Passion Trail Bikes, Belmont, CA - specialists in quality bike service and custom-built mountain bikes

More details (more bikes!) on Oct 5 Demo Day!!!

Patty — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 05:29:00 +0000

Hey great news! After Charles got back from Interbike we started getting the calls and emails: “Hey, thanks for stopping by the booth and checking out our ‘09 product; here’s our pdf catalog… how about an order…. anything else we can do for you?”

Demo Bikes at Passion, May, 2008

You know, that can be pretty effective when it comes from manufacturers whose product we love. . . . so . . . We now have demo bikes coming from IBIS and Maverick too, to go along with the fleet of Specialized rides! AND, some Santa Cruz and Giant bikes in limited models and sizes. Awesome! Test rides on the trail are FREE this Sunday, come on down!

Remember to make a reservation—send Daniel a note at daniel@passiontrailbikes.com or phone him at 650-620-9798 and let him know what size bike you ride, what time you want to ride, and which make and model you’d like to try, what size (sm, med, lg, xl) and time, 9am, 11am, 1pm.

Specialized Demo 8, Demo 7, SX Trail
Specialized Enduro, Pitch
Specialized Stumpjumper, Safire WSD
Specialized Stumpy 29er
Specialized Epic, Epic Marathon
Specialized GLOBE
Maverick Durance and ML8
IBIS Mojo
Santa Cruz Blur XC, Blur LT, and Chameleon SS
Giant Reign X, Trance X

2009 Specialized Test Fleet @ Passion Trail Bikes & Waterdog Park

Patty — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 03:21:00 +0000

You can be the first kid on your block to test ride brand new 2009 Specialized Bikes at our Demo Day at Passion Trail Bikes and Waterdog Park for FREE on Sunday October 5th!!!

We are psyched! We nabbed the first chance for non-industry riders on the West Coast to test ride bikes immediately after Interbike!! Come on down and test ride a bike from the 2009 Specialized line. We will set you up with a bike dialed in for your riding style, and you can take it out and get it good and dirty on the trails. Give it a good shake down, and let us and our Specialized Rep know what you think. They love it when we tell them exactly what our customers think about their latest stuff.

Specialized is sending the trailer up from Morgan Hill with a whole fleet of the newly re-designed Epic and SX Trail models as well as Stumpjumper, Enduro, Pitch, Stumpy 29er and Safire bikes. We will have them all available for a dirty demo ride. There will be rides launching from the shop at 9, 11 and 1 o’clock through the singletrack at Waterdog Park as well as big bike rides through the dirt jumps and drop-ins at Carlmont. We will have ride leaders for you so you can get a good lead on a test route through the park, and our usual test ride fee is waived for this special event (normally $75 per day).

Of course, we are going to have a party and celebration while we are at it, how could we not? Looks like more of this awesome warm Indian Summer weather, so Patty will be setting out a wonderful spread of grilled goods and side dishes for the test riders to compare notes over a nice plate of munchies. Come ride, hang out and moisten your sunburn with a frosty one!

We will also be having a sale on select merchandise. Stay tuned for details!

Note the DATE/DAY correction from our first notice! It’s Sunday October 5th

If you are looking to get into a new bike in ’09 or even just want to see the new technology come and give a new 2009 top-of-the-line Specialized mountain bike a spin!

Test rides are available now but we highly recommend you make a reservation today! We expect the slots to fill up so don’t rely on chance for day-of availability. All bike reservations can be made by sending Daniel an email at daniel@passiontrailbikes.com or by calling the shop at 650-620-9798 to let him know what size bike you ride, which model you want to test and at what time.

Interbike Dirt Demo Part 2

Charles — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 06:41:00 +0000

Filling my Camelbak with ice and water before I leave the hotel in the morning is key to survival in the desert for this coastal climate primate. Clif, Camelbak and Powerbar have all been kind enough to set up hospitality tents around the outdoor expo, where they are giving away huge quantities of premixed replacement and recovery drinks. As my reservoir runs low, I am able to top if off with electrolytes over ice.

This morning with John and Daniel’s company, we started again at the Turner tent, this time with much better results. We rolled out with two 5 Spots and a Sultan for an orientation lap and a stab at some of the trials features at the top of the course. We were all pleasantly surprised at the ride quality of the new DW Link equipped Turners, and after a lap, I handed my Sultan off to John so he could have a go at it as well.

He returned his 5 Spot while I had Ibis start to set up a Tranny for a spin and we went out for another lap. I handed off the Tranny to him again at the end of that lap, and went off to look for something special that I had heard was at the Demo in somewhat limited quantities. John and I came up with similar opinions, or non opinions of the Tranny, and John almost cut his lap short because of them. All Ibis bikes have a relatively short headtube, and this bike had a very short stack of spacers under a fairly long stem. On top of that was a very wide, flat handlebar which ended up putting a lot of our body weight on an 80mm SID fork. With a four inch drop from the saddle to the handlebars, he and I both had trouble handling the bike, and getting a feel for the frames potential. We’ll have to try again with a different set up.

My search for the source of rumors was fruitful. Hidden behind a trailer and tent at the SRAM booth was set up a tiny test track for the four Hammerschmidt equipped bikes they brought. More information on this trick little device can be found here. One of the techs and a product manager walked me through function, compatibility, set up, and even installation tools after I took it for a quick spin in the micro track. It was pointed out that Norco, Jamis, and Diamond Back all had at least one complete rideable bike that could be taken on my regular test route, so I put that on the list of things to do and moved on.

On my failed search of the Norco and Jamis tents, I did run into this Felt Limited Edition at Shimano’s compound. Seeing it had a complete new Saint group on it, I couldn’t walk on. A few minutes of set up, and I was back on the trails. One thing I consistently noticed throughout the event was how unnoticeable the Shimano brakes were. No noises, no problems, just smooth predictable power that was easy to apply. This bike confirmed that, and performed well over all, with only a minor complaint about the shifter ergonomics.

The Titus booth was hoppin with activity, but I was able to elbow my way in long enough to trade my card for this new El Guapo. There was a lot of buzz about the new Motos and Racer X’s, but somehow these sleepers were apparently being overlooked, but I’m not sure why. I had a great ride on it. Solid, stable, and completely trouble free. It was smooth and confident in the G outs and landings, and left me again wanting more.

One more stop by the Jamis booth struck gold. There was John Stamstad, holding a Large Dakar II XAM, explaining the virtues of its Hammerschmidt. When it was established it was available to go out, it was almost immediately on the trail with me trying to jam up the shifting. On the tiny test track we were encouraged to shift under a load, sitting and standing, at various RPM’s to try to get it to mis shift. Nothing but pure, instant gear changes, and the same was true in the wilds. I was concerned about the amount of gear drag inherent in a gear drive system, but could feel none. I’m really intrigued by this component’s potential to provide gearing solutions for a wide variety of types of bikes. I’m imagining it on a hardtail, derailerless urban and dirt jump bike.

My last bike of the day was another fortunate surprise. I had my eye on the Pivot bikes, specifically their new all mountain Firebird, but hadn’t seen one over the prior two days. They still had no Larges in the booth on my last lap through, but did have one Medium. I was pleased to get a chance to try out the suspension, if not the fit, so I gave it a go. This bike struck me much as did the Nomad, a super capable bike for all around trail riding, inspires confidence to ride near ones upper limit, and it rides a lot lighter than what might show up on the scale. The rear suspension had an amount of progression that works really well for me, super plush when landing and reloading, ramping up enough to keep from bottoming out, and no sensation of living only in the middle of its travel. No picture of this one as my brains were starting to melt from the temps and sun exposure. I’m nursing a sunburn now, trying to be a little more clear headed for tomorrow’s show.

Interbike Dirt Demo Part 1

Charles — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 05:06:00 +0000

On this first day of the Interbike trade show I got up early, grabbed coffee and breakfast on foot, packed my Camelbak full of ice then filled the small remaining spaces with hotel tap water, and set off for the shuttle buses under the Sands Convention Center that would take me to Bootleg Canyon. I arrived with a loose plan to ride several specific bikes that Passion will be carrying next year, and several others that Passion will not. The On Dirt Demo at Interbike provides a unique opportunity to get on not only the cool new bikes just becoming available, but also to ride preproduction bikes and prototype bikes to get a feel for what’s coming next year and beyond.

My first stop was at the Turner booth to get a sampling of their new DW link bikes. Other test riders moving faster than I did this morning completely depleted the booth of Large frame bikes, so I defaulted to Santa Cruz across the walkway and was able to hop on next year’s Nomad for a hot lap.

This bike is a subtle improvement on an already outstanding bike. The revised rear suspension feels a bit more linear than prior models, with a ramp only at the far end of the stroke. The new carbon link helps the bike feel light, solid, and capable, and the familiar geometry provides confidence while landing, descending, and pushing the corners. I have a new favorite bike.

The Turner booth was still empty at the end of my lap, and Santa Cruz was out of the new Blur LT’s, so I checked in with Niner to see if they had their new WFO. Alas, the WFO won’t be up on two wheels for another month or so, but I was able to swing a leg over a RIP 9.

This bike provided what was to become my second fastest lap of the entire day, and by the time I returned, Santa Cruz had a Large Blur LT ready to ride.

The Blur LT is frequently described as the Nomad’s little brother, but I found a little greater spread on the family tree. The BLT feels lighter, faster, and more nimble to a point where I consider it a completely different bike, that with appeal to a completely different rider. I next hit the Spot booth to get on one of their belt drive single speeds. A Carbon Drive Longboard was produced, and I was back on the test track. This was my fastest lap on the three or so mile loop I have been riding repeatedly for this purpose for years of these events. The Longboard charged quietly, quickly, and smoothly uphills. Last years disappointing belt noises were eliminated, and the new gear profile allows for a looser, more serviceable drive system. Yet again, I have a new favorite bike.

I was finally able to get onto a Turner in the afternoon, after spying one on its way back to the Turner booth while returning the Spot. This one was the new 5 Spot, and it had a lot of the characteristics of its older brothers.

This latest version now uses the DW link that brings the rear end a bit more progression than in the past, and provided a supple, stable ride that was really enjoyable. I’ll be back in the Turner booth again tomorrow, angling to get on a new Sultan with a similar suspension treatment.

My last ride of the day was on Yeti’s latest, the ASR-7. I have to wonder if I should have stopped at 5 rides while I was fumbling through the gears and dropping the chain. The 7 is a super stable bike, a lot of fun to ride, and I might find a way to get back on another one sometime soon.

John and Daniel have joined me in Las Vegas tonight, and we will be riding bikes as a group tomorrow. I hope to have a new list then.

Some 2008 bikes are on sale

Patty — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 06:19:00 +0000

Charles is getting ready to take off for Interbike next week, where manufacturers will be showing all the new product for 2009. This is that awkward time of year when we get all starry-eyed over NEW! SHINY! product, even though a lot of it is not really available yet. Pictures in magazines, one-off samples on the trade show floor… what is vapor ware and what is for real??? We don’t know. We do know that we do need to make space so that once product starts to ship we have parking spaces and some cash to pay for it.

If you’ve been jonesin’ for something that’s been in the store for a while and you’re weren’t sure you could talk yourself into paying full price for it, or maybe your just biologically allergic to paying retail, whatever the itch, we have some stuff on sale that will look real good in your bike rack when you load up on your way to Skeggs, Pacifica, Demo, UC, Downieville or Northstar. And all with our famous PTB new-grease build, custom fitting, all that. Ahhhh. Sometimes scratching feels so good!

2008 Specialized SX Trail 1—a DH/Freeride bike with a burly frame and a whole lot of travel. Size medium.
Was $3500, now $2800, you save over 20% and keep $700 in your pocket.

2008 Specialized SX Trail 2—like the one above but with a much fancier component spec. Size medium.
Was $5100, now $4000, you save over 20% and keep a whopping $1100 in your pocket. Cool!

Female Friday! Sept. 12th 5:45pm

Patty — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 22:36:00 +0000

Back by popular demand! Last month we had about 45 women descend en mass upon the shop for some great riding, gabbing, and consuming of food and drink!

We will be doing it again this Friday, Sept 12th, with rides launching around 5:45pm. Ladies only!

After sunset we will return for food, prepped for our pleasure by guys who will give up an evening just for the fun of feeding a whole flock o’ female mountain bikers!

Tell your girlfriends!

Check comments below for details on the menu and other fun stuff.

Pictures from last month are up here on Flickr:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/51326343@N00/sets/72157607077317100/detail/

Fires at Waterdog

Patty — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 05:51:00 +0000

Belmont issued the following press release today about a person of interest related to the fires set in Waterdog Park.

Age: 30’s
Gender: Male
Height: 5-10 to 6-0
Weight: 170
Eyes: Unknown
Hair: Brown
Complexion: Medium
Race: White
Date of last contact: 9/4/08

On Thursday 9/4/08 at approx. 4:50pm, two separate fires were reported in the canyon area, on the east side of the Hallmark neighborhood. Both fires were near Wakefield Dr & Somerset Dr and the two fires each burned approx. 1/4 of an acre. No structures were involved and there were no injuries. A preliminary investigation has determined that both fires were human-caused and may have been intentionally set. The Belmont Police are asking for the public’s help in this investigation.

The subject shown above was seen in the area of one of the fires. His involvement is unknown and investigators would like to talk with him. He was wearing a blue baseball cap, white t-shirt, blue shorts w/white stripes on the sides and light colored athletic shoes. Investigators are also looking for an older model white BMW sedan, with significant damage on the driver side, which was seen leaving the area at the time of the fires. It is unknown if the subject and the vehicle are related and their involvement with the fire is unknown. Anyone with information on these fires is asked to call the Belmont Police Department.

Belmont Police Department Crime Tip Line (650) 598-3000

MTBR Best Of 2008 reviews

PeterD — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 15:53:00 +0000

MTBR is about to choose their best of 2008 products, and will be basing this on the reviews on their web site. Here is your chance to help them choose the best products of the year. Announcement below:

Time for the Best of MTBR.com 2008!

Please help MTBR award the best bikes, gear, and accessories by writing reviews for products you own and use. Whether you love it, hate it, or somewhere in between, be sure to let your fellow mountain bikers know why.

The Winners in each category will be presented with a Best of MTBR 2008 Award certificate at Interbike next month!

How can you help:

Step 1) Go to: http://www.mtbr.com/reviewscrx.aspx
Step 2) Find the product you want to review.
Step 3) Review it!
Step 4) Vote between Sept 3rd – Sept 9th for the best product.

How do you play?

PeterD — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 15:29:00 +0000

Clif Bar has a contest going right now. Write up a short story of how you play differently. Here is from their official rules:
“Was there a moment or decision that changed your life? Were you put to the test or did you have to choose between two paths? Tell us all about it, inspire us.

Prices include a weekend riding with the Clif Bar folks in Napa, year supply of Clif Bars, and $1000 gift certificate to your favorite sports retailer…

Enter at http://www.clifbar.com/howdoyouplay/

SSWC

PeterD — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 21:05:00 +0000

The Single Speed World Championships are this weekend in Napa. I have been singlespeeding for some 10 years, and am even at the point that the only MTB I currently own is a singlespeed Santa Cruz Chamleon. So, today I sent my bike off to Napa…

...though I am not following it.

The back story is that a few months back, there was a post on MTBR from a Brit saying he was going to the SSWC, but was hoping to borrow a bike, as he didn’t want to ship his bike with him. There were a few responses from folks offering it up, but for some reason he chose mine. We passed a few messages back and forth and made sure everything would work.

So today, Simon C. of Sheffield, South Yorkshire showed up with his girlfriend and brother (in a Lincoln Continental or some boat like that – “petrol” prices are positively cheap here as compared to the UK). We stuck him on the trainer for a fitting, and then sent him off. I believe the winner of the race gets a custom tattoo, so hopefully we will see this on him when he brings the bike back.

If anyone is up there, give a holler for the guy in the blue Chameleon! And remind him that the left hand controls the front brake, which is opposite of what they do on the other side of the pond.