Wolf Tooth Components XX1 Style Chainring

Well, we got back from Asheville, and though there have been a few good training days here in VT, mostly it's been cloudy and (recently) snowy. Oh well. At least there have been a host of new mountain bike bits arriving daily - just in time for the first race of the year next weekend. I'll share some of the awesome stuff I'm getting to use here over the next month or two. 

First up is a sweet XX1 style chainring from Wolf Tooth Components in Minnesota. It looks to be solidly built, with the alternating tooth pattern seen on XX1. It's compatible with all 104 BCD cranksets, so it's a great option for those folks not willing or able to shell out the cash for an XX1 crankset, but still who want to run a 1x10/11 set up without a chainguide. It also comes in tooth counts from 30t on up, and all Wolf Tooth Chainrings are made right here in the US. It's definitely going to save a bunch of weight on my Pivot Les by allowing me to remove the front shifter, derailleur/chainguide etc.

Though this photo is a little blurry, you can see the differences in the teeth. Turns out this design is nearly 20 years old, so there's no patent infringement to worry about from what I've heard.

I can't wait to put this ring through it's paces soon. Check back here and on MTBRacenews.com for a fell review in a couple of months.

For more information on Wolf Tooth Components check out http://wolftoothcomponents.com/

PIsgah Training Camp 2013

A spring trip to Pisgah is becoming a bit of a tradition for us. And really, what's not to like. We get to leave the last of the New England winter and soak up some southern sunshine for a week while we ride awesome trails. Plus there are the great friends in Asheville, the glorious comfort food and BBQ, and the mountains.

The mountains are big, they're enchanting, and there are trails everywhere. Pisgah is the real deal folks.

The general vibe at this point in the descent was, "whoa, that was awesome....wait, we get to do that for another 40 minutes?!" Then Dan noticed he had a flat. 

A quick flat change and the shredding resumed. Then we ate a massive amount of food, and then went to bed. The next day we did it all over again, for a week straight.

Way too many smiles to count, seemingly endless hours of riding rad trails with great friends, and a lot of good food. Best training camp I've had in a while. Thanks Asheville! 

Spring finally seems to be coming around in VT too. Guess it's bike season, and I can't wait. Lot's of awesome bike stuff heading my way from my awesome sponsors, and racing starts soon. Stay tuned.