Here in Washington State we have a zone with some of the best riding in the world. Nestled between Mount St. Helens, Mt. Adams and Mt. Rainier is a section of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest that includes the Dark Divide. The riding here is epic with mind blowing views, crazy geology and massively long descents.
Some of these rides are point-to-point shuttles. An option is to use Trans Cascadia Excursions for private shuttles or their mountain bike day trips. I've used these folks, they're great.
A shout out to the Cowlitz-Naches Chapter of Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance. This chapter is based in a lightly populated region with a massive amount of world-class trails to maintain. Consider throwing a little love their way or becoming a member.
Here's a selection of rides that are doable as loops so you don't need to deal with complicated vehicle logistics.
There's a LOT of amazing views out here, and many points where you can see all three of the big volcanoes at once. It's nuts out here, such a special place.
This ride is all about the views of the crazy aftermath of the Mount Saint Helens eruption in 1980. Only do this ride on a clear day, the descent would be fun by most standards, but isn't one of the top Gifford descents. If going for Saint Helens views, this ride blows the popular Ape Canyon - Plains of Abraham ride out of the water; literally blown out of the water, keep reading for more about this.
Spirit Lake and Mount Saint Helens from Mount Margaret
You're riding on the pumice ejected in the eruption, there's no water on the trail, and almost no shade. Because of the soft trail surface the ride is more physical than the stats would indicate and it's hot. Bring more food and water than you think you need, take your time to enjoy the amazing views everywhere, and bring your big camera for this one.
Since this ride is all about the views and geology, only do it on a clear day. The first few miles from the Norway Pass trailhead gets busy with hikers, so you're better doing this ride on a weekday. With all of that out of the way, prepare to blow your mind with dramatic views and volcanic eruption geology.
The ride is an out-and-back starting at the Norway Pass trailhead on road FS-26. The roads getting here are mostly paved, but be aware of the unmarked slumps and dips that can absolutely slam your car.
You'll pedal 11 miles with 2100 feet of vert. I'll mention again that you're riding on pumice, so it's quite physical for a ride of this size. Most of the trail can be pedaled, but you'll be pushing the steeper sections. Norway Pass to Mt. Marget rideplan on TrailForks
The dramatic landscape on this ridge was formed by the eruption of Mount Saint Helens in 1980. When the volcano erupted, the north flank of the mountain slid into Spirit Lake in the largest landslide ever recorded. This pushed the water from the lake up onto the ridge you're riding, scouring it clean and sweeping all the trees down into Spirit Lake. These trees are still floating in the lake, which you can see in the first picture in this section.
Climbing toward Mt. Margaret. The area was swept clean of trees and topsoils in the tidal wave created by Mount Saint Helens sliding into Spirit Lake when it erupted.
Volcanic activity and mudflows from Mount St. Helens created Spirit Lake roughly 3,000 years ago. But the 1980 eruption nearly blasted it to extinction. A debris avalanche, triggered by the eruption, slammed into the lake like an enormous tidal wave, sweeping water out of the lake basin northward and up the steep slopes of nearby Mount Margaret. Some water may have spilled over Margaret’s summit—about 800 meters above the lake’s surface. - Science After the Volcano Blew | American Scientist
This is one of the best descents in the Gifford, and this ride has it all. Hike-a-bike, panoramic views, open ridgelines and a ripping descent on moto trail. It's a more technical descent than Strawberry Ridge or Hamilton Buttes, advanced riders and downhillers (who don't mind climbing) will love this one.
The shuttle version of the ride shown above is 9 miles, 3500 feet descending with 1500 feet of climbing. The first section on Sunrise has a bunch of hike-a-bike, as you'd expect in the Gifford. Dark Meadow Trail on TrailForks
The road shuttle is passable as of 2023. There was a washout, but you can get through it just fine. It's a bit steep on gravel once you make the final turnoff up to the trailhead, but I was able to do it in my 2WD minivan with good traction tires.
Add 1.5 miles and 700 ft of rutty hike-a-bike if you opt to push up to Sunrise Peak for the panoramic views. It's a nasty push, but worth it for the views.
Kevin riding Juniper Ridge between Sunrise and Jumbo Peak
The Sunrise - Juniper Ridge - Dark Meadow ride also makes a great loop if you're looking for a longer pedal, don't want to hassle with shuttle logistics or want a great e-bike ride.
The loop option adds on the 6 mile, 2700 foot climb up road NF-2324. This loop, including the Sunrise Peak option, is 16 miles with 3700 feet of vert. Sunrise - Juniper Ridge - Dark Meadow loop ride plan on TrailForks
There's whole variety of ways to ride Goat Mountain, and we'll start with the "classic loop", which I'd call a mini-epic. Big climbs, big views, a big descent, all on singletrack.
Start at the Goat Mountain trailhead near Ryan Lake. Or better yet, camp at the Green River Horse Camp and start there. You get the steeep initial climb (some pushing) done right out of the gate, and then get nice view ridgeline. Stop at Deadman's lake for a water filter refill and a nice swim.
Make your way up to Vanson Peak and enjoy stunning views of three volcanoes. Once you're done with that you get the absolute treat of a fast, buff descent down Vanson Ridge before the gentle (with a few little punches) climb back to where you started.
This version is 20 miles with 3400 feet of vert and plenty of water along the way if you want to bring a filter. Goat Mountain classic loop ride plan on TrailForks
John riding the Goat Mountain ridgeline
The epic version of Goat is to start at the Goat Creek trailhead and come in from the north. This adds 10 miles and 2500 feet of vert to the ride, plus you get to ride behind Cathedral Falls (it dries up mid-summer). Check trail reports before coming from Goat Creek as it can have a lot of blowdown. The Goat Creek Epic route is 28 miles with 6200 feet of vert. Goat Mountain Epic route on TrailForks
A third option is to out-and-back starting and Goat Creek and turning around at the bottom of Vanson Ridge. This route gets you all the best descents and views in the Goat zone. Add on a detour to Deadman's Lake for a swim if you have the time and legs. This route offers up 23 miles with 5500 feet of vert. Goat Creek - Vanson - Deadman's Lake T route on TrailForks
There are two ways to do Hamilton. The first is the view route, shown below, which includes the short out-and-back push up to Hamilton Butte. The views up here are stunning! The descent down Hamilton starts technical off the peak, and then becomes fairly chilled out, but fun, moto trail that has hardly any ruts. This route is 13 miles with 2900 feet of vert. Hamilton Buttes view route on TrailForks
The easier route takes the Hamilton Buttes trail from where it intersects road NF-78. Both the climb and descent going this way are appropriate for fit intermediates. This easier option is 11 miles and 2500 ft of vert, but you miss out on the amazing view up top.
The shuttle road NF-78 is clear to drive as of fall 2023, so the washout that TrailForks shows is out of date. Smooth and easy drive on gravel, any car can make it if you'd like to shuttle.
A note on getting here, DO NOT follow Google maps routing advice. Come in from Randle on road NF-23 to NF-21 on beautifully paved roads. Coming in from Packwood via the other side of NF-21 means an hour of annoying washboards and some really odd route suggestions from the Google overlords.
Soooo Juniper. Let's talk about Juniper Ridge since it's a fairly well known ride. Each end of Juniper can be a riot of fun, but doing the whole thing means sucky pushing through thigh deep moto ruts. Not recommended. Instead, do the Tongue Mountain or Dark Meadow rides to maximize the best descents on Juniper. Juniper Ridge on TrailForks
It's the ride that almost every MTBer can do and that everyone loves. This point-to-point shuttle ride has a long descent, great views, isn't too gnarly, and is just plain fun. The southern portion of Strawberry Ridge is in the Mount Saint Helens blast zone, offering unique geology with amazing views of Saint Helens.
The route for this ride is simple, just drive up road NF-2516, which is fine in most vehicles, and then head north on Strawberry Ridge until you end at road NF-26.
The ride is 9 miles, 800 ft climbing, 3800 ft descending (500 ft of that on dirt road). Strawberry Ridge on TrailForks
Green River Trail from Strawberry to the Green River Horse Camp is another great descent that is worth doing, and puts you right at a great spot to camp. Green River Trail (Upper) on TrailForks
I've also pedaled starting at the Norway Pass trailhead, where Boundary Trail crosses road NF-26. This is a good option if you're looking to make this a bigger point-to-point ride. The views on this version of the route are even more stunning as you start out in the blast zone of Mount Saint Helens. Boundary Trail on TrailForks
This is one of the best descents in the country! I highly recommend the extra effort to push/pedal the 3 miles/1800 ft of vert up to Juniper Peak as shown here. You get great views up top and a truly amazing descent that just goes, and goes, and goes.
You need to be OK with hike-a-bike and technical descending on moto trails. There's some ruts and some blown out chunk, but all in the best way possible. Lower down Tongue Mountain the trail turns into a perfect brown ribbon of singletrack through lush forest. This really is an amazing and long descent, and one of the best in all of Washington.
To do this ride, shuttle up road NF-2904 to the trailhead and turn right to push up Juniper Ridge Trail to Juniper Peak. At the peak turn around and shred back down to the end. The shuttle road is good, most vehicle should make it just fine.
Scott riding on Juniper Peak with Mount Adams in the background
The Tongue Mt. ride with this out-and-back to Juniper Peak is 11 miles, 4250 ft of descending with 1900 feet of climbing. Juniper Peak to Tongue Mountain ride plan on TrailForks
A shorter option is to take Tongue Mountain down. Still a great 5 mile ride with 2500 feet of descending and only a 260 foot climb. Tongue Mountain Trail on TrailForks
This is a ride for someone who is looking for a big day of riding, and as Clinton puts it on TrailForks, a "Proper GP Adventure". That means it's big, lots of hike-a-bike up moto ruts and fun descents. This one does feel like more climbing than descending, so you've been warned.
Lunch at Blue Lake before making the final push (literally) up to Yozoo
The ride is 25 miles and 5500 feet of vert... and it feels like more than that. Yozoo - Hamilton Buttes Epic rideplan on TrailForks
It looks like there's a few fun ways to ride this zone that I haven't tried. One is starting at Hamilton Peak, turning right on to the Hamilton Buttes trail, descend the first part of Yozoo, then looping back via the road to do the full Hamilton Buttes descent.
Another ride that has caught my eye is doing the above, but continue climb the north section of Yozoo, and then descend northwest on Bishop Ridge. This is apparently gnarly moto trail, but it looks like my kind of fun and would be a 5800 ft descent over 15 miles. Hopefully I'll go guinea pig this one next summer.
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Updated October 25, 2022.
We live in one of the best places for year-round riding... if you know how to dress and where to ride. It doesn't rain hard here, but it does rain freakishly often during the wet season, which is half the year.
Contents
Let me start by saying, it's trail building season! Trail work is what I prefer to do when the weather is dismal. The community of trail builders is second to none and you'll find it's one heckuva party in the woods. Jump over to Evergreen, WMBC, NW Trail Alliance or your local trail association and discover the unique joy of throwing dirt in the winter.
Year-round riding is fantastic here, but you need to know how to dress to enjoy it. You'll be balancing being hot and sweaty when climbing, getting damp from rain, and cold wind on descents. Don't try to stay dry, focus on staying comfortable.
You'll want an ear or head covering in your winter kit. If you've got a good amount if hair a thin ear band is the ticket. If you have less natural insulation on top, a thin cycling specific skull cap that you can wear under your helmet is what you want.
Warm, breathable gloves are essential for riding when it's below 40F or raining. I've tried what seems like a million waterproof gloves, and they just don't work. You get wet from sweat, and hands get cold. I've settled on bringing multiple pair of breathable, insulated gloves like the 100% Brisker (but NOT the waterproof Hydromatic version). They breathe well so you don't wet them from the inside, and the palms aren't thick so you keep your bar feel.
When it's cold or wet, bring two pair of gloves. If I'm using insulated gloves I might bring some standard MTB gloves to switch into once I start to sweat. On cool days that aren't frigid I'll bring two pair of standard full finger gloves and switch into a dry pair half way through the ride or before descending. Putting on dry gloves mid-ride is pure bliss!
A next-level trick for keeping hands warm is to ditch the aluminum levers and switch to carbon fiber or plastic. More on that below.
For merely cool rides, I just put an extra thin layer, stash my windbreaker vest in my hip pack and hit the trails. When the weather gets colder, wetter and more variable is when a bit of planning pays off.
I rarely ride in a waterproof "breathable" Gore-Tex style jacket. If I do, it goes in the pack as soon as I'm warmed up and I pull it back out for longer descents. They can't breathe enough for our long, slow climbs, and you'll quickly get soaked in sweat. For most of us, save your money and skip the fancy jacket. The exception is when you're deep in the backcountry and a waterproof jacket is a good emergency tool if things go sideways.
Instead, layer up with a thin base layer with one or two thin layers on top of that. Merino and polyester are the materials to use, more on that below.
Even in light rain I prefer a polyester-merino layer system to a clammy-ass jacket. On longer rides, putting a dry merino shirt on at the summit can keep your comfy. More on the benefits of merino, below.
You will want some protection from the wind. Wind is what makes you cold, much more than temperature alone. But it's a battle finding wind protection that is breathable enough, which is why waterproof jackets don't work well. My go to is an ultra-light and ultra-packable windbreaker vest, which is perfect for the slower tech trails I tend to ride in the wet season. For long, fast descents, such as Olallie or Raging Ridge, a breathable windbreaker jacket is good option to keep your arms warm.
Merino wool is amazingly soft and luxurious. Unlike polyester, it insulates when wet and never feels clammy. It also never stinks. If you haven't tried it, you should, it's like magic. It's downside is it doesn't dry as fast as polyester if you're a heavy sweat machine, but there's a solution to that problem.
I pedal hard and sweat a lot, so my current go-to is an ultra-thin, ultra-fast drying polyester base layer such as Patagonia Capilene with a thin layer of merino wool over that. If you're riding below the ultra-sweaty threshold, just using thin merino layers is fantastic.
Unless I'm really sweating it out in damp conditions I'll use merino as my next to skin layer year-round. Thin layers dry faster, and are easier to modulate as you layer up or strip down when warm.
The other downside to merino is that it's less abrasion resistant. Buy merino that has a nylon core for strength. This material is usually 11% nylon and 89% merino, and lasts three times as long as 100% merino for me (I'm hard on gear). A poly jersey as a cheaper, durable top layer is also good when you plan to be crashing a lot.
Polyester Pros | Polyester Cons |
Cheaper, dries fast, durable |
Cold and clammy when wet unless it's ultra thin, gets the perma-funk |
Merino Pros | Merino Cons |
Warm when wet, doesn't feel clammy, never stinks | Cost, prone to getting holes and snags if 100% wool, dries slower than poly |
If it's cool and dry, I ride in my great fitting Abit Gear shorts that have a DWR (water repellent) finish to shed mist and spray. Underneath I use an ultra thin chamois and knee pads that are comfortable to pedal in.
Lots of riders are wearing MTB pants these days. Yes, we're working on pants designs.
For underwear, I avoid thick chamois pads when I know I'm going to get wet, they hold too much moisture and feel like a gross, wet diaper.
When sloppy and wet, partially waterproof shorts or pants are fantastic. I prefer shorts with a waterproof rear and breathable front like the Endura MT500 Spray. They keep the brown stripe from soaking through, and have some stretch. Fully waterproof shorts and pants are just too clammy and stiff.
Again, wool is your friend. Don't ride in fully synthetic socks. Just don't. Wear slightly thicker wool socks such as the Woolie Boolie. I've found 25 - 50% merino is the perfect balance of warm-when-wet and fast-drying. Make sure your shoes aren't too tight as that will cut off circulation and cause frozen feet.
You'll want some method of keeping your feet dry from splashes, and either waterproof shoes or waterproof socks work well. However, if it's dry and cold, waterproof shoes and socks will make your feet colder than normal shoes since they hold more sweat.
If you clip in there are solid options for warm and/or waterproof shoes like those made by Lake. You can also try shoe covers, both thin waterproof and neoprene are common. Back in the day when I clipped in more I used these, but I tended to destroy them pretty quickly.
One note about clipping in for those who suffer from cold feet: during sub-freezing temps the metal cleat can suck the heat out of your feet, so consider plastic flat pedals or high-end winter clip-in boots.
Five.Ten finally launched their TrailCross GTX waterproof flat pedal shoe! I'm running a pair and they're excellent (I'll be doing a review/comparison soon). The toe boxes are wide and they run roomier than the Five.Ten Freerider Pro, so you may want to size down - definitely try before you buy. I have to run thicker insoles in them to take up room.
Waterproof socks are another great way to go. Look at Sealskinz or Showers Pass socks. You'll need to make sure your shoes are slightly oversized to stuff an extra layer of sock in them.
Just like with brake levers, you can go to (affordable!) composite plastic pedals instead of aluminum, which will help keep your warmer. See below more details.
You'll thank me for this one. Dry your shoes, boots, gloves and knee pads in a couple hours with gentle heat. Throwing this gear in the dryer ruins the silicon grippy bits. Never put on soggy, clammy, gross shoes or pads again!
Boot dryer from DryGuy. I've been using this for 10+ years and love it. Bonus, they're a local Seattle company.
We're all a bit different, so use this as a starting point and play around to find what works best for your body and how you ride. Get it dialed and you'll love winter riding!
We've got some of the best dirt in the world around here, and some of the best trail builders. The glacial till (gold, baby!) we have in abundance makes for excellent winter riding if the trails are well designed. That said, not every trail can handle wet riding. If your favorite trail has lots of clay, you need to stay off until it firms back up. As a rule, if riding leaves a rut, stay off that trail.
Riding frozen trails is good fun. But be aware that damage can happen when frozen trails thaw out and turn to peanut butter. Stay off trails with frost heave until they have several days to settle and firm back up. Frost heave is worse in open areas with no tree cover due to radiant cooling, so keep that in mind when choosing whether to ride during a thaw cycle.
Frost heave in exposed trail. OK to ride when frozen solid, but avoid when it's thawing and mushy.
I'm going to focus on Seattle area rides, since I've built a lot of trails in the area and that's what I know best. But I've done a lot of wet riding in Whistler, Squamish, North Vancouver and beyond, and many of their trails are also excellent wet rides. The key is to identify which trails won't be damaged when ridden wet.
Even when the radar looks like this, the trails at Tokul East drain out fast - rider John Chelico.
Most Seattle area trails are built to handle wet weather riding without damage. Just give them a day to drain and you'll be good to go. But if you don't want to wait, or you hate puddles, ride Tokul East.
Tokul East and Tokul West are the best places to ride when other spots are too wet or snowy. (Rec pass required). With a top elevation of 1000 feet the trails are rarely snowed out. Tokul's soils are gravely and drain well, so there are few puddles and hardly any mud. I helped build a number of the trails there (HLC represent!), and we designed them specifically for wet weather. The flip side to trails that are amazing in the wet is that they get loose and blown out in the summer.
Tokul East takes the nod for the best zone when it's really wet. The trails can handle it, and don't have many puddles even when it's raining. This is your go-to zone when everything else is miserable. But please, if it's super busy respect the neighbors and don't park like an asshole.
Our recommended Tokul East wet weather route on TrailForks.
The best options are listed first.
360 Trails: Drains well and rides great in the rain. Like Tokul, 360 runs better when wet than when dry.
Black Diamond Open Space (BDOS): Another system with good soils and low elevation.
Chuckanut: The trails here are rockier than Galbraith, and can handle riders when the ground it saturated and it's best to travel light on Galbraith. Gotta love your wet roots for this one!
Fort Ebey: Also hiding in the rain shadow on Whidbey Island, an xc system with well draining gravel soils.
Anacortes Community Forest Land (ACFL): Often in the Olympic rain shadow and rocky. Good, punchy xc riding in the winter.
Duthie Hill and Grand Ridge: You'll see some puddles, but pretty darn good and low elevation. Grand Ridge used to suck in the rain, but recent upgrades have made it a good option winter training rides.
Olallie: Good in the wet, but the fun "lower" part is at 1300 to 2600 feet elevation, so often snowed out.
Saint Edward and Big Finn Hill: Decent local spots in wet weather. A notch below Tokul and BDOS, but great options if you live in the area.
Galbraith: Great in light rain, but when it's really been dumping and the soil is saturated, it's best to give the trails a few days to dry out.
Tiger Mountain: I'm only mentioning Tiger because it's so popular. Rain clouds like to hug the summit, so it's often the wettest spot in the region. With the trail head at 1300 feet, snow is often a factor. The trails can handle wet riding, but you're likely to get soaked. Master Link, Inside Passage, EBAD, Silent Swamp (yeah, really), Joyride, NW Timber, Legend, Megafauna and Predator are decent to good in the wet. A nice, short, mid-elevation route that tops out at 2150 feet and is doable some winters is Master Link > Inside Passage > Joyride or EBAD > NW Timber. Even better are hotlaps on Legend > Megafauna and back up Easy Tiger, but that's a short loop if the higher trails are snowed in.
Raging River: Also mentioned just because it's so popular. Good in light rain, not good if it's really wet. Flow trails like Poppin Tops will puddle more than tech trails, and there are segments in clear cuts that will be miserable in the rain, and are subject to freeze-thaw damage. Give it a day or two to drain after heavy rain, and consider Tokul instead.
In general, you don't need to do much differently for winter riding than for riding the rest of the year. My winter setup is identical to what I usually ride, except that I'll sometimes run a faster rolling rear tire from June through September.
You absolutely need a grippy tire with aggressive tread and soft rubber. Not only are roots slick as snot, rubber gets harder and less grippy as the temps drop.
In the rear you want Maxxis MaxTerra rubber compound, Schwalbe Addix Soft, Specialized T7 or equivalent.
In the front the above compounds work, or step your grip up a notch with Maxxis MaxxGrip, Schwalbe Ultra Soft, E.Thirteen MoPo or Specialized T9. Learn your tires, it's the single biggest performance improvement you can make.
You'll want a minimalist front fender, such as the Mucky Nuts. This style fender is durable and unobtrusive, and does a great job minimizing splatter hitting your face. Run these year round, there's not reason not to. No matter what fender your run you'll still get an occasional mud blob flying toward your eyes, so wear eye protection.
Rear fenders are more problematic. Many of us have tried them, and few of us run them. They get in the way when riding low and off the back of your seat, hit your frame in odd ways, and tend to break or fall off. The only rear fender worth considering is the Mudhugger, invented by the Brits who have even soggier weather than we do. Note that it won't work on all bikes.
If you want warmer hands and feet switch your brake levers and pedals from aluminum to plastic or carbon fiber. Aluminum is an effective heat sink, but plastic is an insulator that will keep you comfy. I used to run carbon Code levers, but sadly my new Hayes Dominions are aluminum-only.
Brake levers: higher end SRAM, and most Magura brakes can be retrofitted with carbon fiber levers. Any shop can order them for you for about $120. Shimano annoyingly does't offer replacement parts.
Composite pedals: this one is nice since these pedals are cheaper than aluminum. OneUp, Deity and Kona are all Cascadia brands that have excellent composite pedals that sacrifice almost nothing over their aluminum siblings.
Carbon bars: According to Andrew Major from NSMB.com, carbon bars make a big difference in really cold climates, but are the least important cold weather touch point on the milder side of the Cascades. I personally don't do carbon bars, but I'd run them if I lived somewhere frigid.
Weeknight riding in the PNW is essentially night riding with our short and dark winter days. The only thing different about night riding is getting lit, and you can ride pretty much any trail you usually ride in the winter.
Lights: to get started, pick up a helmet mounted LED bike light with at least 1000 lumens. If you're only running one light, helmet mounted is the way to go. Running only a bar light is problematic when turning your bars on twisty trail.
The better setup is to run both a bar and helmet light, with your helmet being the brighter unit with 2000 lumens. The bar light throws nice shadows, and having a second light is a great idea for backup when one of your batteries dies, and batteries tend to die. You don't want to be stuck out on the trail in the dark.
Gemini Duo light mounted to a PNW Range stem.
The ubiquitous MagicShine is the low budget way to get started. The batteries are low quality, and they overstate their brightness, but they should work for a year or two. Going with one of the established brands will be more reliable and less junk in the landfill. Look at Night Rider, Light and Motion, Gemini, Gloworm and any other known brand for good quality LED lights.
You now know everything you need in order to stay comfortable and enjoy wet, winter riding in the PNW. Winter riding is fantastic here, and mountain biking year round does wonders for keeping you sane when it's dismal and dark outside.
]]>It took way too much time to round up all the pieces to do this, so here's a step by step guide to save you time when sourcing all the pieces and putting it together.
Psst, hey you. Yeah you. Did you know Abit Gear makes MTB shorts? -- check 'em out --
For inspiration and ideas, check out Toolboxwars on Instagram, there's some drool-worthy kits on here from both pro and home mechanics.
What you'll need
* Optional stuff depending on your setup More details, including where to buy all this, below. |
My setup will live 90% of the time with it's top open, on top of my rolling cabinet of bike tools and parts. I went for a bit of a vertical layout to pack more of my everyday tools in the deeper top bin.
Kaizen foam by FastCap is the go-to choice for this. It comes in 20mm, 30mm or 57mm thick. FastCap makes a lot of interesting stuff, and they're local PNW company based in Ferndale, WA. -- FastCap Kaizen foam on Amazon --
I went with 20mm so that I could get by ordering just one sheet and do two layers for my deeper bin, and one layer for the drawers. I'm glad I went with 20mm! It's way easier to sculpt the shapes with two separate layers.
Most of the time I didn't bother with the scoop it out method, I just cut all the way through, sliced off a bottom piece once the cutout was removed, and placed that piece back in as the base of the cut out shape. Fast and easy.
Get yourself a standard snap-off utility knife and extra blades for long cuts. The blades will get dull fast, and it's a messy cut as soon as they lose their edge.
You'll also want a thin Kaizen knife or Exacto knife and extra blades for tight corners and small cuts. Did I mention extra blades? FastCap has a better selection and prices than Amazon. -- utility knives and blades from FastCap --
The FastCap long nose marker is expensive at around $8, but totally worth it for tracing shapes. It's easy to wipe away your marks with alcohol for a clean finish. Available in the original 3mm bold tip or thin 1mm tip. I have the 3mm version and love this thing for marking cuts on anything black such as steer tubes or handlebars that need to be cut down. -- FastCap long nose marker on Amazon --
Kaizen foam is heat moldable, so pipe and fittings are perfect for forming finger holes. I used a copper 90° elbow and T-fitting, since that's what I had on hand, but anything metal of the right shape will work.
A trick for cutting circles and semi-circles for finger holes is to use a sharpened section of copper plumbing pipe. Available at any hardware store, they're easy to sharpen into a cutter. -- copper pipe fittings at Home Depot --
You can file the inside edges of the pipe with a chainsaw file or even cut it down with your Exacto knife, as the soft copper pipe can be shaved down with a steel blade.
There's a couple ways to go here, and they're all weirdly hard to find, so I did the research for you.
The cheap way to go is using florescent tube holders in T5 (14mm), T8 (17mm) and T10 (27mm) sizes. They're light weight, so don't expect them to hold anything even moderately heavy. -- tube holder combo pack on Amazon --
Ebay seller massiveattack007 has the best selection of plastic coated steel clips, including a great combo pack. They're from the UK, so shipping is expensive, and there's no similar I could find shipping from the US. -- terry clips on Ebay --
For quality plastic clips Ziamatic is your only option. They're made for fire trucks, so a bit spendy for plastic bits. The only seller I could find with a good selection is McMaster-Carr, and they've also got quality metal clips. McMaster shipping doesn't show up until you've entered your CC and shipping info, and will be about $10, but the fire supply places were even more. I killed a stupid amount of time looking for these. -- tool clips on McMaster --
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Tread pattern, sidewall, compounds, durometer, size, bead technology. Over 45 variants just for the Minion DHF. Holy crap it's confusing! You better choose a good tire as it's the single most important gear decision you'll make - by a long shot.
Questions about which tire to run? Hit me up in the comments below.
A little bit about us: Abit Gear makes MTB shorts that fit better so you can ride harder
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Here's the fool proof guide to picking the right tires for trail riders in the Pacific Northwest. From Ashland, through Portland, Seattle and the North Shore of Vancouver, up through Whistler and Pemberton, the answers are clear as a face full of November loam. If you're clad in spandex, rockin' team kit, and only care about how fast you climb, then move along, this isn't for you. This is for riders doing big climbs for rowdy descents. Endu Mountain biking!
Most of us aggressive riders run "normal" width tires. The wider plus tires tend to explode when pushed hard, and are better for mellow riders, or as your third bike. Keep it between 2.3" and 2.6", and you'll be all good.
The Maxxis Minion DHF is still, after all these years, a great all-rounder, especially if you gravitate (see what I did there?) toward flow trails, jumps, hardpack, or summer conditions. The newer Maxxis Assagai has overtaken the DHF as the most popular and versatile tire for rowdy trail, enduro and DH riding. The Schwalbe Magic Mary is now available in great options for a superb wet tire. The DHF, Assegai and Mary are all amazing tires, so just pick one and go for it, you can't go wrong.
Still one of the best all-rounders on the market. Shines on hardpack corners (berms), loose junk over hardpack, soft soils, and wet roots. Doesn't brake as well as some others, and not great in the kind of mud that packs up your tires.
Width: Get the 2.5 WT. Maxxis claims they are for 30-35mm inner width rims, though I have friends who like them on the older Stan's Flow EX at 25.5mm.
Rubber Compound: This is critical! I recommend the 3C MaxxTerra compound for most riders. You can run this as either a front or rear tire, and many of us start with it in the front, and then rotate it to the rear when it's partially worn, putting a freshy on the front. It's a great tire in the dry, in the wet, riding pretty much anything, anywhere.
Stepping it up a notch, as a PNW "wet sider" I usually run the softer 3C MaxxGrip rubber up front. You'll get better wet grip on slimy roots, it won't last as long, and you'll find it very slow rolling if rotated to the rear. This is splitting hairs for most riders, so if you're not sure, get the MaxxTerra, especially if you don't ride deadly winter tech with slimy roots.
Sidewall: Run the EXO or EXO+. They're both fairly light, single-ply sidewalls, the EXO+ having a smidge more support. If you're blasting hard enough to need the heavier DoubleDown sidewall or an insert like CushCore, you probably already know everything about tires and aren't reading this anyway. EXO weights: 27.5" - 945 g, 29" - 1005 g. MSRP $93.
Here's your front tire: Maxxis Minion DHF 2.5WT EXO 3C MaxxTerra
The Assegai has become the front tire of choice for aggressive trail riders. Fantastic in loose dirt, predictable, and great in most conditions, but not as solid on hardpack as the DHF, and not the best at clearing goopy mud. It's also a little heavier and rolls slower, though it's not a huge difference on the front.
Width: Get the 2.5 WT, and all width comments about the DHF apply here. If you have 30-35mm (inner width) rims, the 2.6 is also a good choice.
Rubber Compound: Maxxis now has the 3C MaxxGrip in EXO+ rubber. If you ride in the wet and run the Assegai, just get the sticky MaxxGrip.
Sidewall: Run the EXO. It's a moderate weight single-ply sidewall. You can step up to EXO+ for a little more cornering support at the cost of 90 grams. EXO weights: 27.5" - 1000 g, 29" - 1120 g. MSRP $101.
Here's your front tire: Maxxis Assegai 2.5WT EXO+ 3C MaxxGrip
Summer 2022 update: the Mary is now available is SuperTrail Ultra Soft. Yessss! The Magic Mary is an amazing wet-weather and winter trail bike tire that grips into soft dirt but is still versatile enough for all conditions. Schwalbe's Soft and Ultra-Soft compounds are said to stay grippier below 6°C / 43°F than the Maxxis MaxxTerra or MaxxGrip compounds, which is important if you're riding in the cold.
The Magic Mary is amazing in soft conditions, much like the Assegai, but even grippier in the soft stuff and clears mud better. It's a bit slower rolling and a little more squirmy on hardpack corners, so I'll often swap to another tire once our (short) summer season arrives. That said, I've run it year-round with no regrets. This is my favorite wet season front tire.
Width: Get the 2.4. They run fairly true to size.
Rubber Compound: Schwalbe's Addix Soft and Addix Ultra Soft are both excellent compounds. Go for the Ultra Soft for maximum wet condition performance.
Sidewall: Get the Super Trail. It's slightly heavier and more supportive than Maxxis' EXO+, and the Schwalbe Super Gravity is a bit stiffer than Maxxis' Double Down. I'm a big fan of the Super Trail for trail bike riding, and find their Super Gravity a bit stiff up front for slower, winter tech riding. 2.4 Super Trail, Ultra Soft weights: 27.5" - 1100 g, 29" - 1150 g. MSRP $104.
Here's your front tire: Schwalbe Magic Mary 2.4, Super Trail, Addix Ultra Soft
e.thirteen All Terrain Trail in MoPo rubber: MoPo is an amazingly grippy rubber with sidewalls that feel amazing, while not being overly heavy. They have two limitations: the lugs aren't very tall, so not a top performer in deep, sloppy dirt. It's also a fairly square tire, so only run them on rims 30mm (inner width) or less. That said, this could be the best tire available for slick rock faces and my top choice in places like Squamish, Whistler and the North Shore of Vancouver. 2.4" Trail MoPo wights: 27.5" - 960 g, 29" 1015 g. MSRP $72. Here's your front tire: e.thirteen All Terrain TRSr 2.4" MoPo
In sticky mud the Magic Mary is best, followed by the Assegai and lastly the Minion DHF.
In the world of rear tires you need to consider rolling resistance as well as all-out grip.
A lot of riders will run a partially worn DHF MaxxTerra in the rear. It doesn't brake as well as a DHRii or roll as fast an as Aggressor, but it's a good rear tire, and I've got no complaints when I run them, winter or summer.
Don't be tempted by an ultra fast rolling, long-lasting (hard rubber) rear tire for wet weather riding. It'll suck, and you'll hate winter riding. Get the sticky rubber or don't bother venturing out.
The DHRii is far and away the most popular and versatile rear tire for rowdy riding. This includes everything from trail through DH racing in anything other than totally dry conditions. It rolls admirably fast, brakes and corners well, and has great traction on wet roots and rocks (if you get the right rubber compound). There's some BS out on the web that the DHF rolls faster, but these pundits haven't actually tried them back-to-back. The DHRii has shorter center knobs and rolls ever so slightly faster than a DHF.
Width: Get the 2.4 WT. On narrower rims, 28mm or less, the 2.35 is a good option, but the side knobs aren't as robust.
Rubber Compound: You want the MaxxTerra. It's got great grip in the wet, and lasts reasonably long. If you're tempted by the faster rolling Dual compound for dry riding, you should probably get an Aggressor. The DHR also makes a great front tire.
Sidewall: As as with the DHF, get the EXO or EXO+ unless you know what you're looking for and need the heavier Double Down casing. EXO weights: 27.5" - 900 g, 29" - 955 g. MSRP $93.
Here's your rear tire: Maxxis Minion DHRii 2.4WT EXO 3C MaxxTerra
The Agressor has tighter knob spacing and a harder rubber than the DHRii. It rolls faster, lasts longer, and is a great tire in the dry months. In the summer I find it gives up little to the DHRii. In the winter, it's not near as grippy. I'll happily run the DHRii year round, but not the Aggressor.
Width: Get the 2.5 WT. If you're on a rim less than 28mm inner width, then the 2.35 is the better option.
Rubber Compound: It only comes in the hard Dual Compound, which is why it's a dry season tire. This is a long-lasting tire.
Sidewall: As as with the other Maxxis tires, get the EXO, unless you know you need the Double Down. EXO weights: 27.5" - 915 g, 29" - 980 g. MSRP $82.
Here's your rear tire: Maxxis Aggressor 2.5WT EXO
You want enough pressure that you don't immediately flat spot (aluminum) or crack (carbon) your rear rim, but as low as you can go without the tires getting squirmy.
For front, start in the 21 - 25 psi range, depending on rider weight and terrain. I have to push the upper end of this on my old backup rims that are only 23mm (inner width), and run higher pressures in the summer than I do in winter. Schwalbe Snakeskin casings are fairly light, so I run 2 psi more in them than other tires for better support.
In the rear start in the 25 - 30 psi range. I run 25 - 28 psi, but on certain gnarly, rocky trails there's no way I'm in the low end of that or I'll crack (another) carbon rim.
A warning: pressure gauges are notoriously inaccurate, so these numbers are just a starting point. Find your ideal pressure through trial and error, and always use the same gauge.
There are a lot of variables here. Rocky terrain? Go higher pressure. Heavier rider? Go higher pressure. Narrower rims? Go higher pressure. Wet roots? Go lower pressure. Smashing berms? Go higher pressure. Wider tires? Go lower pressure. Sessioning bigger jumps like at Duthie Hill? Go higher pressure (30 psi f/r). Sandy trails? Go lower pressure.
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A quick interlude: We make MTB shorts that fit better so you can ride harder
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I've been using Squirt wax lube for a number of years, and absolutely love how clean and effective it is compared to oil-based lubes. If Squirt works so well, I need to find out if hot wax is even better. Plus, I'm stuck indoors bored out of my mind this weekend.
The downside of hot wax is the setup time and fuss. But I already love drip-on wax, and I should really do all this prep even for that, it only really works if you fully degrease your new chain.
I'm using food-grade paraffin from the hardware store and a cheapo slow cooker off of Amazon. Nothing fancy, no PTFE (Teflon), my goal isn't maximum efficiency, it's just long-lasting lube that doesn't make a mess and keeps my drivetrain running.
Here's the TLDR summary: It works great in the dry, doesn't last at all in the wet, but I'll still do it on new chains.
Detailed impressions: Hot wax lasts a long time in the dry, but one good sloppy ride and it's done. I get 2 rides out of plain old Squirt wax lube, so that's pretty crap results for hot wax if it's wet.
I've got 500+ road and trainer miles on my Norco Search "gravel" bike, and it's going strong. A few damp rides, but with fenders so the chain hasn't been doused.
Hot wax does a great job of helping your chain avoid rust here during wet Seattle riding, which is everything but summer. It also works really, really well as a base for Squirt or other wax drop-on lubes.
To effectively use any wax lube, drip-on or hot, you need to clean all the factory oil off the chain, which is the hardest part about hot wax. So my plan going forward will be to clean and hot wax any new chains, and then when they start to squeak, start using my stand-by of Squirt.
I've now ridden hot wax on the MTB in the summer, and it's works great! Doesn't collect dust or grit, and runs really quiet.
I'm never going back to oil lubes. Too messy, attracts too much grit, and Squirt (or whatever brand) is better at everything. The only question for me is whether I re-apply hot wax on the MTB, or just do it on new chains.
The road whip finally started squeaking after 900 combined miles of hilly road riding (650 miles) and soul-crushingly boring trainer sessions (250 miles). That included some rides on damp roads, but with a good fender setup the chain stayed pretty dry. That's impressive!
I recently put a new chain and X01 Eagle derailleur on the mountain bike, and had trouble getting the shifting dialed in with the new chain. It turns out the freshly waxed chain was too laterally stiff, and it acted like the indexing was off. I was pulling my hair out trying to figure it out!
After a 5 minute spin through the neighborhood it started shifting perfectly. Pedal around for a few minutes with a newly waxed chain before fine-tuning your shifting.
I'm 100% sold on hot wax for the dry, but won't bother to reapply hot wax in the wet - I'll just stick with Squirt drip-on wax until the rains stop.
]]>A quick plug: Check out our Slim Fit and Athletic Fit Mountain Bike Shorts. We're proudly based in Seattle and spend our free time riding and building trails in the hills of Washington.
Here's a map and list of Cascadia-based mountain bike and component companies, or those employing people here. Let me know if a company should be added.
B.C. MTB companies
Washington MTB companies
Oregon MTB companies
Idaho MTB companies
My personal ride is a 2019 Transition Patrol. I use it on everything from sufferfests to DH laps (usually a combo of the two). A second wheelset allows this to be a one-bike quiver. I'm shooting to make this build as local as possible, without any compromises.
The biggest thing lacking here is a wheelset from local companies, and we've got the best of the best in our corner of the world. Eventually, as my "I'm building up a small business" budget allows, I'd like to add the drool-worthy We Are One carbon rims with Project 321 hubs. I'll probably pull the trigger once I'm on a 29er.
Dropper: PNW Components Bachelor with Loam Lever. Super smooth, the lever is a massive upgrade over the Reverb plunger, and you can get up to 200mm drop that fits easily in my XL frame with room to spare. They're killing the dropper game, super nice stuff at a great price. Install was easy, too.
Stem: Also from PNW, the Range Stem. A stem is a stem is a stem, but this has a GoPro mount for my light, which is clean and holds my light more securely than the stock rubber band bar mount. The mount will come off in summer when night riding isn't on the menu.
PNW Components Bachelor Dropper, Loam Lever and Range Stem set up for night riding.
Fork Manitou Mezzer 170 | Shock RockShock Super Deluxe with MegNeg and SmackStack valving from The Shock Howse |
Drivetrain SRAM Eagle. GX with their awesomely durable XO1 cassette |
Brakes Hayes Dominion A4 |
Cranks Canfield AM/DH cranks | Pedals OneUp Composite |
Bash/Guide OneUp Underbash | Grips Ergon GA2 |
Handlebar SQ Labs 30X 12° sweep | Stem PNW Components Range with GoPro mount for light |
Pump OneUp EDC | Tools OneUp EDC in the steer tube with chain pliers and tire plug add-ons |
Dropper Post PNW Components 200 mm Loam dropper & lever | Saddle Fabric Line S Elite Flat |
Rear Tire It varies, usually DHRii or Aggressor | Front Tire The right tool for the particular job: usually DHF MaxxTerra summer, Magic Mary Ultra-Soft winter |
Everyday Wheelset Newmen Fade SL.A 30. Quiet hubs! | DH Wheelset WTB i29 rims laced to old Hadley hubs + Cush Core inserts |
Parts from Cascadia companies are in blue. Let's see how dank, mossy and pure PNW I can make this bike!
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I ran the Dissector as a rear in 27.5 2.4WT 3C MaxxTerra EXO trim, usually at 25-26 psi on 32mm wide (inner) rims, with an EXO+ Assegai up front. It looked like it ticked all the boxes for a fast(ish) rolling tire that would perform well on wet roots due to the grippy 3C MaxxTerra Rubber.
My go to rear tires have been a DHRii 2.4WT EXO MaxxTerra in the wet months (sometimes year-round), and the fast-rolling, long-lasting Aggressor 2.4WT EXO with Maxxis' firmer Dual Compound rubber, which isn't great on wet rock slabs or slimy roots. My hope for the Dissector was something that rolled faster than the DHRii, but retained traction on greasy roots.
The Dissector felt really good the first week I ran it in loamy Seattle winter conditions. Most of the trails were the well-known (but off the radar) tech trails in the Seattle area, and a few in-progress trails such as Lower Physical Therapy that I was helping build at the time.
The tire rolled faster than the DHRii, and gripped wet roots better than the Aggressor. Perfect, right? Yeah... for about two weeks.
Then I did some rides with off-camber rock slabs. The thin sides knobs gave up and ran away screaming, and the tire felt squirmy and unpredictable.
2 to 3 weeks later, the tire started to scare me on corners when pushed hard, and I was losing confidence in tricky conditions. I took a look and the side knobs were undercut and tearing. Just 3 weeks later, really?
Admittedly, I'm hard on side knobs, it's how all my tires die. The sides get undercut and torn while the centers look reasonably fresh, relegating the tire to the trash bin. But I usually get 3 months of trail riding out of a DHRii with the same MaxxTerra rubber.
Bottom line, the Dissector's side knobs are not well supported, and this tire is not recommended for any heavier or mid-weight aggressive rider. It may, however, be a great year-round tire for kids and light riders who aren't hard on side knobs and want some wet root traction combined with efficient pedaling. Just taking a stab here, but I'd say the Dissector has a 140 lb weight limit.
The Dissectors don't work for me, so I'm sticking with DHRii's as my do-all tire, and the Aggressor as my fast-and-dry tire.
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