reverb

The long awaited, fully hydraulic seatpost dropper made by the fine folks over at Rock Shox has finally landed at the Red Barn. Looking forward to trying one out and giving you folks a report. The Reverb comes in 30.9 and 31.6 diameters and 380 or 420mm lengths and comes with a right handed remote lever. Price is $275.00

slightly used RFX

Rob's Turner RFX hasn't been recieving the attention that it properly deserves so he's asked us to help sell it. Send me an email at chad@redbarnbicycles.com if interested or would like to see a few more photos of it (i've got lots). Price is $3200

2008 Turner RFX with Fox RP23

Fox Talas RC2

King headset and wheels

Magura Louise Bat

Gravity Dropper

Sram X9 shift/derailleurs

Shimano SLX crankset

thomson X4 stem

Chromag OSX handlebar

pretty cool news...Missoula gets Pro XCT July 24th

2011 Pro XCT comprised of seven of the nation's top MTB racesColorado Springs, Colo. (Sept. 22, 2010)—USA Cycling announced today the 2011 edition of the USA Cycling Pro Mountain Bike Cross Country Tour (Pro XCT). With seven total events in 2011, the Pro XCT calendar will provide world-class athletes with a national stage on which to accumulate UCI ranking points and top prize purses.“The 2011 Pro XCT will expand slightly over the 2010 version, offering one of the best calendars of quality UCI mountain bike races we’ve had in many years,” stated USA Cycling CEO Steve Johnson. “We are committed to our long-stated goals of providing athletes with consistent top-level competition opportunities, increasing exposure for mountain biking domestically, and maximizing U.S. start spots at the sport’s highest stages; and the Pro XCT national calendar provides a sustainable platform to help accomplish these goals.”The 2011 Pro XCT will kick-off with a pair of US Cup Triple Crown races in California. One of two new additions to the calendar, the US Cup Triple Crown – Bonelli Park in San Dimas, Calif. will mark the unofficial start of the mountain biking season on March 12. For its second stop, the Pro XCT will move slightly south as the US Cup Triple Crown - Fontana City National continues the calendar March 26 in Fontana, Calif. Fontana has been a part of the Pro XCT since its inception and, along with the Bonelli event, is organized by US Cup/Team Big Bear.Following Fontana, the renowned Sea Otter Classic joins the ranks of the Pro XCT for the second consecutive year. Sea Otter’s elite/pro men’s and women’s mountain bike races on April 16 will once again operate at the UCI C1 level, offering maximum ranking points to top riders.The Pro XCT will next move south to Lance Armstrong’s renowned ranch in Dripping Springs, Texas as the Mellow Johnny’s Classic plays host to the series’ fourth stop. The Mellow Johnny’s Classic is set to take place on April 30; a bit earlier in the year to avoid the extreme heat suffered at last year’s event.The nation’s top pros will then head north to contest the Sand Creek International, a category-two event for 2011, in Colorado Springs, Colo. Set in the picturesque foothills of Pikes Peak, the Sand Creek course is sure to play a deciding role in the overall Pro XCT outcome.The Subaru Cup in Mt. Morris, Wis. on June 25 looks to be one of the calendar’s most exciting race experiences. Part of the well-established Wisconsin Off-Road Series (WORS), the Subaru Cup is traditionally crawling with thousands of enthusiastic fans.New to the Pro XCT, the Missoula Montana XC will mark the final contest on the season’s Pro XCT. Set for July 24, the category-one race should offer another dynamic atmosphere with a course in close proximity of downtown Missoula.The UCI points up for grabs at each Pro XCT event are crucial in helping the United States qualify mountain biking start spots for the 2012 Olympic Games in London, as well as determining the start order at the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships. The men’s and women’s overall Pro XCT champions will also automatically qualify a spot on the U.S. squad for the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships.In addition to providing a sequence of international-caliber events where elite cross country racers can earn UCI points, the USA Cycling Pro XCT will spotlight top American races and recognize the best cross country teams and athletes competing on U.S. soil. In order for teams to earn points toward the overall Pro XCT team title, they must be registered as a UCI Trade Team or as a USA Cycling Mountain Bike Domestic Pro Team. The Pro XCT will rank the top male and female riders in the overall standings, provide leaders’ number plates, Pro XCT medals, and a guaranteed cash purse for each race.

2011 USA Cycling Pro Cross Country Mountain Bike Tour:March 12: US Cup Triple Crown Bonelli Park – San Dimas, Calif.March 26: US Cup Triple Crown Fontana City National – Fontana, Calif.April 16: Sea Otter Classic – Monterey, Calif.April 30: Mellow Johnny’s Classic – Dripping Springs, TexasJune 18: Sand Creek Intl. – Colorado Springs, Colo.June 25: Subaru Cup – Mt. Morris, Wisc.July 24: Missoula, Montana XC – Missoula, Mt.

last rides of the week

   Time flew by as typical when you're short on time and having a damn good time. The week hanging out and riding mtb's with my wife went by too quickly and as always we feel greatful to have fantastic parents that allow us to still get out like we were kids before having kids.  Thanks to the beautiful state of Oregon for the good times and the great trails, we just scratched the surface as to the potential of what this state offers a cyclist....our last two rides of the week were at Waldo Lake and then the North Umpqua Trail, both trails were in close proximity to the Oakridge area so travel between them was light. Here's what we got into:

TIP from your good pal Chaybo

 Any river trail ride that you happen to ride in central Oregon just make sure that you scrub with this stuff afterwards in cool / cold water. Poison Oak sucks.

oakridge OR

Our rides number 5 and 6 were based out of the small and friendly town of Oakridge. Loved this place and the helpful folks that call it home. A quick drive through town and we found a bike shop, a brewery, mexican food, chinese, a pizza shop and a grocery mart....all the essentials. So we headed for the most essential of them all and stopped in at the local brew pub, and even more importantly loaded up with fantastic information about what to ride and where to camp. Thanks to the fellas at the Brewers Union for the assistance.

So ride umero numero one in Oakridge was the Alpine Trail...our ride started from town and began on the North Fork of the Willamette for about 6 miles of lush riverside trail (also were i picked up a little bit of the poison oak too) and then we started in on our grinder of a climb up to the top of the Alpine Trail. The singletrack that awaited us up top motivated us during the climb. About 3 miles into the 11 mile climb and just as we were just settling in to a good pace a van full of mountain bikers shuttling to the top passed us by. Tracy questioned our sanity as the van and waving passengers passed us by.......a switchback later and the van was pulled over on the side of the road and another one of those friendly Oakridge folks greeted us with a smile and an offering for a free ride to the top. Before i could even think the proposal over Tracy was already handing our new buddy, Marcello her bike to be loaded. Ha ! Oh well......another thank you to the Willamette shuttle service and to Marcello, Heidi, and Steve for guiding us around and showing us the sites. The trail was amazing......a must do ride and initially i was thinking of doing it again the following day, it was that good. Here's a few pics:

King-Castle & Luckyboy shuttles

the day after riding the MRT our new found pal, Chris from McKenzie Mountian Lodge talked us into sticking around Blue River for another day, his plan was to shuttle us up to the top of a couple local downhill runs (and at no extra expenses...woo-hoo !). The first run was King-Castle which was a fantastic 7 mile decent through your typical lush central oregon forests...super fast if you'd let it take you. At the bottom of the run awaited our car, a quick bite to eat and then off for the second run called luckyboy, this trail was the remnants of an old mine road. Luck Boy Gold Mine was steep, loose, and rocky for about 8 or so miles. Not much flow to the trail but the history of the place more than made up for it.

King-Castle

lucky kiddos going down the lucky boy

The MRT

enroute to the McKenzie River Trail

The McKen. Scenic hwy...little belknap volcano's and an observatory constructed of nothing more than lava rock. Pretty cool.

Phils Trail

old filling pump and sign just north of Moro

Day one....phils trail, buffed out bermy-goodness with a few technical sections thrown in to break up the smoothness. The morning in Bend started with a cup of joe from some coffee shop wih a trendy italian name, the coffee was good and just about right after a nights stay in the back of the wagon near the rustic town of Moro. We thought about pulling in for a beer or two last night at the local pub with a great name "Sweet Water", but opted for the wheat field just out side of town and a couple cans from the cooler in the back seat. Dark skies and bright stars.

weird camera angle

Anyway, cup of joe thrown down and then followed some good directions from the trail review section over at dirtworld.com and we were off on our first day of Oregon singletrack. Lots of happy faces out on this trail network and some helpful direcions as we climbed up to the Helicopter pad and from here all back downhill following the Whoops Trail. Appropriately named with lots of jumps and bermed corners. Fun stuff. Thanks Bend !!

skipin vegas

Skipin out on the whole vegas experience this year as my wife tracy and i head out for a week of mtb'ing in central oregon. McKenzie river, Oakridge, N Umpqua here we come. Bikes and gear loaded up. Photos to come.

Dakota 5-0

  The 10 hour drive back home  after the completion of the Dakota race/ride and i probably could have sworn off ever doing this ride again, after all there is simply way to many rides to do in one mountain bikers lifetime. But after letting this past weekend soak a few days i can now say that  i'd love to be in a position to ride it again. Why......simply the trails were that good. The Black Hill trails appear to have been created by folks who wanted to spur the interest of the mountain biker. Flowing terrain with a healthy amount of granite, tree roots, and at times trees spaced at handlebars width, twisty -turning goodness. Long climbs that eventually reward the decender. Fantastic race support, real time finish results, and a post ride feed and keg. All damn good reasons to do it again.

  So how did i do.......approx 570 folks lined up for the mass start in down town Spearfish and after 4hr and 45 minutes of riding i finished 61st overall and 30th in my 30-39 age group. It wasn't all roses.....at the 18 mile mark i felt like crap, the legs felt heavy and i honestly questioned myself if i could finish. Coming into the second check point and 23 mile mark i was met by my family and a couple bottles of Carbo Rocket which i desperately needed, at the time i was sitting just inside the top 90 and losing places quickly. After heading back out and a refuel of electrolytes i started to feel better again and managed to work my way back up over the course of the next 27. I kept the rubber side down, enjoyed the terrain and the views. Chugged a beer at mile 43 at the PBR and bacon stop and received what my wife tracy said should qualify as the official Dakota 5-0 experience. Yep, bacon and beer.....the new power food.

aid station #2 and feeling like shit

finish(ed)