a little Oz story

[Dennis]

With all the talk about the new bikes available, I just want to remind us all how great our EVO-style bikes are, esp. the Oz.
Just the other day I was out riding on a local loop trail.
There is one uphill that is all loose rock (sorta like large gravel) and roots. At the top, the trail turns over a 100 degrees to the left and continues sharply up (steep enough that if you don't consciously weight the front end of your bike alot, the front end will lift off the ground) over soft, grippy dirt.
Well, just before this hill, a younger rider was catching up to me on his (I think) much lighter Specialized Epic Brain all-singing and dancing rig. I figured he would pass me at some point up this hill, but I decided I would go up to the turn, then slow and let him pass me before the last part of the climb. well, I put my head down and went up the loose part of the climb, and when I started to slow to let him by, I looked back and he was waaaaay behind me, so I continued up the second part of the climb.
This story is related not to let you know how great I am, but I totally attribute my ability to put this guy away to the Oz. I have always had trouble with that climb on much lighter hardtails, and it is only with the Oz that I have ever pulled away from anyone. The loose rock, roots, and erosion are just eaten up by the Oz and man, does it feel good to do something like that.
what a great bike!!!
[smiley=groucho.gif]

[tmaybee]

I would say it is part bike and part rider.

A few years ago when I was in really good shape riding about 400-500 km per week, I decided to go out for a ride with one of the old pros in the area named Andre.  I worked at a bike shop at the time and knew a lot of riders and he was in the top three in the area.

Durring the ride, we came to a hill that was about 1/2 a km long, super steep and quite sandy.  I was riding my 856 and it was quite light because it was speced close to what it is now.  Andre was riding a full rigid, full ti Kona (including ti fork h-bars and stem).  I figured I wouldn't have too much trouble keeping up with him on the hill because my bike had "dig-in" technology right?

Wrong!  I got about 1/2 way up the hill and eventually had to walk the rest.   [smiley=diaper.gif] Andre made it about 3/4 of the way up before having to walk.  By the time I had walked to the top of the hill, I was totally exhausted;  Andre was fine.   [  [smiley=dead.gif]

There was one section of the trail that I had an advantage.  I was a short, steep incline that was lined with large rocks and roots.  My bike floated over these and Andre's bounced all around.     I also had an advantage in the DH sections but Andre's technical skills almost made him equal with the rigid.  

I was in the best shape of all my regular riding buddies and anyone I had ridden with until that day and had the "best" F/S bike on the market at the time with the latest generation XTR components (the bike shop I worked at in Canada couldn't even get them yet.  I had to order it from the US at about 2X the cost).  Andre had no suspension and the last generation of XTR that was very well used.  His bike was definetly lighter than mine but I didn't expect that to make a difference.

I pushed myself so hard on that ride, I can still feel it.  I stayed with him but when we got back to the car, I actually blacked out for a few seconds a couple of times.  It was a great ride though and I did go out with him on another couple of rides after that. When I went back home and to the old bike shop a couple of months ago, they said Andre was still riding the same bike, same components and was as fast as ever.

On that ride, I realized that when it's all said and done, it is part bike, part rider.... with the rider being the larger part.

Trevor

[smiley=beer.gif] [smiley=beer.gif] [smiley=beer.gif]

[Simon]

That just shows you newer isn't always better,most of my riding on my 4500/ Oz consists of climbing (odd I know but I enjoy it) I've tried other newer f/s bikes on my local trails and on some climbs I've even had to get off and push (very embarassing) yet on my 4500 I have little problem, the only other bike I've riden that out climbs it is the 856, but I found the 4500/Oz a better alrounder as after you've climbed you then usually have to come down and I find it better on  knarly trails,like others I do drool over some of the new bikes out there but its going to take something exceptional for me to change from my 4500/Oz as said it is a great bike!!!Simon [smiley=laughing.gif] [smiley=laughing.gif]

[Old Proflexer]

nothing like a little suspension to keep the back wheel planted and functional during a climb over loose and unpredictable terrain.  

the hardtails and epics of the world suffer during those times when just a little suspension is infinitely better than none at all - especially a suspension with a high pivot point and 'dig in' geometry.  i have several climbs on my regular route that can either lift the front wheel or spin out the rear and the fore and aft balance is just as important as the amount of power applied at a particular moment.

once a hard tail or locked out rear suspension hits a rock/root or whatever and looses traction on a bump while headed what seems to be staight up,
it's all over 'cept for the dab and the gnashing of teeth.

OP

[Carbon_Angus]

"dig-in" is an almost forgotten trait of the bikes.

Dennis good show! i have passed a few "brain" bikes myself. however it's  ALWAYS because of the rider never the bike!!...when i get passed....well uh, uh....it's uh...you know

[Old Proflexer]

as has been said many times

"it's not what you ride, it's how you ride"

not to worry angus -

i recently got passed going up a hill by a little 86 year old lady with a recent hip replacement, wearing a big floppy hat, pushing a walker with tennis balls on the legs who was walking her poodle.

OP

she was very nice -

[numbnuts]

op, why didn't you use your granny?

[Carbon_Angus]

as has been said many times

"it's not what you ride, it's how you ride"

not to worry angus -

i recently got passed going up a hill by a little 86 year old lady with a recent hip replacement, wearing a big floppy hat, pushing a walker with tennis balls on the legs who was walking her poodle.

OP

she was very nice -

your glasses were fogged, OP and you were suffering from a little anoxia!

that was Catherine   Zeta-Jones   and she was going down (stairs)..you were right about the poddle though [smiley=bomb.gif]

[Dennis]

as OP says the rider is more important than the ride, and sure, the fact that I did almost 1500 road miles this summer had alot to do with my original Oz story, but I could not have done that on any bike I have ridden previously.
the bike does have something to do with the quality of the ride. I also have not been able to ride 30-40 nonstop off road miles before. My shoulders would get too sore.
the Oz suspension definitely makes it possible for an old bald guy like me to ride and ride and ride and ride....

as I like to remind young fast guys resting along the side of the trail after I pass them for the 3rd or 4th time, it is better to go slower and longer, then fast and short. that goes for more than just cycling!!
have a great day,
[smiley=groucho.gif]

[sammydog]

I race on both a 955 and a Specialized Epic. (Only one at a time depending on my mood).

I find that on most of the course the bikes feel very even. The courses I race on have a lot of technical up climbs and decents mixed in with fast and flowing single track.

I think most of the time climbing comes down to the rider rather than the bike. Depending on how I feel on the day one hill I ride most days will kill me one day and I fly up it the next.

Time wise my epic generally comes in about 5 minutes quicker over a 30km race. The epic seems to feel a lot guicker on faster open trails, everywhere else feels pretty even.

[numbnuts]

I borrowed a HT while my Evo was broken and could hardly walk for a week. I am not too concerned how long it takes but I like to ride every inch, up or down, and I like to push it on the descents, FS is definately da bomb and proflex/K2 did a pretty good job upto now.

[Scott]

Good bit of riding Dennis!  I did a bunch of races this year and being 44 meant we started behind the youngsters.  They flat out fly!!  But often do exactly as you describe and burnout 1/2 through.  I also must admit to having been passed by a SS more than once- just to illustrate OP's "its not what you ride but how you ride".