“I want to build the next Whistler”

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Lee,
I recently moved to a small mountain resort town to work for the local ski hill. The ski area itself is mostly on forest service land. They seem to see bikes as a pest, especially with all the “renegade trails” being built on the hill by riders who are tired of no real access other than one old mining trail.

How do I get the ski area’s backing to not only lobby the forest service, but to open a lift and maintain some trails. I know the guy in the company who could make it happen, but he wants a “master plan” for the forest service. How do I turn this place into Whistler.

Speaking of which, they told me we would need a bike patrol. Yet, most of the places I have ridden downhill at in this region didn’t seem to have this. Why?

Thanks,
GP

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Differentiation: Specialized Enduro vs. Ibis Mojo

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Our man in NorCal wants to expand his quiver, but he needs to know his two bikes are different enough to justify each other.

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The importance (and danger) of cross training

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It’s been said that the better you get at bike riding, the worse you get at everything else. If your legs are used to spinning light circles, and you suddenly try a more impactful sport, you might be asking for trouble. A cautionary tale:
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New OHV park in Colorado Springs?

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A new OHV area is a rare and special thing. Get details and pledge support here:

www.corralbluffs.com

Rocky Mountain RMX: a dinosaur?

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This guy is asking about a particular DH frame, but his question has universal application.
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Drifting: rear-wheel vs. two-wheel

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This reader is rear-wheel drifting all over the place, and he wants to know what his front wheel is doing. He’s also wondering about two-wheel drifts.
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Moving to Boulder: Which bikes should I bring?

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Lee,

In all likelyhood I will be moving to the P.R.o.B. (People’s Republic of Boulder) for fall semester (super stoked). I have three different rigs but probably only room to bring two. If you had to choose any two bikes out of a Bottlerocket (set up for mini-dh/trail), a cx bike, and a dirtjumper, which two would you pick. Ahhhh, the choices.

peace,
Stephen

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P one, two and three: What’s the difference?

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Hi Lee,

I’m thinking of upgrading my beast of a frame (Azonic steelhead) to an aluminum Specialized P.1, P.2, or P.3 frame.

I’ll probably pickup a used one as there are a lot out there. My question is what is the difference between these frames and which one is best for me? I would use it for messing around in my yard on the pump track, dirt jumps and basic trials stuff.

I’m 6’3″, 190 lbs and will be 45 this year so I don’t get too crazy any more but I still like to jump. Also what is a good cheap fork that you could recommend for that kind of riding? Thanks, Walt

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Which shock should I change to?

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Here’s a familiar theme: Guy has a bike and likes it. Guy wants to make it lighter. Guy starts fantasizing about upgrades. Guy writes in …

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How muddy is too muddy?

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Hey Lee,
Nobody’s ever been able to give me an answer that seemed reasonable to this question, but you know this kind of thing, so maybe you can weigh in: When is it ok to ride a wet trail?

Back in high school, we used to rip it up in waist-deep mud just to see how dirty we could get. It never even occurred to us that the scars and ruts we left on the wet trails would be there for months. Now that I’m a little more “enlightened,” I’m never sure how long I should wait after rain before I hit the trails. How damaging is it to ride a wet trail? Do we need to wait until it’s dry enough that our tires won’t leave a rut? The NorCal rainy season is upon us and I can’t take it anymore — I want to get out and ride… but I don’t want to ruin my favorite spots.

What do you think!?

Thanks Lee.
-stads

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What’s up with the Sea Otter Super D?

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Everyone who’s anyone wants to know: Is this year’s Super D gonna suck Lycra?
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From the archive: Lee Likes backcountry skiing (mostly)

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This was originally posted March 14, 2004 — my first winter in Colorado. You’ll see Rufus rocking strong with all four legs.

Backcountry skiing seems pure, like a cross country mountain bike ride: Just haul yourself up a mountain, have a snack then carve down perfect, untracked powder. You have no lift lines and only the bozos you bring with you.

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