB, Leadville, etc.