I have a confession.
I really love my BMC Team Elite 01. I believe at every race last year that was the fastest bike there, even if I didn’t have the legs to push it on the day. I also think that for most of the races on the XTERRA tour the Team Elite 01 is the bike of choice.
I just love my Fourstroke and Shiver dual suspensions so much more. I haven’t ridden my Team Elite since Hawaii….
Fun in California on the Shiver and yes, that is a Powertap you are looking at!
If you are going riding on trails that demand a mountain bike rather than a cross bike, then the Fourstroke or the Shiver is your bike of choice. Not that the Team Elite isn’t a nimble and capable trail riding machine. The Fourstroke is just so much more forgiving and it just sticks to the ground so much better. I was SO excited the other day when I went riding with the Sunday Broadmead boys. First off, make no mistake, these guys are awesome riders and they challenge me just to stay with the group. In fact, in the summer when they humor me by waiting just long enough for me to catch up but not long enough for me to catch my breath, they offer my secret training element that no one else can reproduce. I am by no means saying I am better than any of them, in fact, they have skills I will probably never possess. I just had my “moment”.
This past Sunday I took the boys on a new trail. Some winter trail building has been going on which Ross and I discovered when we were out riding in the snow earlier this winter. That day I struggled to ride the line down “Fun Trail” to the new trail which we don’t know the name of.. “Fun Trail” starts with two 15 foot rock faces that you can roll down without launching connected by more rocks, a tricky rocky outcropping that likes to send you over the bars and ends with a downed tree that is too slippery and high to be rideable. I am sure there is someone out there who rides it anyhow, probably a ten year old with flat pedals but regardless, for our entire group that log is not really part of the riding plan. Back in December I was freaked out by the snow and didn’t ride the first drop but Ross did. I rode the second one but messed up at the rock and didn’t ride the log. Ross rocked it all with inches of snow cover. He really is a talented mountain biker.
Since that day I have revisited the trail and had issues with something or another until I went back with the Broadmead boys. All of a sudden it all came together. I dropped into the first rock face and then connected it with the next one in a blur of yellow courage. I didn’t hear the boys behind me so I stopped and looked back to hear “where’s the line” and “I am so getting a Fourstroke”. YES!!!!!! I have to tell you, even if I was only a little bit impressive that day, it was enough to last me this whole year.
Thank you to my BMC Fourstroke 02. Without the twice weekly scaring the crap out of myself riding gnarly stuff safely, I would never have arrived at that moment. And now I would like to welcome the Shiver to my arsenal. With the lower bottom bracket and longer top tube I am looking forward to more scary lines and more success riding up rocky dried creek beds and slippery rock faces.
Winter riding is the best!!
Especially when you have toys like this one to enjoy:
