“You call yourself a surgeon?!?” Doctor Gulmanukas exclaimed at me upon viewing my dissection of our cadaver’s inner ear. Myself and my other classmates in my freshman gross anatomy course did not call each other much of anything. Maybe just “stinky” as we reeked of formaldehyde for the entire nine-week class duration. The dissection looked like a small bit of angel hair pasta at best floating in a pool of formaldehyde. The pairing with Lance crackers from the lobby vending machine was irresistible. Delicious! There was nothing in the pile of “pasta” that resembled the cochlear nerve, malleus, stapes or other inner ear landmarks I was tasked with identification a. As sheepish as I felt, Doctor G harangued everyone, so I was not alone.
Nevertheless, I resolved to get through it. It, gross anatomy, actually became fun and a incredible learning experience. I learned the details, I learned all of the minutiae we had to answer on our 3-4x week quiz schedule and our quarterly segment exams/identifications, my eye/hand coordination became precise and I eventually “got it”. I was not “old” then, but I was learning something almost* completely foreign. Completely “new tricks”. Yes, I did become a surgeon.
*I had spent two and a half years working as a burn tech/nursing care partner at a level one trauma center. As such, I was already well acquainted with blood, guts and all the craziness that goes with it.
Theme music for this episode: Atom Driver
If you made it this far you are now wondering what dafuq this has to do with mountain bikes? I was riding mountain bikes back then and really got deep into it during my time in RVA thirty plus years ago, but that’s not it. Keep reading; we’ll get there, but there will be detours for truck stop snacks.
Once again, my riding style was never deft. More smash than slice as noted in Episode 1. However, as I had matriculated into the world of being a surgeon despite butchering that ear and being embarrassed by Dr G’s admonitions, I felt I could become less of a galoot on my rides.
I decided to learn and do some new shiz during the plague like every other goofball in N America. I embraced flat pedals after decades of being clipped in. This was a revelation worthy of a piece on its own but suffice it to say that is the only way I am riding now. I also began learning to dirt jump or just jump properly. In case you forgot, I did not grow up BMX riding nor did I ride motorcycles. I had no real technique and certainly no consistency, but I was inundated with everyone and their cousin giving me pointers and a zillion YouTube videos on the subject.
There are people that can do the thing and people that can teach the thing, the latter being much rarer. Cycling is no different and, in my search, I came across Rich Drew and The Ride Series. Rich was a corporate trainer and then set about developing a training method for mountain biking skills. His videos and direction clicked with me. He comes off kind of “bro-y”, but the guy can ride and has a simple approach to teaching you every skill you would ever want to know for mountain biking. It is his jump training however, that attracts the most interest. I soaked up his jump skills videos, watching this one many times. I knew I needed to go to the source as before with my freeriding interests. Rich is based out of Bentonville, AK and as much I have been dying to go there no quick nor easy way exists to get there. Fortunately, The Ride Series does group clinics around the country, and I signed up for a two-day course in Florida.
The course was incredible and made me view my riding in an entirely different light. Yes, I learned to jump safely and consistently, but it was Rich’s statement “Don’t add any drama” that really hit home. Ride light without adding any unnecessary movements into your efforts. Use as little of your bike’s suspension as needed. Rich was riding an XC/trail bike for the course which he said he has come to favor for its precision even in hectic terrain that most would be inclined to ride bigger travel bikes (me raising my hand in the back). Once again, upon returning home I felt I was due for a change. I wanted to trade my falchion for perhaps not a surgical blade, but more of a katana. More rally car than trophy truck. I did not think I was ready to go full on XC/down country or whatever the trendy buzz word was, but I wanted something that was more slice than slam. The frame I sold was a popular 155mm travel bike employing a Horst-link/FSR suspension design. More on that and other suspension zaniness forthcoming.
In the following episodes I will dive deep into murky waters of mountain bike suspension. It will be a pool chockful of lots of nasty suspension information from my bespectacled viewpoint. I will endeavor to keep things simple, informative and mostly on track. I well go on some side quests regarding bang for buck, hacks, shopping and reviews. It may be chaotic at times, but that is the way I like to roll. We’ll eventually make the stops on this bus ride. I welcome discussion and will respond to all inquiries.