Mt. Bikes

[Sportfury]

JamieB glad to see you got something nice. I went ahead and purchased the NorthRock XC6 that was being sold at Costco. For the price it is a great bike. The frame may be a little big , but it is nice and light with quality components. My azz, too, hurt the first few days that I put some time on the bike, but I figure that is one thing that I need to shape up also (and that will be a bonus for the wife  ). I just need to put some components and a computer on like you did and I should be set to go.

[Tony 270WSM]

I looked at that Northrock as well, but decided to go with something a little higher up from the start, than get something and then upgrade later. Seems like a good entry bike though.

Looked at a Trek 4 series, but they weren't willing to move on their price at all so went to another shop (three weeks later they're having a sale on all their bikes--should have sold it to me then!). Found a Specialized Hardrock Sport disc, took it for a ride, felt good, and eventually bought it. Had checked out Craigslist but between getting responses, not getting responses, schedules not working out I just decided to see what some shops had. Is the added benefit of lifetime adjustments.

After the first couple rides, my azz was hurting! Sure is nice getting down the hill so fast after a long day. And not the paintjob I wanted, but they knocked the price down for me a bit. So far no complaints.

[Sportfury]

That is nice Tony. I like the look of the frame. How much did it set you back?

[Jamieb]

I bought a nice soft gel. seat cover today and a gun rack from Cabelas. The gun rack isn't going to work, not enough room on the handel bars.
I'll just sling the rifle over my back, it seemed to work alright for yesterdays ride.

[Tony 270WSM]

Was $550, but got it for $490 with a kickstand and installation of a couple little accessories and free lifetime adjustments. Got it at the shop in Sumner.

Do want to get some mud flaps/flares or whatever they consider them. Never did like having the tires fling water and mud all over me 

[Jamieb]

The rear rack seems to keep the spray off of me.

[Black Plague]

I have always wanted to do the same, but dont currently really need one... i would suggest a piece of chain and a lock...nothing worse then having your bike stolen when you are deep in the mountains 

[grundy53]

I bought a nice soft gel. seat cover today and a gun rack from Cabelas. The gun rack isn't going to work, not enough room on the handel bars.
I'll just sling the rifle over my back, it seemed to work alright for yesterdays ride.

i was wondering about that. does anyone have a gun rack for their mountain bike that works?

[Antlershed]

Here's my Hunting Rig/Trail Rider. Padded shorts under your hunting clothes are definitely the way to go, but I might still add a big cushy seat.  I think this year when I know I'm going to ride in and then ditch the bike, I will pack my boots in my pack and wear my biking shoes that clip in. Last season I had my boots slipping off the pedals a lot trying to go uphill when wet.

[winston2789]

You guys are sure riding some nice hunting bikes. I got one thats not worth anything that will performs just fine with some accessories on it. I stay on the logging road and don't ride single track or any aggressive stuff. I leave my nice bikes at home, don't trust people.


Grundy- The handle bar mounts for the rifle do work, but I don't use them. I feel safer having my rifle around my neck and shoulder. My brother had his bike blown over one year with his gun on the bike, luckily it didn't bump his scope.

[Jamieb]

I added a couple of things to the bike.

I found the tripod for my spotting scope fits in the holder for the tire pump, handy place for it.
I've taken a couple of long rides on gravel roads now and think I have everything worked out pretty well.
I've been impressed with how well the bike does up slight grades and how much ground I can cover.
Deer dont seem to get spooked too bad from the noise of the tires on the road like foot steps in gravel.
The bikes proveing to be great for scouting so far.

 

[Jamieb]

Now that I've had a chance to use the bike scouting a few times, around 20 miles of gated logging road each time, I figured I'd post a little update about the add on's I've done that I feel work well.
First was a gel seat cover, that relay helped, I rode 20 miles this morning and my butt isn't sore.
Next was the speed odometer, I don't care so much as how fast I'm going but I like the odometer so I know how far I've ridden that day and the clock, I don't wear a watch.
I took the front reflector off, spun the bracket up and mounted a Colman 3AA led flashlight as a head light, works great. I used zip ties to fasten the flashlight to the bracket.
I had the bike shop put on a rear rack when I bought the bike, works both to haul gear on and also as a fender to keep mud from splattering on your back.
The saddle bags, I picked up at Walmart for $24.99, I think I can haul a entire quartered deer in the bags. They have compression straps so you can snug everything up and theres nothing in there rattling around. I hauled a half Gal. of water in each along with my lunch, spare inertube, knife, gloves, spotting scope,TP. and a couple of other little things that will stay in there all the time. In one of the pictures you can see the legs on my Leupold tripod sticking out, the Leupold spotter in attached.
I don't know if it's the time of year or what but I've been seeing a ton of deer, riding and glassing clear cuts. I seen 22 does and 2 bucks this morning in 5 hours.

[GEARHEAD]

thinking i need a bike too, after watching the military channel and seeing how the vc loaded up thier bikes and pushed them south, kinda gave me an idea, a mule to pack my stuff, that doesn't eat or runaway.

[ducks55]

That Norco will be a solid bike for a long long time. I ride my bikes hard and so do my friends, one of them just bought a Norco full suspension and it seems pretty beefy, but we don't ride normal trails or logging roads. We ride the really stupid why are we doing this downhill trails, don't ask why other that its an adrenaline rush. Have fun on your bike, keep your wheel side down!
Here is a picture of mine:

[Jason]

any of you Mtn Bikers running 29in wheels? I cant decide if I want 29's or 26's, looks like I might be going with the Trek Gary Fisher series Mamba or Marlin.