Tour de Toro!

December 28, 2014 by Brian Butler In Musings, Races

The 2014 Tour de Toro was an overwhelming success – well if your definition of success includes riding until complete muscle failure and exhaustion render your body utterly useless for at least a few days! Yeah! definitely, I think most people would classify that as admirable and worthy to strive for. Ok…Admittedly, the term “most” in this case might, maybe, potentially, possibly refer to a select group of individuals who could arguably just as easily pass most entry level mental illness tests for admittance into a psychiatric ward. But that’s just splitting hairs…

Seriously Bro’s, after having heard about a ride that climbs over 9,000 feet and rides every sweet trail in Toro Park over the course of the day AND is then followed up with a BBQ for all survivors..errrr, participants. Who wouldn’t be tossing on some Dumonde Tech and filling their bottles and pockets with nourishment at such a prospect? SO ENDURO BRO! After missing it previously, we resolved to make it a “must attend” in 2014.

Like any sweet event, it’s “off the radar” status only adds to the allure. In this case, the event was not confirmed until a few days prior which only added to the mystique- maybe we will ride ourselves into a tiny ball of goo this weekend and maybe we won’t. When the text came through confirming the nearest date, sheer terror was followed (kind of) with excitement and anticipation. Wild Bill and Mild Sue who run the wildly popular Ashland Mountain Adventures shuttle in Southern Oregon, would orchestrate the inflicting of pain followed by a well deserved gathering for the brave afterwards. With all that said, here are some pictures that managed to get snapped despite cramped hands and dehydrated mental acuity…

Anticipation building with all the finest riders waiting to get through the gate and shred!

The troops are excited to get things started! Note, the clear excess of enthusiasm. Smiles of exultation would be replaced by grimaces of pain…

The first time to the top of 1800 there were smiles, happiness, and high morale. In the morning, 1800 was quickly followed by Black Mountain, which is bigger and steeper than it looks in the background over Froy’s right shoulder. Impressively, Sherwin proved that 26″ wheels are far from dead as he rode past everyone walking up the trail. That was cool!

It’s possible that morale was starting to waiver for some after the second time up 1800, but honestly, have you met, Brett, Kelly, John and Froy? They were talking the game that is needed to forge ahead at this point. Arf!

Who even know’s how many times we have topped out the mountain at this point!?! However, based on the amount of people utilizing the bench, it has certainly been a few times! Young shredders Dillon and Mathew get in a well deserved break after not only shredding every down pointed trail, but also riding at the pointy end of the uphill assaults, too! Well done guys!

Same place. Same time. Different angle. Team IBIS Retro Cellar’s Anthony Medaglia (leaned over, white helmet) was absolutely demolishing the climbs! In much the same way that Sherwin attacked Black Mountain, Anthony proved that 26″ is still formidable by absolutely ripping to the top of the climbs aboard his 160mm, 26″ wheeled, IBIS Mojo HDR. The assortment of bikes was definitely interesting. With plenty of long travel, little wheeled bikes, but also a good amount of 29er’s as well. John Patullo is always fast and his 26″ Stumpjumper was on point. Adam Linder proved that age doesn’t matter aboard his Turner 29er, while Dave and John both rocked Specialized Camber 29ers – John rocking the 110mm travel S-works Camber that he rode to victory at the Santa Cruz Super Enduro a few months earlier and Dave riding the 120mm EVO version. Arts Cyclery own Tom Tom Duran rolled up in a sweet new Sprinter van, unloaded and proceeded to shred his Santa Cruz Tall Boy LTc for the day. One thing that made the day tough on most was the popularity of 1x drivetrains which placed a premium on laying down the power up each steep climb.

Enduro shredders! Muscle Milk Specialized’s John Hauer rocking his S-works Camber and IBIS iconic standout, Jeff Kendall-Weed aboard his new HD3, both still smiling at the last water break. Scratch that, I have never seen JKW NOT smiling! False hope! And seriously, did John really push that enormous front ring up all those climbs? Wow! Oh well, just one more climb. Just one more time! We can do it!

Our fearless leader triumphantly tops out 1800 for the final time – wahoo! Having screws removed from his foot didn’t seem to effect his assault on the brutal day in the least. Maybe it has something to do with that spiffy, new IBIS Ripley he was riding? Looking on in the background, Dave might be contemplating “I wonder how Bill’s foot feels?”. Not to be outdone, Dave is also riding fresh off a “post hardware removal surgery from his foot” as well – ROCK SOLID these two!

This bike was instrumental in conquering the day! New IBIS HD3!

Not only did we have to contend with leg searing climbs and arm pumping descents, but the unexpected surprise always adds an additional element of fun to the equation, like this massive downed oak consuming the trail. Some went through. Some went around. Did any go over?

Last time up top. Earned that final decent for sure! Is there a better bike to get you to the top? No time to contemplate, food is waiting!

Big thanks to Wild Bill and Mild Sue of Ashland Mountain Adventures!!! What a great day! Can’t wait until next year!

Fox Attack Shorts Jersey Glove

December 2, 2014 by Brian Butler In Products

With gear this bright does it even need to have features!?!? While the Team Santa Cruz/Fox boy’s might consider this colorway to be standard operating procedure, I simply love the BAZAAAM! It is definitely #EnduroBro! Demure here, we are not.

But seriously, these duds are packed with as many serious features as they are overwhelming color! The Fox Attack Ultra shorts are certainly “ultra”…Ultra lightweight. Ultra comfortable. Ultra badaass. Constructed using high tech features like welded seams, hidden adjustable strap/belt, “zipperless” fly, these shorts are nothing short of innovative. With laser cut venting, this lightweight short offers high tech cooling to perfectly accent their feathery feel. The Attack shorts also include the EVO Race Chamois.

No less impressive are the Fox Attack Performance Jersey and Glove combo. Again, the feathery feel of the shorts transcends the Attack line and carries over perfectly with a breathable and functional jersey and comfortable gloves that easily slip into place. No bulky Velcro strap. The back of the jersey features an ultra lightweight and breathable mesh fabric to keep you cool when the terrain heats things up. There is a clever fabric “optics wipe” sewn in into the jersey bottom (white patch of fabric above in picture)…So you can easily wipe your goggles after a dusty stage and with flatlock stichted seams and more laser cut vent holes, you will be feeling calm, cool and collected after the gnarliest efforts! Definitely a plus heading out towards a long, uphill slog on a transfer stage Bro! Not to mention, very comfortable for everyday riding. If your XC endeavors take after this guy then you can ditch the lycra and rock the cool baggy look with fully functional gear with no weight penalty. I’ll have to throw this kit on the scale, but it “feels” comparable to what lycra would weigh.

If you are looking for some seriously technical and lightweight MTB gear, then the Fox Attack shorts, jersey and glove combo has you covered and smothered with this stylish and serious offering. Oh yeah, because I know so many of our #EnduroBro fans only acknowledge one color (or absence of color)…the Fox Attack Line is offered in Black, too!

Marin Attack Trail C-XT9

October 15, 2014 by Brian Butler In Products

I know that I was in a morning sleepy stupor of a mental state as I lay in bed agonizing over my fat ankle from the torching it unjustly received the day before. As a result my mental state was hazy. But I know this. I specifically said: Do not ride anything that we don’t have access too. This I know to be true.

Fast forward 8 hours. I may have still been in bed. Actually, I don’t really remember much of that day, except for the phone call on the way home…”We rode the new Marin Attack Trail. It was Awesome! Dillon loves it too!” Insert distant voice in the background… “It’s really good Brian, she’s not kidding”. Did she say Marin? Did she mean Intense? Maybe Santa Cruz? Not sure. Hmm, I think they said Marin…

When they arrived at home, the banter continued. It climbed like this. It descended like that. Insert hyperbole, bro speak and the words…agile, nimble, playful…etc, etc, etc, on and on. I almost thought they were joking at first. BUT, I know that these two jokers are really hard to please. Bri almost NEVER likes any other bikes except for her own. Dillon had just demo’d another big companies’ 650B offering and despite giving it an honest go, he never spoke of it with this much enthusiasm, even after multiple rides, let alone a single test loop.

I know that Marin is a major sponsor of the California Enduro Series. I know that Marin has put a ton of development into their new line of bikes and checking them out has revealed that they look pretty spanky. I know that their top shelf pro Kyle Warner just garnered the highest honor in the NAET after an impressive clutch performance at the final round. I know that one of my first mountain bikes ever, was an Indian Fire Trail…yup, pretty sweet that it is still running almost 15 years later to the day!

What I don’t know is how I could have missed such a sweet demo day! At the very least, they had a blast and learned that you never know what you think you know, until you actually can know what you know. Sounds like the Marin Attack knows what’s up…and down.