I recently upgraded to a ‘new to me’ Banshee Spitfire V2 mountain bike, and I must say that this is one of the best bikes I've ever ridden. Banshee is a Canadian company focused on making bikes that ride well above all else. They claim to make real bikes for real riders. So I thought I would give you a look at this amazing bike. 27.5” wheels, 10 speed drivetrain, Aluminum frame and a whole lot of fun. 2.6” wide Schwalbe Magic Mary in the front and 2.4” wide Continental Trail King in the rear, a great tire combo. Magura MT Trail Sport brakes, a beautiful piece of German engineering. Front fork: Fox 34 Float 27.5 160mm of travel. Rear shock: Cane Creek DB Air Inline 140mm of travel. E*thirteen Vario Infinite dropper seat post and Chromag Trailmaster DT saddle. Kona Wah-Wah 2 pedals, my new favorites. They are massive and stick to your shoes like nothing else.
And there it is, my new mountain bike and all of my favorite parts. I hope to get it out more soon and have some epic rides.
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There are many amazing places in this world and almost as many places to mountain bike, but for me there are a handful of locales that stand out above the rest. This is not a comprehensive list of the best mountain bike spots in the world, just simply places I’ve always wanted to ride. So let’s get started. Retallack Lodge, British Columbia Retallack Lodge started as a backcountry, heli- and cat-skiing lodge in the Kootenays of B.C., but now acts as a mountain bike destination in the summer. They offer shuttle and heli trips, and the trails are absolutely incredible. From machine built flow trails to high alpine descents, they offer it all in a remote backcountry setting in the legendary Selkirk mountains. https://www.retallack.com/mountain-biking/ Crested Butte, Colorado Crested Butte is well known in the mountain biking community as an awesome place to ride. The town is almost completely surrounded by trails upon trails. If you’re like me and you like big mountains and long rides, Crested Butte is the place to go. The altitude here is pretty crazy, so be warned that your legs and lungs might hurt. https://crestedbuttemountainbike.com/ Scottish Highlands This isn’t exactly a specific location, but the riding anywhere in the Highlands looks pretty rad. Plus I just think that the Highlands is a raw, ancient and rugged landscape that is incredibly beautiful and stirring. Graubunden, Switzerland You could spend a lifetime riding in Switzerland and not see everything, so I needed to narrow it down. Graubünden has every style of riding that you could want, from brutal climbs to lift accessed downhills. No other alpine region in Europe has as many trails as Graubünden. And it’s Switzerland, which means stunning views in every direction. https://www.graubuenden.ch/en/activities/summer/mountain-biking Also check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dr-wLhP_HpM Whistler and Squamish, British Columbia Squamish riding is gnarly as heck and Whistler is THE world mecca of mountain biking. You will be hard pressed to find better trails anywhere else in the world. That being said, there is plenty of amazing riding out there, especially in places that I have not included on this list.
Squamish: https://www.exploresquamish.com/news/mountain-biking-101-top-squamish-trails-and-more#:~:text=Squamish%20is%20a%20mountain%20town,and%20slabs%20may%20seem%20daunting. Whistler Bike Park: https://www.whistlerblackcomb.com/explore-the-resort/activities-and-events/whistler-mountain-bike-park/whistler-mountain-bike-park.aspx You’ve seen the videos, heard friends talk about it, and you’re thinking: “Maybe I should try mountain biking?” But there’s that little voice of doubt that says “Really? You really want to ride a bicycle up a down a mountain? Can you even do that?” Well, I’m here to tell you that you can, you are capable and I’ve written a list of 5 reasons why you should try it this year. #1. It’s Ridiculously Fun If nothing else mountain biking is insanely fun. Even if you never hit giant jumps or rip your way through roots and rocks, the simple joy of riding a bicycle on a dirt trail is sublime. Of course as you become better and ride harder trails, the more awesome it becomes. #2. You’ll Become The Best Version of Yourself Do you see this guy at the top of a mountain? Yeah, you can bet that he pedaled up there himself. You’ll want to ride as often as you can and go farther, so you’ll set goals and train hard. Heck, you’ll even become fit just by riding to have fun. #3. You’ll Meet Rad People Mountain Bikers are cool people. Period. There’s some out there who are lame and kind of rude, but generally mountain bikers are awesome people just trying to have fun. And now you have some friends to going riding with! #4. Mountain Bikers Travel to Breathtaking Places Did you know Whistler has a bike park? Colorado and Utah are amazing places to ride and there’s some awesome trails in the Canadian Rockies. But what about outside North America? Scotland, Switzerland, Peru and New Zealand are just some of the few places that pretty much every mountain biker dreams about. You’ll go places most people have never heard of and see things 99% of the population will only see in your pictures. How rad is that? #5. You Will Have a Pretty Awesome Life Take all of the reasons I just talked about and mash them together. That is what’s waiting for you on a mountain bike. In one word it is Freedom. Pure, simple, bright and living Freedom. Freedom to explore, to dream, to live.
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AuthorCole S. Archives
July 2022
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