Past Featured Articles

Mid season in August of 2010, I'd found a new way of exploring the local Wasatch Range and surrounding areas of Salt Lake City, Utah. Since August of 2008 I've had a goal to reach at least one or two peaks a week, and the approaches to these summit was primarily of foot. Hiking, Scrambling, and low class 5 climbing were the methods of reaching these summits. Earlier in the spring of 2009 I'd purchased a 2007 Giant Trance 2 from a local bike shop. My mindset when purchasing this bike is that it would extend the range of my truck on some of the approaches to these peaks. I found however through much of 2009 and into part of 2010 that the bike mainly collected dust, on the storage rack in the basement. Little did I know what would happen...

The left pedal of my old city commuting bike was crackling since some time, and I knew by experience that if I waited too long, there would be irreversible damage and I would have to buy a new pair. So it was time to act !

Since the ambition to get back on the mountain bike scene flung to life in mid 2010, it had been an interesting road as time has progressed to put ideas on the table. Formulating summit routes with the bike, and finding what I could do with the bike to make it perform better for the varying Utah terrain here. After finding that my first suspension bike, a 2007 Giant Trance 2, was too large for me, I ended up selling that bike and purchasing a 2008 Giant Trance X. With the bike being a medium frameset, and trying a lot of different options for change the geometry around for what worked best, the Trance X became a climbing and descending machine! Please check out the article Trance-X-Formation to get an idea about the different stages that bike has seen.

ANNOUNCING a Windows-based MBPost Bulk Uploader for your images. This article contains all the information you need to use it. Download the zip file from here. I love MBPost and Summitpost. But individually uploading 10-15 images for a trip report was getting old.

This is a small light camera which is advertised as shockproof and waterproof. It has 8 megapixels, 3X optical zoom, large LCD screen, tripod mount etc. The camera is powered by a small lithium ion battery and memory card is Olympus XD. It has macro capabilities, built-in flash, anti-shake, movie mode etc. The lens is shielded by a glass cover and then a metal one comes over that when it is switched off. The lens is completely protected and all zooming is internal.

At the same time as I've always biked and climbed, I took to playing Badminton in the early 70s. It captivated me. No pit-pat stuff for me, but the full-bore 180mph smash. No half measures. Got to go full throttle. Bike at max speed and find the longest hills to climb and the steepest ones to descend. Lucky to have at my centre UK National Senior and Junior Champions. They both gave me coaching and soon I entered the tournament circuit. Though I never did that well in those matches unless I played someone strong. Otherwise it's like entering a mtb downhill, where all the soppy buggers mess up your flow.

These socks are mid light meaning that they are not as bulky as the older type while retaining some thermal properties. They are mid calf length with a breathable membrane sandwiched between a Marino wool liner and an abrasion resistant outer. They are fully waterproof and can be used for a variety of applications ranging from golf to mtbing. At £22.50 these are not a cheap option for keeping dry. The SealSkinz website is quite informative.

These socks are mid light meaning that they are not as bulky as the older type while retaining some thermal properties. They are mid calf length with a breathable membrane sandwiched between a Marino wool liner and an abrasion resistant outer. They are fully waterproof and can be used for a variety of applications ranging from golf to mtbing. At £22.50 these are not a cheap option for keeping dry. The SealSkinz website is quite informative.

After the Gore-Tex shorts debacle I decided to try another brand. After much searching I turned to Wiggle's own brand made from eVent waterproof material. This material is used on high end waterproof garments and has a good reputation. These seem to be much more heavy duty than Gore-Tex Paclite. All the seams are taped with some serious heavy duty material on the backside. There are stretch panels on the rear of the leg but these are again of a thicker material than Gore-Tex. There is reflective piping down the outside of each leg with an elasticated waist without a draw cord or belt. The sizing is on the small side so I would say large is medium!

Here a list of the best tips about how to maintain your mountain bike. Please have a look and tell me what do think. Whether mountain bike You have, regular maintenance will help you ride safely and avoid the costs of more serious repairs down the line. Inspecting and adjusting your bike regularly may seem like a chore, but it will save you huge hassles in the long run.