Off-Road Adventure for the Sentient Being
Riding in the backwoods is different from other kinds of riding in the stresses it causes on your equipment, and especially in the importance of avoiding failures or problems you might not be able to fix. If you crash at the local mx track and break your clutch lever, you just push your bike back to the truck, say "dammit", and go buy a new lever. Try that when you're 20 miles from the nearest pavement, in the backwoods of the Sawtooths, and you're in for a long day. So it's important to:
I'm not going to tell you what to do, but i'll tell you what I do. Adjust to fit your needs.
My KTM 300 EXC
The only company that really makes serious woods motorcycles in any quantity these days is KTM, so that's what I ride. They're big enough that getting parts is pretty easy (and lots of parts are interchangeable between many models), and they require minimal preparation to make into a real backwoods bike. I have a 2002 300 exc, selected because of it's reputation for bulletproof reliability, reasonably light weight, easy to ride torquey motor, and most importantly, because it was on sale. Here's what has seemed important to me to add on or adjust:
That's about it. I don't use any disc guards, because I haven't destroyed any rotors yet. I may change my mind later tho.
My Gary Fisher Big Sur
Definitely more to choose from here, cuz lots of companies sell decent bicycles. I'm currently riding a mid-price hardtail from Gary Fisher. I like the geometry Fisher pioneered (longer top tube/shorter stem) because it pushes the front wheel out a little further, making weight distribution more constant, and making it harder to endo. This particular model has a really nice hardtail frame, mid-price drivetrain (Shimano) that works really well), and cheap hydraulic brakes (Hayes) which suck. I'll probably swap them out for rim brakes because these lack adjustability, and they drag and squeak, and don't really stop any better than rim brakes. It also sports a fairly cheap fork (Rock Shox Duke XC) which is better than I had, but still leaks oil, and only has a spring in one leg (wtf?).
I've had a number of squishy (full-suspension) bikes in the past, but I got rid of the last one because I hated the air shocks once I got a vehicle with real suspension. I use a suspension seatpost so I can sit a little more often, but I'm in the market for a bullet-proof, reasonably light squishy bike suitable for backwoods riding.
You can choose whether to be a maniac or not. Keep in mind, it's not just your bike that breaks when you crash. If you think riding back with no front brake is annoying (it is), just try riding back after sticking a 1" diameter tree branch into your frickin' knee (been there, done that). No fun at all, even if it makes a good story. There are some times when I'll take a good look at something, and just walk it, or (with the moto) just turn around. I ride alot by myself, and I'm not very interested in laying in the desert with a compound femur fracture while my life's blood slowly ebbs into the sand and the buzzards circle impatiently overhead.
I was a boy scout. That's where i learned that walking sucks. I have never had to walk out of the woods. I have broken derailleurs and chains, taco'd wheels, lost brake pads, broken rear shock shafts, had flat tires, and just been tired and cranky, and every time (so far), I've made it back rolling. The following crap lives in my CamelBak all the time to help me keep it that way:
When I moto, I also carry motorcycle tire irons, the stock KTM toolkit (unlike the japanese mfrs, KTM provides real tools), a spare master link, some duct tape and some big zipties. I know people who carry radios, flare guns, 4 times as many tools, spare levers, etc... I suppose if I keep riding, I'll need some of that stuff too, but so far, I haven't had to walk home. I used duct tape to hold a shocklinkage bolt and pivot in place on my girlfriend's yamaha when the nut ran away and the bolt fell out. I used zipties to hold a radiator hose on for some fools out by Chicken Corners in Moab that weren't riding with care, and also weren't prepared. I've loaned other people patch kits and tools and stuff. So far no one has walked home.
If, after all this, something still breaks irrevocably, and worse yet, if I'm stupid enough to be riding alone, then what? Well, I always carry my cellphone. Many places in the woods, you can still get decent reception on the peaks (assuming you're not lying in a canyon with a compound fracture of your leg). I also carry maps and a GPS, and I know how to use them. I almost always carry a rainjacket in the mountains. And I bring plenty of food and water for a full day's ride, and then some. Late in the day, or if the weather seems unsettled, I factor that in when I come up against a tough obstacle, and I'm more likely to just turn around under those circumstances
This stuff doesn't only count if you're alone. It's rude to ruin someone else's ride too. Most people would rather keep riding and have fun than park and tie tourniquets on your legs and send someone into town to get a helicopter because you were a dumbass and were riding way over your head. Believe me, almost anyone would rather walk back and help you over a tough section than practice first aid and ruin the day for everyone.
If you hate this page, don't email mark@motosapiens.net, just read something else.