SOS! My girl's ride broke and I'm stranded with no ride from antelope wells! I'll be pushing on into the night hoping to finish around 9am. if anyone can help call me and leave a voice mail! (Six31three38eight814) I can pay for a ride to!
I'm looking to get back to silver city.

Thanks in advance!
-Patrick dowd

Just a note alkaline batteries work better and last longer in the etrex.
I'm salivating at the thought of getting my teeth in that gpx file haha.

I am very anxious to start building my master GPX! I cannot wait for those maps! Thanks for the hardwork on those Scott and Matt!

Mike, I'm stoked you're doing TD! It will be cool to meet you!
I'm looking into my dynamo setup and I'm thinking a SP PL-8x (if it ever comes back in stock, or PD-8x with 6 bolt to Centerlock adapter), a Revo Exposure, and a Plug 3. I too want a switch and think that stem mounted switch is cool! Did you print it yourself? I don't know where a 3D printer is I can use! (50USD + shipping is a lot for a piece of plastic on the kLite site). Is it hard wiring together the switch, charger, light setup? For someone who works with his hands on electronics all day I am sort of intimidated by dynamos!

I have Avid Elixir 5's on my trail bike.  Your mileage may vary, but in my experience, these brakes need to be bled every few hundred miles.  Avid BB7's (mechanical) on my Fargo.  No issues so far.

BB7s look dope, but I've heard that Shimano is king of disc brakes on MTBs. After seeing how to bleed them I already am happy with my choice (it's SLX series).

Been talked about before, but here it is again.
Hydraulic or mechanical? I am more familiar with mechanical, but from what I understand hydraulic is nearly set and forget (I also am new to disc brakes in general, UNDERBIKE FOREVER!)

My frame has no front derailleur option, so it's only one by ten.  I did the tnca on road gearing and just walked when I had to. I think eventually this bike will hey rohloff treatment but for touring not racing. Also I pack hella light.

Thanks Nick! I've got Ritchey WCS coming for the cockpit. I've never used it, but it seems quality, and used it is so cheap!

I got Blunt 35s to SLX (gross) but I got them used for cheap (230 for a set? Dealio.) But you're right, those carbon hoops will be worth it. I might have a "racing set" (Ibis 941s, not sure if I want to try the Ibis hub or build custom with Hopes/King) and a "beater set", the Blunts to SLX, but we'll see. I also won't race 3" tires.

I will take your advice on the brakes for sure. Any advice on rotors? Disc brakes are a whole new beast to me. Also Shimano 1x10 decided with 34 tooth ovalized ring, because why not?

I use a palmy after using one in Pittsburgh while on tour (my host lent me it) weighs nothing and looks like a real lock (professional bike thieves know, but it's a short term deterrent).

Ok, whose on the sanctioning committee? I've got jars of piss and they need to be shipped somewhere pronto!

I don't think you have ridden the TNCA, it is a lot of rugged double track and a hefty amount of single track. Sure there are fire roads and paved roads to connect things, but there is a lot, plus a lot of room for bonus material.

Couloirman, you should also look into doing the TNCA route, maybe start in Camptonville to avoid the snow.
http://transnorthcalifornia.blogspot.com/
There's great single track right before Camptonville, so you can maybe find a BnB or camp out near town, hit the single track for a day, spend another night in Camptonville then do Lake Oroville single track around the lake to Oroville, where again you can probably set up camp outside of or something. Take two days to conquer Goat Mountain (there's a nice campground near the top, but be bear aware!) then drop down to Ukiah, camp along Lake Mendocino then do the fun stuff in the coastal mountains to lovely Mendocino (great tourist town).

Orrrrr you can just do stuff around the Bay, Marin has a ton of stuff, the East Bay has a fair amount of scenic fire road (Diablo+Black Diamonds being the highlights) and then the Peninsula has some scenic stuff, but a lot of road riding to connect it. Then there is near San Jose Henry Coe which you can string together for a few days. So you've got options, enjoy it.

Figured I'd throw it out there I'm going to be building a 29+ rig real soon and am looking for some build parts, figuring maybe someone has this stuff laying around in a garage I could pick it up.

Seatpost: Ritchey WCS Alloy or Thomson Alloy 31.6 clamp (would consider any other 7000 series AL)
Bars: Ritchey WCS Alloy or Thomson Alloy flat bars (or any other flat 7000 series AL; such as Salsa)
Salsa Seat Collar 35mm
Whiskey No. 9 fork
Maybe some Hope Hubs? (not dire just got some Blunt 35s laced to SLX hubs, but before any bikepacking race I need to replace these hubs; TA compatible)
Ice Tech Rotors
Newer Shimano XT brakes
10 speed deore or better Rear Mech and/or unused cassette
Unmounted Cane Creek or Chris King headset (maybe consider Ritchey) for tapered 44/56.

Touring? Flats.
Racing? Clipless.

Why? Well I am always looking for other sort of adventures when touring, hike up to the tippy top of that mountain? Would rather NOT do that with ice skates on. But then when I'm racing I'm focusing on staying on the bike and over the long haul clipless helps minimize fatigue (DOES NOT INCREASE POWER OUTPUT! SQUASH THE PULL UP MYTH!)

Hey all I'm looking to do 5 to 7 days this January in cali. I'm thinking around Santa Cruz.

Sc seems like a lot of making it up as I go along. Anyone got routes?

We all doing it, figuring out which bits and bobs work. So ill give my thoughts then throw it out for some discussion.

I will be getting a carver gnarvester soon and need to build it. I already know I want the whiskey carbon no 9 for the ta and 3" tire clearance but after that its all just thoughts.

Drivetrain
The gnarvester unfortunately cannot take a front derailleur, so it is 1x for me. I've exclusively ridden shimano in the past and have been pleased so I'm leaning towards xt or even straight deore (deore had been great to me) but the idea of srams 1x11 is intriguing. I'd definitely opt for the x01 as I am cheap, I also like the idea of direct mount chainrings on the gxp bb, but price and reliability have me leaning shimano. Sram also has an edge as the 10 speed mountain and road are compatible if I want to go dirt drop.

Brakes
I'm really eyeing the new xt hydros. Heard good things for around a 200 price tag, not bad. Willing to hear other thoughts.

Wheels
Here's where it gets tricky. I need at least 35mm for 3" rubber, but I also want to be weight conscience since this will be my ultra racing rig too (no rabbit holes as I'll want to shrink size for racing). For money's sake I'm thinking blunt 35s on hope hubs, but those ibis 41mm carbon rims seem perfect and are so inviting.  I may just build the 35s for play now and save my nickels for the ibis set for tour Divide.

Headset.
I like the modularity of the cane creek angleset anyone use this? How is it?

Cockpit
since the bike is ti I feel I can get away cheap with ritchey wcs alloy and thomson alloy.

Rubber
Chronicles look nice but over built for the bay area where I ride. Vee rubber trax look fun. I don't like the knards "not tubeless" thing.

Seat
This vegan will probably spring for a brooks c15.

So what are your thoughts? I'm so excited to build this but not excited at clearing out my savings!

I'm going through this right now.  I do like the idea of ti for its longevity (especially after billy rices trans am run was cut short)
But then again I'm focusing on as fast as possible and all signs point to carbon for that, plus used carbon is everywhere and affordable. I feel that no matter what I do I'll choose wrong.

Hey ya'll I'm in. Still no MTB yet, working on it, but hey, maybe a better geared dirt drop Cross Check?
No no no no no no, let's not do that again haha

This route was AWESOME!
I cannot wait to get back with a mountain bike, I should be able to shave off a buttload of time with a smarter bike.

http://transnorthcalifornia.blogspot.com

I didn't see a thread. All my friends are doing it. I have a SS MTB I hope to build by then. Might happen, might not.