I have been riding mountain bikes for 22 years now and each and every one of them has been filled with epic adventures aboard my bike!
The mountain bike has seen tons of changes and I have been lucky to help with some of them by working with awesome companies like Brodie, Rocky Mountain and, most recently, Marin Bikes.
Mountain biking allows me to escape from the busy streets and head off into the single-track trails that litter my backyard - the North Shore Mountains. It is there I feel at home, surrounded by huge trees, running creeks that cut through the mountain and incredible views that always leave me breathless.
My first mountain bike had no suspension and I remember the day Rock-Shox arrived with front suspension on mountain bikes. Many people said it was a waste of time, since it was both bulky and heavy, but before long a pair found its way onto my bicycle.
I suddenly realized that we as humans are often stubborn and refuse to believe anything we don't know. I learned a lesson that day and I promised myself from that day forward I would be open to anything new and exciting.
It is this promise I made to myself, I believe, that has allowed the rest of my awesome life to fall into place.
There are two ways to see anything new: as a negative or a positive. I prefer the latter and like someone smart once said, nothing great was ever achieved with a negative attitude!
If you look at a mountain bike these days it is surprising that improvements can still be made.
Super light carbon frames, effortless uphill and downhill capabilities, and Shimano shifting and braking that is so good and precise you can't blame it for your wipeouts anymore. Can this be improved upon?
Well the answer to that question is of course, yes.
A few years ago, bike manufacturers started playing with wheel size, going from the traditional 26-inch wheel to a 29-inch wheel. Of course it was greeted with a negative opinion by some. Even I did not pay much attention to it, bugging my good friend Dave Howells who was pumped about the 29er revolution from day one. Not very open of me, eh?
There were a few reasons: the 29er seemed better suited to taller riders, and I am short. Also, the suspension that came on the 29er was much smaller and I was not into light pinner forks since my racing days were long behind me.
However, a month ago Marin sent me a new bike to test. When I pulled it from the box I noticed it was a brand new 29er. Well, there were no excuses anymore, I had to ride it.
The first thing I noticed as I jumped aboard was how comfy the riding position was. On my first pedal stroke, I was hooked. You see, the big "wagon wheels" of the 29er seem to just take off on their own steam.
Then I hit the trails and could not believe how easy this bike floated over roots and rocks.
The bigger wheels obviously worked and I could ride up things more easily.
Next, it was time to go down and again the bike seemed to guide me through the best lines with more stability. On the steep stuff is where it really shone as the big wheels stick out further and make everything easier.
One ride on that bike got me more pumped than the last 10 years combined and once at home I phoned Marin and changed my bike order for 2012 to include a sweet new 29er.
The moral of this story is to remind all of us to treat new things with openness and for sure if you're a mountain biker, try a 29er this season.
You'll be pumped you did!
Adventurer Dave Norona is pumped to bring bikes to Comor Sports for 2012. Come by and check our bike lines in Burnaby, Vancouver or Whistler!
