Can I use the miata? Biking doesnt sound much fun....
J/k If I could get off and I had a bike I would love to do that. I got to mountain bike in Colorado a couple of years ago. It sure was a rush.
Seems a few board members are going to get together on Sunday to drink and watch the word go by.
If that seems a little sedentary to you ( :P ), come out and join leadfootjon and I for a lil' mountain biking excursion at Cedar Hill State Park this Sunday morning! We're planning on being at the trailhead around 9:30am, in time to beat the worst of the heat while not having to get up at the crack of dawn. 10+ miles of beautiful and challenging singletrack beckons!
Anyone else interested?
Iain
"We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
Can I use the miata? Biking doesnt sound much fun....
J/k If I could get off and I had a bike I would love to do that. I got to mountain bike in Colorado a couple of years ago. It sure was a rush.
I may join y'all if the weather cooperates. Got this from the park website:
trail is closed after rainfall so call 972/291-3900 and press star 2 for trail conditions.
OROriginally Posted by sammm
bookmark this link... http://www.dorba.org/cgi-bin/trails/index.cgi
Let me check the Plans Coordinator for this weekends activities. Remember, Cedar Hill is $5/head unless you have one those fancy year passes....mine is expired.
Yep, that's what I was going off of. I haven't called the number, but all reports are that the trail is open and rideable.Originally Posted by joe.MIATA
Jon and I tried to ride the technical section of Northshore Wednesday morning, but ran into the same flooding issues we had on the front section the previous week about a mile and a half in. It looks like it is going to be a while before that trail is rideable again, which is too bad - it's the only one we've got time to make it to during the week.
Iain
"We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
I'm probably going to have to miss this one, but will put forth effort on the next one. I am going to Colorado the week after July 4th, and am bringing the MB. How do you guys haul your bike? Hidden hitch, bike rack, or OTM? I use my truck, but want to take the Miata more often, and think the hidden hitch is what I want to investigate... Comments?
PS: you guys should head up to Stan's afterwards for a refresher. After biking attire would fit in there, and they have pretty good food, I recommend their massive grilled chicken sandwich...
Hmm... I might have to take a raincheck on Stan's, as my better half has made plans for us to go and see Dodgeball with another couple that afternoon.Originally Posted by bigDstars
As for hauling bikes, I use a regular hitch and an old twin-tray, fork-mount bike rack I've had for half a decade. It works just fine, but I had to fabricate a couple of extensions to attach the front wheels to, as they won't fit in the Miata's trunk.
I wouldn't recommend a Hidden Hitch, as most receiver hitch-style bike racks require a straight receiver tube for the rack to slide into. You can't do this with a Hidden Hitch.
Besides, the standard hitch isn't that obtrusive on a Miata, nor does it require any cutting of the bumper:
Iain
"We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
The DORBA site has it listed as muddy, and the park site states: This exciting trail is closed after rainfall . I'll bet it's closed. Raincheck for me too.
What kind of hitch requires cutting the bumper?Originally Posted by altiain
Do you have to remove the front wheel to haul your bike, or is it just a convenience? The LAST time I hauled bikes, it was on one of those cheesey strap-on trunk scratching hitches that fell off and destroyed the kids' bikes. I had to listen to that the rest of the way to Tyler and all afternoon. They were not happy campers, and all I remember is how much that CB carrier cost me in WalMart bike repairs.
I don't think any Miata receiver mounts require bumper modification, but I know the one on my old '95 Civic required notching the bumper skirt.
A fork mount rack requires removing the front wheel to mount.
You can buy fork mount or frame mount styles of racks. I bought a fork mount because - at the time - it was a more universal rack. There were very few bikes on the market (besides hardcore, long-travel downhill bikes) that didn't have quick release skewers, so a fork mount would work with any kind of bike. A frame mount wouldn't work with some types of full-suspension bikes whose frames vary widely from the typical double triangle shape.
Also at the time I owned a car that had a trunk big enough to carry front wheels, so that wasn't an issue.
I would never use a "strap-on" type of bike rack again. I had one on the car I owned when I bought my first bike - thankfully the car was 10 years old and not worth much anyway. Those types of racks invariably do damage to the paint of the car.
I've had four different types of bike racks ("strap-on" rack, Yakima roof rack system, fork mounts bolted directly to the bed of my old Taco, and receiver hitch rack), and I prefer the receiver hitch rack style if you don't own a pickup truck. It's easier to use, easier to store, and can be used on any car with a compatible receiver. Mine has been used on three different cars that I've owned so far.
Iain
"We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
<<<<<<<<<< RIDE UPDATE >>>>>>>>>>
Since the weather hasn't cooperated over the last couple of days, I think we're all going to have to take a raincheck on a ride this weekend.
Anyone interested in trying again next Saturday (July 3rd)?
Iain
"We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw