Fall is the best time of year for riding.  The trails are always perfect; the air is cool, thick, crisp and full of oxygen.  The lungs love it.  This time of year I always seem to be motivated to ride, I think it’s “knowing the best riding is here and now”.

As a kid growing up in Edmonton I remember getting on my bike, riding by Dave Butterwick’s house to see if he was home.  We would ride our bike through the River Valley stopping to throw rocks and climb on beaver dams.  From there we would pop out of the trees to visit the corner store, fill up on candies and a pop then proceed to find trouble.  Although we weren’t looking for trouble, we would always seem to find it.  Now that trouble is steep descents and knarly/rooty rock faces.

Racing and riding work well together.  Racing keeps my skills and focus honed while my heart rate is at max.  Riding gives me a good solid base in the fitness and the skill department.  It prepares me for the racing seasons ahead.

Everyone is talking 26er and 29er-that I’m not going to get into.  For me, it’s all about the mini downhill bikes that pedal anywhere and can decent most lines on the shore.  Maybe not as good as either in is respective category (dh, xc, freeride) but its second best in them all.

This past spring I fell in love.  I fell in love with a Stumpjumper Evo.  This bike has everything, low bb for wicked cornering, tapered/slack headtube for wicked decending, and a BB30 pressfit bottom bracket that I wasn’t too fond of at the start.  She has just over 5 in the front and 5 in the rear. Most importantly she pedals like a dream.

I like 2×10, with the shore full of straight ups and straight down I find myself switching one gear in the front and fine tuning in the rear rather multiple shifts with a single ring or 3 ring in the front.

A good ride for me is………pretty much any ride.  Take-em as they come, mechanicals too.  Over Seymore , up Grouse, or both.  I got the best bike for it.

You are seeing more and more straight pull wheels.  They have a great power to the pedal feel and don’t seem to de-tension as quickly as the traditional lace ups.  We will see how they last in the long run.  So far so good.

Over the past year I have been going to Yoga and I can’t even try to let you know the benefits.  It’s kind of like telling your friends how steep “dead dog” is and then when the ride it they say “you never said it was that steep”.   Over the past year my flexability had gotten so much better my riding position has changed on my bike.  With a lower front end you can get your weight low and even over both wheels.  Better traction on the climbs and better traction on the front wheel for decents.  Plus I feel better.

On the long rides it’s important to be comfortable so having light (but not to light) parts, good working components, tires and wicked suspension.  You also need to make sure you keep up on the maintenance.  Cleaning the stanchions, lubing the chain, checking the pivots and giving the occasional soapy rub down.  I feel it’s important to have this kind of quality bonding time –it’s the tradeoff for a great ride.

bryson