Tuesday, April 22, 2008

RR: LPQ

Today was the maiden voyage on the new Enduro, and while I was looking forward to it, I didn't have the excitement one would expect from the first outing on a new (*expensive*) bike. I guess my reservations about the bike and gnawing buyer's remorse had me concerned.

The main reason I shoehorned in a ride tonight is that on Saturday, SDMBA is doing some major trailwork to the $hitz trail, which will wipe out the difficult lower section with the waterbars that is one of the items on my 2008 Goal List. I knew if I didn't ride it tonight, I would literally never be able to cross that goal off my list, because the trail feature I wanted to conquer wouldn't exist.

I bombed out of work as close to 5 as possible, and met up with Sean at the Elephant Bar in RB to carpool over to LPQ. Since daylight was also an issue, we decided to park at the Del Vino trailhead and do an abbreviated ride. The plan was to go right over to the Tunnels, do the regular route there, then down the $hitz, then back up Cobbles and to the car.

The trails were like Grand Central Station. I was amazed at the quantity of riders that were out there, especially for a Tuesday night. We rode right over to the Tunnels, which I still enjoy very much. I was adjusting to the Enduro, and feeling things out. It felt OK, not quite as nimble as the FSR through the tight Tunnel spots, but not a boat either. The Tunnels aren't really a test for a 5"-6" travel bike, so there wasn't much to appreciate there. The climb out was rough though, and I think the extra weight the Enduro carries was a factor. I did it without stopping, but was more tired than my last time through that section on the FSR.

Sean is about 6'2" or so, and was riding his new Stumpy XL, so the Tunnels were a little rough for him. Between his size, the tight spaces, his lack of familiarity with the trail, and being new to clipping in, he didn't have as much fun as he will after a few more times through there.

Sean and I actually split up after the Tunnels, and I headed over to the $hitz for a final attempt at cleaning it. The top was as rutted and nasty as ever, but I stayed to the left and made it through with no real problems, which I had done in the past. As I approached the bottom, I had to negotiate around two guys who had stopped in the middle of the trail, apparently looking for a missing cleat that had fallen out of one of their shoes. I swept to the outside, dropped down the waterbars, and just like that, another 2008 Goal List Item in the books. It was a little anticlimactic.

I think the Enduro played a factor in cleaning it so easily, but more on that in a minute.

From there I climbed back up Cobbles and headed back to the car. The Cobbles climb was a little taxing, and once again I perceived a weight penalty for the Enduro. But I made it to the top without stopping, and was back at the car before Sean even arrived.

While I was waiting, I looked out over the Mesa, which was gated off. There were trees cut down all over the place, and it was a little sad to see that awesome section closed forever. There were still a few bikers who I saw venturing over there, as well as a hiker and his dog. Hopefully the poachers won't cause problems with Pardee or the Rangers that will impact future LPQ trail matters.

I have some real concerns about the Enduro after this ride. It felt heavy, and a little cumbersome. It didn't do a ton for me in the Tunnels, and while it probably did play a role in how easy I cleaned the $hitz, I'd like to think I could have done it on the FSR as well. I may have made a mistake going with an AM-type of bike, especially when climbing is my primary weakness as a rider.

Time will tell if this was the right decision, but at the moment, I'm glad I haven't sold the FSR yet...

Also, I didn't take any pics on this ride. It was a quickie, and with the waning daylight, they probably wouldn't have been any good. I was just too focused on getting a feel for the new ride to stop and take any shots.

Here are the stats:

Total Distance: 6.73 miles
Total Time: 1:02:24
Ascent: 1102feet
Average Speed: 6.5 mph
Top Speed: 20.2 mph
Bike: Specialized Enduro Elite!
Map:
View Larger Map

1 comment:

DougSully said...

Hey James,
LPQ isn't really the place to roll out an AM bike and get a fair shakedown--as you know and found out already. Heck, I roll my HT 29er or my SS there.

Anyway, if you look at the specs on the Specialized site, you will see that the bike isn't equipped with the traditional 22/32 rings up front, but a 24/36--that alone will make climbing seem harder--especially if you think you're in your usual gearing.

If I were you, I'd hang onto the the FSR and ride the Enduro where it's appropriate. Not too many trails in SD require a bike that big. Of course, I roll my Yeti everywhere and just have fun with it.

Don't worry too much about the weight--just get out there and ride it and enjoy it and take advantage of the fact that you have a longer travel rig with slack angles that you can get stupid on ;-)

Time to climb Bernardo Mt on that thing and shred the DH back down!!