It may be in the single digit temperatures, but that doesn’t mean we all put our bikes away and quit riding–  Join the team on New Years Day for a repeat of last year’s ride down Apex:

Chance Legstrong makes it to Durango

Durango cycling community wakes up to sore mouths and lighter wallets

The champ showed up for a benefit movie showing and a dinner at Fort Luigi college. He raised buku bucks for the Fort Lewis College Cycling Team and Trails 2000. Mary and TBrown made it happen – good job guys.

Read the Full Report here.

Floyd Landis - Post Stage 17 Interview, 2006 TDF

This ride was a cumulative effort of anger resulting from Floyd’s S16 bonk, frustration from losing the Jersey and 15+ years of training and racing. He absolutely killed it in front of the world like no one else has ever done.

A Lion from the 2006 Tour De France

Cost of a Lion: 15-20k miles training per year for 15+ years, complete & total dedication to the sport, extreme analytical analysis of training and performance data with the goal of never-ending continuous improvement, 300+ sleepless nights in a homemade altitude tent, a total life commitment to the single goal of mastering the toughest race on the planet.

I’ve been waiting since labor day for this Indian summer to show up.  For all of you who haven’t been in Colorado or haven’t been paying attention it’s been down right cold, snowy, and rainy.  With the days getting shorter and being super busy at work my days riding the bike are numbered but I sure made up for it this weekend. Unfortunately everything above tree line is done and even lower elevations aren’t too pretty on the north faces.  So I decided to hit the one area I don’t ride too much once the season is in full swing.  Between the dredge on Tiger Road and Keystone provides for some fun loops I haven’t hit since late May.  I even took a detour through keystone, hitting some horse trails and other assorted single track that bobs in and out of the homes there.  It was a trip riding the single track where it all began in the summer of 96.   Over all it was a ripping good time at a nice off season pace, thirty two miles, three and a half hours, and right around 3,000 ft of climbing without hitting any “big climbs.”  The downfall was the two or so miles on pavement……. but the other 28 miles or so of single track didn’t hurt. – Jason K

Unfortunately I have to publish the picture below.  In post from back in June Parker, Jesse, Matt, and I were doing a nice little loop around summit county.  We stopped so Jesse could take some pictures of the wildflowers while Parker was inspired to recite poetry about tulips and Indian paint brush.  Well they logged the area and seemed to “crush” everything.  But I got a funny feeling the flowers will be back next year so don’t worry Parker.

Starting in the spring of 2010, mountain bikers will be limited to uphill rides on odd-numbered days on the Apex Park trail. On even-numbered days, mountain bikers can use the trail as they normally would.

The plan also called for the creation of an additional multi-use trail in the park.

Click here for the Official Jefferson County Decision

As the days get shorter and the cool fall air settles in, I start to think about Halloween and what costume will I wear this year…  then I was sent this photo!  I dont have to think any more, my mind is made up!

Peak Cycles employee, Brendan H, is studying abroad this semester in Sengeal.  He sent this photo of a road in Cape Verde that goes on for 12km…

Reminds me of that road in New Zealand that Parker  ’crushed’! Keep exploring the world Brendan!

It seems like enough people have been bothered by Jeffcos Open Space plan at Apex, that 9News did a story on it recently. Team BikeParts.com rider, Chad Kittles, can be seen in this new clip about the possible changes Apex may go through.

From COMBA

COMBA is asking concerned trail users to meet at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 1, at the lower Apex Park parking lot to demonstrate their opposition to the plan. Bikers will then ride over to the Jefferson County Open Space Administrative Office, 700 Jefferson County Parkway, Suite 100, Golden, Colo., where the county’s Open Space Advisory Committee is scheduled to consider the Apex Park management plan at 7 p.m.

Hope to see you there, Jesse.

Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day is Oct 3rd!  Share that love for dirt and 2 wheels and grab you son, daughter, nephew, niece, neighbors kid or some random youth and take ‘em mountain biking!  Below is a map of places in Colorado that will be holding events along with the world wide day.  For those in Denver, COMBA will be holding an event at Bear Creek Lake Park from 9:00am -1:00pm.  IMBA is spearheading the international event, so click here for more information!

Here are a couple recent photos from James down in Austin at Alchemy Bicycles...

Ross Schnell got a new tattoo this past weekend in Durango at the SSWC09… congrats man!

http://www.mountainflyer.com/news.cfm?itemid=287

I got this email from a friend…

Competitor Monica Bascio, one of two women competing in the hill climb race.

After reading this article on Mountain Flyer about the Handcycling championships, I was smiling!  I love seeing new ways people enjoy mountain biking!  I sent the photo out to a couple friends and this is what Mitch Westall said…

Having had a C1 neck break and a T9 compression.  I stepped in similar shoes, only for a short while, and I can tell you it shook me to the core.   To be told, I would never ride a bike again.  To realize that your dreams / hopes, daily life will be forced to change.

These brave people adapted, altered, refocused their life.  They found enjoyment similar to us in getting outside in beautiful country and racing.

Handcycle racers are exactly like every true Mountain Biker — when you fall down,  you pick yourself up, brush off the blood, ignore the pain, and get right back on the bike and plug away — continue on.

They inspire me to not let shit in life get in my way of enjoying life.

- Mitch Westall

Well said Mitch!  :)

Check out this Mountains to Desert ride!   130 miles for a good cause!  Awesome!  But… you gotta start making plans, the ride is next weekend, Sept 26!

German Designers Tom Mudra and Hans-Tobias Schicktanz designed a new way to get around within the city – the Mosquito.

“Our aim was to create a lightweight and attractive E- Bike suitable for urban places. The motor is powered by lithium batteries which cost about 50p to charge. The Mosquito has got a range of about 60 km (37 miles) with a maximum Speed of 50 km/h (31 miles)”

The ergonomics of the design make it rather easy to get on the bike due to a removable center pole – (Very nice feature!). This however will have no effect on the bikes statics and handling.

Different materials can be used for the frame cover which incorporates batteries and motor e.g. carbon fiber, wood and plastic. Most parts used in the mosquito are available at conventional bike stores, which makes it easy to maintain as well as keeping repairing costs at a minimum.

Enough said, have a look at the visuals…..

Design by TOTO
Image copyright Tom Mudra and Hans-Tobias Schicktanz
For further details please contact us at totodesign(at)gmx(dot)de

The more I think about it, the less I like this plan.  I propose a new solution, close both the new trail from heritage and the lower apex gulch trail to hikers.  This would completely prevent hiker access to Apex, problem solved!

Seriously though, I was thinking about the proposal and I don’t see how hiker groups are making any concessions at all.  A “compromise” should include something given up by both sides.

http://www.co.jefferson.co.us/jeffco/openspace_uploads/apex_doc_2009.pdf

I think the best solution would be to make the lowest section of Apex trail uphill only for mtn bikers, the upper most section of Apex trail uphill for mtn bikers only – that’s it. - Charlie K

Here is what we can do about it….

Send your opposition NOW to JCOS’s proposed “plan” to saveapex@comba.org.  let’s flood JCOS staff, and the county commissioners with e-mails on this to let them know that the “plan” is unacceptable and we won’t stand for it.  seriously – every e-mail will help.  if you think of new items/issues arguments afer you’ve sent your e-mail, send another one.  i’ve already done that.

thanks for helping to SAVE APEX!

Steve  Gosselin saveapex@comba.org

This photo was taken at the recent Urban Assualt Ride in Fort Collins, CO.  Does anyone know who is wearing this PeakCycles/Bikeparts.com jersey!?  Who ever you are, thanks for supporting local Colorado bikers!

Parker climbing French Pass

Here is a palette cleanser after that last posting…

Parker showed up at my house on Sunday wearing his Colorado State Rams Jersey, looking for an epic ride.  I told him that I wasn’t sure what I could do but I’d try to fulfill his wishes.  We set out rather late on a cloudy but warm September day to Circumvent Guyot and then some…….  Headed out my door and up the gulch towards French Pass, dropped down into Park County on some pretty rad single track after summiting around 12,000 feet.  We rode up Georgia Pass road and at the summit of that pass hit the Colorado trail where the real adventure began.  The Colorado trail portion of the ride started with a 25 minute descent, which led to the third major climb of the day up West Ridge towards Keystone.  In all it was only 18 continuous miles of Colorado Trail single track riding.  By the time we hit the dredge boat on Tiger Road I’ll admit I was broken. Of course my man Parker (who was on fire) left me as I struggled with the tiny little climb of Gold Run Road on the way back to my house.  Stopping numerous times, a rider came up on me only to ask if I needed a helicopter ride out of there, an IV, or alittle serious help because I looked like hell.  I waved him on and said I’d make it, just tell my bro who was two miles ahead of me to wait.    RIDE STATS:   just over 40 miles of riding, right over 6,000 feet of climbing (three major climbs), around 5:40 ride time, and we were out for alittle over six hours. - Jason Kompf

Summit of French Pass

Guyot from West Ridge