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Niner has revolutionized the 29er mountain bike world as of late. With the introduction of the Jet 9 RDO, Race Day Optimized, Niner has taken the already proven Jet 9 to a completely different level.

Full carbon and stiff as can be, the RDO is comfortable in any conditions, perfect for the ultimate trail bike as well as the top of the line race machine. Niner has developed a platform that will let you use your imagination to build your perfect bike.

That is exactly what I tried to do during the previous off-season. I believe efforts were a success and I love this bike. It is super light, stiff and responsive. The 100mm of rear travel with the Kashima shock is perfect for everything from the local Charlotte trails to Pisgah and beyond.

In the past, I was a tried and true SRAM fan. After messing around with other drivetrain systems, I came back to SRAM and will not ride anything else. Therefore, I built this bike up with the SRAM XX drivetrain. It has perfect shifting, braking and power transfer.

On the front end I bounced around between the RockShox SID and the Lefty. After talking with everyone I could, I called Jake at Project 321 and he built me the best front end a bike could have: a carbon Cannondale Lefty, with 110mm of travel. It has proven to be a very compliant and stiff front end that puts the bike exactly where you want to go.

For the hoops I went with two sets of wheels, both from Stans. The first a training pair of Stans Crest, and the second were a pair of Stans Gold reserved only for race day situations. After only two rides, the Crest wheels taco’d on me and sent me sliding. This didn’t happen on a huge drop or bunch of roots. They simply folded over during a tight, high-speed turn. This was a huge disappointment and made me decide to unload the Gold’s (before I had even ridden them) due to the inability of the Crest wheels to hold up. In the past, I had heard of the flex associated with the Stans wheels but never before experienced such a thing, especially on a tame trail with nothing that would cause this to happen. I have ridden my American Classic wheels for a year now, taking them off everything from large drops to Farlow Gap with no structural issues.

Enter Project 321 Part two. I called Jake and spoke (maybe begged and pleaded) to him about the ENVE wheels that he builds. Needing a set in less than a week (for an upcoming race) he hand built me the best wheels I have ever been on and shipped the very next morning. These wheels are stiff and the input from the rider is amazing. I can not wait to put them to the full test shortly.

For those that might say 100mm is not enough travel, Niner makes you feel like you have way more under you than is there. Riding the original Jet 9 with only 80mm of travel through all the trails of Pisgah and Dupont with no issues, the RDO offers even more. The major upside is that their suspension is so good that you do not lose all the power you apply to the pedals (like other full suspension bikes). Their bikes respond perfect and do what they were intended to.

The Niner RDO is the perfect choice for any application. You can build it from the most basic of rides to the Cadillac of your dreams. Come down to Tailwinds and talk to Dave about getting on one of your own.

Continue reading »]]> The day that Dan I decide to go to Pisgah for a long ride (today) just happens to also be a day that it is sub-20 degrees.  Ugh.  Luckily, by the time we started riding, the temp had risen to a balmy 25 degrees.  Where’s my sun tan lotion?

Really cool to see some of the sites, lots of icy creek crossings and even ice “growing” out of the ground.  Lots of fun, about 3 and half hours of riding and over 4000 feet of climbing.  All the climbing meant some really fun-ass descents. 

Continue reading »]]> After a fun time at the XTERRA Epic race, it was hard to believe that I would be racing another 4+ hour race a week later.  My day-job calendar just wouldn’t allow me to race XTERRA Worlds, no matter how hard I tried, so the Epic was another one of those last-minute substitutions.  I was already signed up for the Swank 65 endurance mountain bike race along with Dan.  He and I discussed it at length, along with many conversations with Coach and Alba.  I decided to keep both, even though they were only one week apart.  My goal for the Swank 65 had to change though.  There was no way I could race the Epic at 100% and also do well at Swank.  Besides, I knew that being a multisport athlete going into a race with a bunch of guys that focus only on cycling would be tough, not to mention coming into it with tired legs.

Race: Swank 65 Endurance Mountain Bike Race
Location: Brevard, NC – Pisgah
Date: November 6, 2011
Distances: 36 mile mountain bike with 9300 feet of climbing
Products used: GU Roctane and GU Brew, Maxxis Monorail & Larsen TT Tires, Cobb Plus DRT Saddle, Rudy Project helmet, Scrub Brakes, Crank Brothers Candy Pedals.

I’ve always been told that a good triathlete is not someone who is an outstanding swimmer or an awesome biker or even a super-fast runner.  Instead, a good triathlete is someone that can put all three together.  The funny thing is, most triathletes, especially at the amateur level like me, are not great at all three sports.  They’re just good.  If they can be good, and do so at all three sports, they’ll be a great triathlete.  If they are GREAT at all three, they’re probably professional.  So why am I talking about what makes a good triathlete when this is a mountain bike race report?  Keep Reading…

Continue reading »]]> XTERRA Epic Iron Mountain Race Report - I know that I just did Swank 65 yesterday, but last weekend I raced the XTERRA Epic – Iron Mountain race.  So, before I get ahead of myself and write the Swank report, I must first bring you up to speed with last week’s race.

Race: XTERRA Epic – Iron Mountain
Location: Iron Mountain Resort and Marina, Arkadelphia, Arkansas
Date: October 29, 2011
Distances: 1 mile swim, 34 mile mountain bike, 9.6 mile run
Result: 4th Overall, 1st in Division
Products used: GU Roctane and GU Brew, Synergy Adrenaline Wetsuit, Maxxis Ikon Tires, Cobb Plus DRT Saddle, Jamis Dakota D29 Pro, Rudy Project helmet, Scrub Brakes, Crank Brothers Candy Pedals.

Alba and I arrived in Little Rock looking forward to some quiet time alone and also a great race. On our way from Little Rock to the venue (and our accommodations), I needed to pick up a couple of CO2 cartridges…  Keep Reading…

Read the full report

Continue reading »]]> Tree Shaker 6 Hour Mountain Bike Race Report – As a last-minute decision (you know me), I decided to do the Tree Shaker.  Well, it wasn’t exactly last minute.  Dan and I were out riding the Anne Springs Close Greenway trails the week before the race.  He had already planned on doing the race several weeks before as a preparatory race leading up the the Swank 65, which we are both signed up for.  The Monday following our ride (5 days before the race), I decided what the heck, I’ll do it too. 6 hours of mountain biking sounded fun, and after all, I would be doing the Swank, so it would be great training.

The morning of the race, I gathered up all my water bottles, nutrition, bike and what-not and headed out to the greenway.  I was sure that I had too many bottles for the time being spent, but I figured having too many was better than not enough.  Besides, one bottle was for breakfast and one for recovery (before beer).

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Continue reading »]]> Back in June I contacted Cobb Cycling to let them know how impressed I was with their saddles and to ask a few questions.  Up to that point, I only owned one, which was on my road triathlon bike.  It was amazingly comfortable, even with 4+ hour rides and I wanted the same comfort on my mountain bike, knowing that later in the year I would be doing some long-distance events.  I hopped up to their website and perused the mountain bike saddles, but I had difficulty deciding on which one to buy, thus the reason for my email to them.  I informed them of my upcoming events and asked which one they would recommend for me.

Within a day or so, they responded and recommended the Cobb Plus DRT saddle which was an off-road version of the same saddle that I had on my tri-bike.  However, given that a lot of my XTERRAs were shorter races, they also recommended I should probably go with the SHC DRT saddle.  So with a little hesitation, I pulled the trigger and had them send me both.  Since then, I’ve been riding the SHC DRT saddle for a while during both training rides and racing.  I wanted to share my thoughts, but before I do, let me give you a little background about the folks over at Cobb.

Cobb Cycling was created by John Cobb, a person that has been around the block a few times when it comes to cycling since his initial involvement back in the early 70s.  With his racing background, he was one of the first people to recognize the importance of aerodynamics and a proper bike fit for racing.  Over the years, not only have professional cyclists and triathletes requested John’s assistance, but manufacturers continually consult him on improving their products.  Not that being aerodynamic has a lot to do with mountain biking, John’s research, particularly the stuff he knows about bike fit  and the physiology of a biker, brings benefits to roadies and mountain bikers alike.  Also, as it pertains to the this review, his experience designing road saddles, the unique technology and methods of design, carries over into the mountain bike arena.

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Continue reading »]]> Battling the extreme heat this summer has bestowed upon the South has been quite a challenge when it comes to racing. After riding for over 6 hours in the Off Road Assault on Mount Mitchell last weekend, I was feeling the toll of this summer.

XTERRA Panther Creek is a relatively local race being just over the Smokey Mountains. It is a fun course that is not extremely difficult but keeps you honest by making you work the whole time without much rest. The race starts with a 2 lap swim in the nice and warm Cherokee Lake. This year it was a part obstacle swim as a fallen tree intersected the back leg of each lap. First lap I thought there was enough water to swim over the tree and picked up a wooden passenger in my suit.

Usually this race does not have the highest attendance. This year there were around 10 competitors looking to get on the podium. They decided to start us in 2 waves. Marcus, my son Danny and I were in the first wave. We started off pretty quick and it was one of the more violent swims. I am not sure if this was because people were trying to swim beyond their abilities or just plain congestion. Once past the first turn it started to open up. I felt pretty tired in the upper body from the race last weekend, but I tried to keep a pace that kept me in contention and did not cause any issues. I ended up exiting the water in the top ten. I saw Marcus in transition as I came up the ramp. I quickly removed my Synergy Syn-Skim speed suit and got mike bike.

The first mile or so I used to get my legs warmed up. It is a strange feeling to do a sprint race the week after riding 70+ miles off road with over 11,000 feet of climbing. At around mile 1 there is a cool rock climb that I ended up throwing my chain on. It was slick and I had to roll back down and walk it up. After I put the chain back on the bike I took off and got the blood flowing in my legs. I was surprised to see that no one had passed me during that mishap. I saw 2 riders ahead and quickly passed them. Riding alone through the next 2-3 miles I picked off 2 more riders and then saw Marcus ahead on a climb. I kept my pace consistent and caught up to him around mile 4.5 of the first lap. Funny thing is that this is the same place we passed last year. I rode along picking off one more before starting the second lap. On the second lap I picked it up a bit more but was still riding slower than normal. I thought I was in 4^th or 5^th on the bike but was surprised when I hit transition in 2^nd place.

It was time to throw on my INOV-8 X-Talon 190s and take off on the run. I couldn’t have been 10 yards into the run when Bence Roemmer caught up to me. Again this race was like Déjà vu. This is the same place we passed each other last year. I ran with Bence for the first mile or so but he pulled away from me. My legs felt heavy and slow especially when running. I figured if I kept a constant pace on the flats and hills it would make the run more efficient. As I was approaching the biggest hill of the climb I looked back and could see Marcus across the field behind me. I figured he would try and sprint up to me. Since we race in different divisions I was not concerned and would have like some conversation over the last 2 miles or so. I kept my pace constant but ended up running out the race on my own. Even though I felt slow I ended up running a 6:53/mile pace. Slower than normal but still good enough for 4^th fastest run of the day.

In the end I finished 4^th overall only 2 minutes out of 2^nd. Had this been an “A” race the effort level would have been much different. XTERRA Canada is coming in a month and that is the only race that matters to me this season. I feel that everything is coming together for that race and I can not wait to get to Whistler.

Marcus got 5^th overall and 1^st in his age Group.

It was great to be able to get to the finish and watch my son Danny came across the line for 3^rd in his division.

Continue reading »]]> Race: XTERRA First Coast
Location: Jacksonville Beach, Florida
Date: July 24, 2011
Distances: 750m swim, 13mile mountain bike, 5k run
Result: 5th place in division, 11th overall
Products used: GU Roctane and GU Brew, Synergy Syn-Skin, Maxxis Ikon Tires, Jamis Dakota D29 Pro, Rudy Project helmet, Scrub Brakes, Crank Brothers Candy Pedals.

I had originally planned to race at the Offroad Assualt on Mount Mitchell, complete with paying my entry back in March.  If you’re not familiar with it, just think of a mountain bike race that includes over 65 miles and 11,000 feet of elevation change.  Dan Kimball and I (as usual) both decided to have at it with something a bit different from our usual triathlon season.  We had the schedule all laid out, including several pre-rides and training plan.  We had it all figured out…  except…  the fact that I had also scheduled family vacation the same week.  Ugh.

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The family at Team Unlimited and XTERRA sure know how to turn one of the best race weekends of the season up a notch. Enter the 2011 XTERRA East Championships and Trail Run weekend. By far one of the most fun and interactive events on the circuit for the whole family. This event proves how important the total experience is to XTERRA.

The events were set into motion by Team Extreme as they sky dived into the transition area to pay respect to all of those who have served our country. From there the festivities started. Richmond had everything from an interactive Kids Zone that provided a virtual simulator of the bike course to a kids fun/ obstacle race. I could not keep my kids of the bikes as they were having so much fun.

Or off of the obstacle course.

The first day was for the trail run. Many hundreds of participants came to test their abilities on either the 10k or 21k course. Most would not expect the technical trails ahead of them, being that this race is staged from downtown Richmond. But with river crossings, bridges and many miles of technical single track ahead, there were surprises for everyone.

My wife entered the 21k trail run. XTERRA really makes it great that these weekends allow activities for everyone in the whole family. Promoting overall health and wellbeing is very important to them and it enhances the experience greatly. While my wife was out conquering the challenges of the trail run, my children were tearing up the kid zone.

By the end of the events on Saturday, everyone had a great time. Now it was time to et ready for the XTERRA East Championships. Going through a regular routine of double checking the gear and eating right closed out the day. Up at 5AM to get some food in me and off to secure a prime spot in transition.

The early bird gets the worm. In Richmond, with so many competitors, end racks are not in abundance. Getting in early to stake your claim really makes a difference when you want to get in and out of transition easily.

Look at all these people. Transition was not even ½ full yet.

The race was great. They added some distance to the swim and sent us out in a zig zag pattern. This I like much better than staring at a single buoy way off in the distance. After the swim and a decent run up to transition it was time for a 2 lap bike of one of the best courses on the circuit. This bike course is fun with a capital F. I enjoyed every bit of the ride and looked forward to the run. The run is unique as you start by leaving the city behind and climb over the notorious “Mayan Ruins” to enter the single track trails. On these trails you experience all kinds of adventures from river crossings to hurdling roots like Carl Lewis.

Richmond is one of the best races and experiences available. Team Unlimited makes this a true family experience.