Preparing for new terrain

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dingerjunkie
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Preparing for new terrain

Post by dingerjunkie »

Hello all...this is an open question to those riding in the Southwest...

I've spent pretty much my entire "riding life" in Eastern enduro conditionditions. 85% of my riding has been in the woods/sand/mud/muck/snow of Michigan, with a decent dose of Western North Carolina Blue-Ridge exposure. this means my bikes have always been set up for tree-bashing, mid- to slow-speed, technical riding approaching "cross-training" or almost trials-like single-track.

Now, it looks like I very well may be relocating to Round Rock, Texas in the next year. Wide-open, hot, dry Texas.

In general, outside of the obvious weather/elevation-related jetting changes, what should I be looking to change on my ride as a rule of thumb? Gearing? Suspension settings? Tire compounds/pressures? Different stuff in the tool/supply bag? Larger camelback?

Any insight would be greatly appreciated?
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adam728
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Preparing for new terrain

Post by adam728 »

I don't know about the terrain around Round Rock, but don't let "desert" fool you.

I moved from Michigan to Tucson and back. I did a lot of enduro and harescramble racing in AZ, and just lots of technical riding in general. Hands down far more difficult, slower, nastier, tighter, more demanding trails in Arizona than Michigan. Most feel the MCCCT trails are technical, those are all pretty easy in comparison of what could be found in the desert. Not saying there wasn't also highway-wide open trails that could be blasted at triple digit speeds (on the right equipment), just saying don't think that being desert negates all tight single track.


Bike setup tips?
  • Heavy duty tubes. Actually, ultra heavy duty tubes.
  • Slime. No, more Slime than that. Again, don't know the area you are going, but Arizona was full of things that had no issues puncturing a tire and ultra heavy duty tube. Cholla needles would give me multiple slow leaks every ride till I learned to Slime-up. I had a cluster poke thru the plastic deflector on my barkbusters one ride. They are that sharp.
  • Carry LOTS of water. I ended up figuring 1L per hr was a good baseline for a high paced, hard ride.
  • Tire irons and patch kit. Oh, and something to air back up with.
  • Heavy duty tires. I got sick of looking for the "best" traction, and just started running desert tires, eventually the Maxis IT Desert. Pinch flats and torn off knobs were common with many other tires. I tore ~1/3 the knobs off some cheap Kings tires in a single 3 hour ride. So much for saving money when tires last a weekend. Rocks are hard on tires. Planted rocks, especially jagged ones, are death to tires when riding aggressively!
  • Never ride alone. Should be a standard rule anyway, but I tend to break it. MUCH more applicable in the desert. Tons more area, less chance of someone stumbling across you, and very easy to be a long hike from help even if not injured. People died out there very regularly.
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dingerjunkie
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Preparing for new terrain

Post by dingerjunkie »

With the puncture issue being what you're indicating, would Bib Mousse inserts be worth it, or are they just too stiff to be worth the reduction in maintenance?
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Re: Preparing for new terrain

Post by morganid »

When you mentioned bashing trees up in Michigan, I assume you have bark busters. Keep them on. If you are going to be doing more open riding you can gear your bike up a tooth on the front sprocket. to give you more speed, but you may also want to leave it as is depending upon what you are doing. The desert does prove to be more open, but you can find your share of technical stuff too.

I second the water statement. My dad and I had camel-back back packs. On a hard summer's ride, we would drain the 3L bladder just as we got back to the truck. Also we would buy 2 lunchables each and put them in the pocket closest to the bladder. That gave us a few calories on the trail and the water kept it cool enough to survive one day in the heat with out making us sick.

Tubes: the thicker the better. Slime is good. I've never packed an extra tube with me, but I know others do. A good rule of thumb I've heard is that every time you change a tube, cut your old tube open and use it as a liner around your new tube. Double wall, double protection. If you are riding only on hard rocks, (Moab UT type terrain) I think 20-22 psi is a minimum.

Never ride alone. Keep tools with you for basic repairs, and survival tools just in case you need to spend the night out. I keep a Boy Scout flint and steel in my back pack among other things.

Just be smart. Stay on the trails, (stuff doesn't grow back as fast as in the east so tree huggers seem to be more touchy about it).
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Preparing for new terrain

Post by adam728 »

dingerjunkie wrote:With the puncture issue being what you're indicating, would Bib Mousse inserts be worth it, or are they just too stiff to be worth the reduction in maintenance?
I knew a few guys that had tried them. They claimed the feel was odd, you can't adjust pressure, and life was short. And changing tires became twelve thousand times more difficult.
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Re: Preparing for new terrain

Post by adam728 »

morganid wrote:If you are riding only on hard rocks, (Moab UT type terrain) I think 20-22 psi is a minimum.
:shock:



Depends highly on the tires and setup. With a Maxis Desert IT, even on my YZ's 19" rear wheel, I typically ran 9-11 psi. The only place I ever ran more was up by Utah, where the race was fast paced, and often transitioned from sand to slick rock. In those transitions were horrifically big rock hits. Where the formation you were racing up on to just started jutting out of the sand. So you could hammer what might be a 1" x 2" rock that sticks up 4", but is 100% solid with the rock formation just below the surface. Man those hurt. I upped things to about 14 psi for that.

Really, the only guys running anything more than 14-15 psi in the rocks were those that were convinced they needed too and hadn't tried it any other way. It's really easy to tell who's trying to run 20, 25, 30 psi, they are the one's skating around fighting to stay upright!

Then there's those Tubliss fella's. Some of them run like 4-5 psi. I was jealous when riding buddy's started going with that system. Truely amazing how much traction can be gained, and ride and rock hits are greatly improved because the bead is held strong against it's seat.
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Re: Preparing for new terrain

Post by dingerjunkie »

Okay...so, unlike here in the Great lakes, where a tube can survive multiple tires easily, I should just get ready for constant patching/replacing. Damn...thought I may find a season-long solution for the desert. Wishful thinking. I was considering Tubliss and plugs even, but I'm afraid that stuff tough enough to puncture bark buster shields (!) would go straight through to the inner bladder.

I just spooned on a set of AT-81 front and rear. Let's see how they hold up.

Yes, I'm keeping on the bark-busters, and the KDX250 is going to stock gearing which should be more than tall enough for that environment, given it was set up as a dual-sport for the rest of the world.

I'll probably open up the airbox now, since I can't see water/mud in the airbox being an issue at all. Should I consider a filter-sock, or just get ready for weekly filter cleanings with the dust?

Radiator freezing will not be an issue...straight water? Water-wetter? Alternate coolants for the extreme heat? Hi-pressure cap?

All the cold-weather gear is getting shelved for vacations North. Vented everything, here I come.
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Re: Preparing for new terrain

Post by adam728 »

I still reused mt uhd tubes. Heck, they cost half as much as the tires themselves! Slime really was a savior for me. Went from patching every ride to not thinking about tubes at all.

I didn't do anything different for airbox, coolant, etc. Still find mud and water, almost easier than Michigan, as the riding in AZ was very open and free. Not like MI where they like to close anything with a hill or a puddle and cite "erosion". Plenty of cold to be found on winter nights, and at elevations. I ride in snow more than once.

Again, not sure about that exact area. Just saying that desert doesn't mean its always bone dry and 115F. I've camped in the dunes in falling snow and mid 20 deg weather.
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Re: Preparing for new terrain

Post by morganid »

adam728 wrote:
morganid wrote:If you are riding only on hard rocks, (Moab UT type terrain) I think 20-22 psi is a minimum.
:shock:



Depends highly on the tires and setup. With a Maxis Desert IT, even on my YZ's 19" rear wheel, I typically ran 9-11 psi. The only place I ever ran more was up by Utah, where the race was fast paced, and often transitioned from sand to slick rock. In those transitions were horrifically big rock hits. Where the formation you were racing up on to just started jutting out of the sand. So you could hammer what might be a 1" x 2" rock that sticks up 4", but is 100% solid with the rock formation just below the surface. Man those hurt. I upped things to about 14 psi for that.

Really, the only guys running anything more than 14-15 psi in the rocks were those that were convinced they needed too and hadn't tried it any other way. It's really easy to tell who's trying to run 20, 25, 30 psi, they are the one's skating around fighting to stay upright!

Then there's those Tubliss fella's. Some of them run like 4-5 psi. I was jealous when riding buddy's started going with that system. Truely amazing how much traction can be gained, and ride and rock hits are greatly improved because the bead is held strong against it's seat.
I should mention that I only run that high of pressure when I'm on slick rock/sand stone only trails. (No dirt). Several years ago, I was in Moab and needed a tube. They only shop we could find then was a "good 'ol boy" native to Moab. He said the least he runs is 25 psi. otherwise he would get pinch flats on the harsher trails. I typically run in the high teens psi. I live in northern Utah and most of my riding give the phrase "Rocky Mountains" true meaning. Softer terrain and sand I will air down. That being said, high teens I can usually get 2 tires per tube w/slime. Some times I need to change it sooner.
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Re: Preparing for new terrain

Post by Sullyfam »

I live in FW and have ridden and offroad raced throughout north and central texas. Mainly use Maxis IT with no issues. I typically run 11-12psi and have not had a single flat in many years of racing (I shouldn't have typed that!).

Hit me up when you get here and if be happy to show you around a few riding areas and introduced to the many offroad series we have going. If your inclined, you can race all year round!


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Re: Preparing for new terrain

Post by dingerjunkie »

I will take you up on that once I'm fully relocated, Sullyfam. Thanks.
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Re: Preparing for new terrain

Post by Sullyfam »

dingerjunkie wrote:I will take you up on that once I'm fully relocated, Sullyfam. Thanks.
Good deal. Look forward to it!


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