Sonoran Pirates

Strava Online

2012-01-31T10:33:00.003-07:00

Pirates!

If you have a GPS enabled device for your bike, Android, or iPhone you should be part of Strava.com, I have created a Sonoran Pirate Group on this site. To summarize what this site is if you do not know it is a site where you upload your physical activity you do and it runs comparisons of the other members who have done the same kind of activity. It compares segments of your rides and tells you your performance and ranking for the locations you are riding. I strongly recommend all Pirates join up. Sooo Motivating!

http://app.strava.com/clubs/sonoran-pirates

Once we get more members up and running on the site and joined in the club we can place an activity tracker on the pirates site.

Happy trails!

Moab - Outerbike 2011

2012-01-14T23:18:00.002-07:00

Meant to post this a while ago.. ..but it took longer to finish editing it together than I wanted... Enjoy.... and keep in mind if there are any Pirates interested in meeting up in Moab for Outerbike 2012 we will be there, maybe we can share a condo!

2 days left... 1/2 price Urban Assault

2012-01-12T22:20:00.000-07:00

This year's New Belgian Urban Assault Ride in Tucson is on Sunday, Feb 26th. You can register for 1/2 price (aka $30/person) if you sign up by January 14th.

Link: New Belgium Urban Assault (Tucson)

Ride Wed @ 5:30pm Fantasy Island

2012-01-10T19:04:00.000-07:00

Come ride and test out your light... Wed 1/11Fantasy Island5:30pmValencia side

Athertons Team up With GT

2012-01-10T09:51:00.002-07:00

Formally Racing with Commencal the Athertons are now moving in with the GT family. Big moves for GT.

http://athertonracing.co.uk/

Fantasy Irvington Ride 1/7 @ 1:25

2012-01-06T19:00:00.004-07:00

Lets ride and celebrate Josh's second day back on the bike (he probably will still be faster than my out of shape butt)..

Sat 1/7
Fantasy Island
1:25pm
Irvington side

Vistoso Challenge 48 Charity Bike Ride

2012-01-04T08:03:00.002-07:00

Yes, it's a road ride, but it benefits a great local charity, Interfaith Community Services.

Details:

January 14, 2012, 8 AM

Location: Start/Finish near Oro Valley Hospital, near N. Oracle Rd. and E. Tangerine Rd.

Distance: 8-48 miles

To sign up contact Todd Huff: 907-8019

Recommended individual tax-deductable donation: $50

Here's the official flyer:

http://icstucson.org/uploads/Cycling%20Event.pdf

MERRY CHRISTMAS

2011-12-25T11:41:00.002-07:00

CLIMB THE LEMMON!

2011-12-18T21:20:00.003-07:00

Wednesday 12/21/11 10am Knox and McLovin are going to Ride the Lemmon. Everyone is welcome. We will be on Road Bikes but if you can make it all types of bikes are welcome. Meet in the Safeway Parking Lot.

PIRATES UNITE! LETS RIDE

2011-12-18T20:44:00.006-07:00

The Holidays are here and we all need to ride. Everyone in the Tucson or surrounding area lets ride Fantasy Island Thursday 12/22/11 12pm Houghton Side. Sound off via comment to this post if you are interested. I will be riding regardless. Your fellow Pirate Derek (aka McLovin)

Knox boys to race Iron Horse Bicycle Classic.

2011-12-11T20:25:00.000-07:00

The race is at the end of May in Durango, Colorado. The race course climbs from Durango to Silverton, races the train, and goes over two 10k foot peaks. The boys are locos.

McLovin Runs 1st Marathon

2011-12-04T14:44:00.001-07:00

Senior McLovin "The Wolf" Regan (aka Son-Rat Derek) completed the Dallas White Rock Marathon in 4 hrs 27 minutes today. This is his 1st marathon and a milestone on his Ironman training plan. What a sexy beast. Credit to Ky for the photo.

Links...
Results
White Rock Marathon

Son-Rats Duo Dawn To Dusk

2011-12-03T18:29:00.001-07:00

T-Bone Knox & El La Anderson braved hail & freezing cold temps (well, freezing for us desert rats) in the mixed duo category today @ the Dawn to Dusk mnt bike race at McDowell Mountain Park (outside Phoenix). 3 x 15.5 mile laps each earned them 18th of 29 mixed duo teams (even after bailing out w/ plenty of time on the clock due to the cruddy weather). Congrats!

T-Bone lap times...
1:07 / 1:01 / 1:04

El La lap times...
1:22 / 1:26 / 1:32

Links...
Results
Dawn to Dusk Race
McDowell Mountain Park

Open Now: Ben's Bikes in Rita Ranch (Tucson, AZ)

2011-11-27T15:19:00.000-07:00

Ben Chandler has opened up a new bike shop in South East Tucson (near Rita Ranch & Fantasy Island).

The shop is called "Ben's Bikes" has a service area and carries mountain bikes, road bikes, bmx bikes, kids bikes, cruisers, and skateboards. Along with the supporting components, accessories, and gear.

The store has a really cool shop dog and a very friendly vibe. Check out Ben's shop and support our local businesses and bike scene.

location: 7431 S. Houghton, Tucson, AZ.
website: www.bensbikestucson.com (currently under construction)
email: ben@bensbikestucson.com
phone: (520) 574-2453
hours: M-F: 10-6pm / Sat: 9-6pm / Sun: 11-4pm

Here are some of the brands we noticed while walking around Ben's shop... Giant, Redline, Park Tools, Stans No Tubes, Honey Stinger, Sock Guy, Geax, Maxxis, Kenda, We The People, S&M, Fit, Intense BMX, Royal, 661/One Industries, & Five Ten

improve your mountain bike technique...

2011-11-26T22:49:00.001-07:00

I opted to torture myself and read/watch "all things mountain bike" during my recovery. I stumbled across a series of 15 mountain bike technique videos. They were created to help promote tourism in the Austrian State of Tirol. The area is magnificent. Unfortunately, I've never rode a mountain bike there but we did spend a day in the capital city of Innsbruck learning how to snowboard.

The videos are short, relevant, seem fairly accurate (besides maybe the cockpit setup recommendations), and dubbed over in English. Enjoy.

Tirol Tourism Mountain Bike Technique Videos
01. Bike Equipment
02. Basic Riding Position
03. Braking Techniques
04. Riding Uphill
05. Fast Cornering
06. Obstacles
07. Jumps (pre-loading)
08. Step Downs
09. Steeps
10. Switchbacks
11. Jumps
12. Drop offs
13. Switchbacks with a Rear Wheel Hop
14. Wheelie Drops
15. Bunny Hops

Test Your Awareness: Do The Test

2011-11-21T14:02:00.000-07:00

Save $ - Go Tubeless w/ Gorilla Tape

2011-11-16T21:13:00.001-07:00

My friend Andy mentioned the "ghetto tubeless" concept of using a $3 roll of 1" Gorilla Tape and a old tube valve stem instead of an expensive tubeless conversion kit.

The MTBR discussion on Ghetto Tubeless covers the details and links to a few youtube videos.

Official Gorilla Tape website... http://gorillaglue.com/tapes.

got permit?

2011-11-13T17:32:00.000-07:00

Did you know that many of our favorite trails are on Arizona State Trust Land? A State Land Recreation Use Permit is only $20 (family) or $15 (individual). Get the permit here... AZ State Trust Permit

we are the robot pirates...

2011-11-11T10:33:00.000-07:00

stolen bike!

2011-10-16T23:28:00.002-07:00

fellow pirates - I had my commuter / bar bike stolen on campus tonight in the 6th street garage around 7 pm. yes, lesson learned...use a U-lock and not a cable lock. guess I had a false sense of security because I was getting pizza not 30 yards away. I'll be trolling craigslist and I did file a report with the local police. it's a Cutter Bones fixie (I don't have any pics available):
cutter bones

I changed a few parts so it has a distinctive black and white checkered flat handlebar, GX1 Ergon grips, a New Belgium bell, and a sticker that says "Ride a Fucking Bike" ...pardon the expletives.

Mountain Biker gets taken out by BUCK - CRAZY Footage - Only in Africa

2011-10-11T07:06:00.000-07:00

El Machino - 12th Place in Thetford Dusk Till Dawn

2011-10-09T09:53:00.002-07:00

Lee "El Machino" Woodcock fought through rain and mud and took 12th place in the Thetford Dusk Till Dawn.

The Dirty Bunny Century

2011-10-05T18:21:00.003-07:00

Cosmic Race's Dirty Bunny Century - November 13 Fantasy Island

Where the Trail Ends - Freeride MTB film teaser

2011-10-01T09:37:00.000-07:00

WOW!

Enduro Downhill Racing

2011-10-01T09:14:00.000-07:00

This looks like it is the way to go for some of us Pirates who are not balls out insane and like some aspect of cross country racing. Watch minute 7:30 Dan Atherton race a Sweden Enduro DH Event.

Race Pace Lady's Ride

2011-09-03T05:58:00.003-07:00

Karyn, Big D, and The Pickle

Friday night was the last night of the season for the Race Pace Lady's training ride led by Big D, and supported by Pickles, and Karyn. The ride, which gained increasing popularity as word of mouth spread, gave women new to mountain biking an opportunity to ride and hone their skills on a great trail and evenly paced setting.

Big D started the initiative by her own design in the spring as a portage to bring more women into the sport. Leading them through the Avalon section of Patapsco St. Park, with plenty of mild to moderate pitfalls, she provided patient guidance and training to over 30 women.

Through the summer, Pickles quickly proved more than capable of taking over lead when D's attention was required for a downed or slow rider. Last night, as daylight was fading, Pickles led the faster half of the group out of the woods leaving D to shepherd the newcomers. Ever the patient sweeper, Karyn kept her brake pads cool in the rear keeping the wheeled flotilla moving ahead of advancing darkness, picking up fallen and tangled riders, and ensuring safety for all.

In the true spirit of the Sonoran Pirates...way to promote the sport and make the world a better place to ride a bike.

The rest of the pictures from the ride.

Harp rides against cancer...

2011-08-28T21:00:00.006-07:00

Catching up a bit on recent events.

Harper road the 36.6 mile leg in the 2011 American Cancer Society Bike-A-Thon in Wilkes Barre, PA on August 7th. In addition to the ride, Harp represented in true pirate style by raising some serious cancer fighting cash.

2011 Endure Website

Barn Burner 2011 Results...

2011-08-28T19:59:00.006-07:00

We had a blast. Including a crazy yet brief thunder / hail storm during the third & fourth laps. I'll be back next year for sure. Got something to prove now.

Sonoran Pirates - Dance ... (Partner)
McLovin - 2:09
Tough Guy - 1:48
McLovin - 2:15
Tough Guy - 1:54
Result: 8:08 (missed big buckle by 8 freakin' min) / earned little buckle

Sonoran Pirates - Knox.O (Partner)
T-Bone - 1:50
Mountain Goat - 2:11
T-Bone - 1:52
Mountain Goat - 2:35
Result: 8:30 (missed big buckle by 30 min) / earned little buckle

Sonoran Pirates - Doureios Hippos (Posse)
Masa - 2:24
Pescadito - 2:27
Hefe - 2:46
Magellan - 2:26
Result: 10:05 (missed little buckle by 5 freakin' min)

Results - 2011 Barn Burner

McLovin: Barn Burner Stats

2011-08-28T19:47:00.002-07:00

Used my new Garmin system to record the Barn Burner Laps I did. On the details page check out the player tab. It does a play through of the laps as it walks through the stats. I recommend this Garmin to anyone who trains in biking, running or anything outdoors.

Big D

2011-08-28T06:17:00.001-07:00

Every Friday evening, Diana (with Pickles and Karyn) Leads a training ride for Bella Bikes just for women. The event has become quite popular, and there are new ladies signing up every week.

The Sonoran Pirates continue to expand the sport of mt. biking.

el "barno" está ardiendo

2011-08-24T12:23:00.005-07:00

The pirates will have 3 teams (8 riders) participating in the 104 mile Barn Burner on Saturday in Flagstaff. Let's hope we all come home with belt buckles.

Masa, Pescadito, Hefe, & Magellan (4 man)
McLovin & Tough Guy (2 man)
T-Bone & Mountain Goat (2 man)

Landis Cyclery Barn Burner

Moments

2011-08-23T06:29:00.000-07:00

I dream of moments
Freedom as I fly
Two wheels beneath me
The wind whistling through my ears
I smell the dirt I stir up
I feel all the bumps
That send me dancing
I launch myself through the air
Hovering in the air for a minute
Before I crash back down to earth
Pounding the ground
And bouncing up again
I dream of moments
The perfect balance
The slide of my body left to right
The jolt, the bounce
The shove of limb as I slide
And the moment I know
I will not touch the ground this time
I dream of moments when I hit
End over end
A crash of metal, tree, dirt
My skin on the ground
My blood waters the earth
My tears raised to the heavens
And my laughter rings clear as a bell
I dream of moments
The swift thoughts
The minute you know
When nothing has to be thought of
You are one with your wheels
And the world is left behind
Those are the moments, the sweetest moments
I dream of moments

--Karyn Messina

Project Aura

2011-08-17T14:30:00.001-07:00

Bicycle safety with a bit of flair, but would also be fun to use on a 24:

Project Aura: Bicycle Safety Lighting System from Project AURA on Vimeo.

Glen may do time for this...

2011-08-07T21:35:00.003-07:00

Pics below are of Glen tagging a Police car with a Sonoran Pirates sticker... and the fall-out.

pictures blurred for dramatic effort, find out the real story... here

Results... 2x40 @ Mi Casa

2011-08-06T21:46:00.002-07:00

Here are the results from today's event.

Thanks to...
- Dave for taking photos
- Betsy for the awesome cake
- Mindy-Kyla-Betsy for manning the beer/pickle juice tent
- Jane-Warren-Mike-Mike for cooking/cleaning
- Everyone who helped in any way shape or form

More updates coming with pics and such. Happy birthday, Diana. Hope you had a good time.

2 X 40 Race Profile

2011-08-05T17:39:00.005-07:00

Did some test rides around the 2X40 Track today and I must say it is looking like it is gonna be a FUN race. You can see by the map below that there is an added loop to course that goes around Chad's house. Obstacles are small but tricky. Get ready folks it should be a good time. Oh yeah I saw 8 gallons of pickles in Josh's Kitchen for those of you not drinking beer. He was not kidding. HAHAHA

Winner will be riding 40 .59mi laps on the course.

.59mi Lap 40 x .59 = 23.6mi

Elevation Profile. Looks like it is going to be a crazy tough climbing day.

Pirates riding in Idaho

2011-07-31T22:33:00.004-07:00

We wish that we could be there for the party, it sounds like it will be fun. In honor of Big D there we will be riding here at Brundage again while you are there.

2x40@MiCasa - Countdown: 12 days

2011-07-24T21:40:00.001-07:00

Reminder: The 2x40 @ Mi Casa race takes place on Saturday August 6th @ Mi Casa.

Specifics
Race gun is @ 8am.
1st to 40 laps takes it.
Shot of beer -or- (this just in) pickle juice after each lap.
New obstacles.
Additional single track through Chad's property.
Prizes for top 3.
Bring your spare change for the donation bucket.
Keg beer.
BRB-Q follows race.

Come celebrate Big D's 40th, ride your bike, drink some beer.

2 x 40 @ Mi Casa Facebook Event

UK Pirates & Friends Ride 4 Moorey

2011-07-24T21:26:00.005-07:00

Today the Sonoran Pirates Mountain Bike Team (UK) & friends rode to raise money for fellow rider Darren Moore who was paralyzed after an accident on his bike. Reports of a great ride and a good showing of support for Darren.

El Machino takes 3rd @ 10 Hr M, S, & G

2011-07-11T21:06:00.004-07:00

Lee the machine came 3rd out of 250 riders in the mud sweat and gears 10 hour endurance race clocking up 140 miles .....not bad for first endurance race..... He was well supported by girlfriend and fellow pirate suzan ashford.
Results

Byrnsey tagged: the Sonoran Pirate tattoo...

2011-07-07T21:02:00.004-07:00

forever engrained in flesh & blood...

UK Pirates...

2011-07-07T20:54:00.003-07:00

As Paul Revere once yelled during battle: "the brits are coming!" Here are a handful of the UK Pirates donning their new jerseys.

Half Pipe

2011-07-05T16:12:00.001-07:00

Proof: Everything can be improved by adding a bike (also bacon)

East Coast Pirates

2011-07-03T06:11:00.000-07:00

Athena sporting the new jersey and her new 29'er WSD. Great day out on the Shaeffer Farms Trail Network, Germantown, MD

Idaho Pirates

2011-07-01T23:16:00.003-07:00

Idaho Sonoran Pirates sporting the new jerseys.

Derek, Kerry, Mandi, and Brian

3 Minute Gaps Movie at the Fox Theater

2011-06-23T17:00:00.001-07:00

Fox Website
3 Minute Gaps

Sonoran Pirates Save a Baby Deer

2011-06-15T06:18:00.001-07:00


What a baby deer may look like, since no one took a picture.

This is what happens when you have a group of women on a group mountain bike ride. Instead of focusing on skill-building, or clearing sweet jumps, they get all sappy with the local wildlife.

Friday before last, Big D was leading a group of women riders for Bella Bikes on what is now a weekly Friday afternoon ride with Karyn sweeping. They were somewhere on what they believed to be the Morning Choice Trail on Patapsco State Park...I say somewhere because they were lost within 6 minutes of starting out and don't know exactly where they were.

Big D relaxed her vice-like focus from the trail just long enough to hear the cries of some desperate creature, or local child emanating from the forest. After bringing the cries to the attention of the remaining gallons of estrogen around her, full-blown maternopocolyptic instinct brought the sacrosanct bike ride to an immediate halt.

What the baby deer looked like 6 minutes after rescue.

They discovered...and I swear I'm not making this up...a baby deer fallen down a well. Yes...just like some BS straight from an episode of Lassy or Little House on the Prairie. Karyn climbed into the well and lifted the deer out. Here's where everything falls apart. NONE OF THEM TOOK A SINGLE PICTURE. So we have no proof that any of this is true.

True or not, it was the only topic being wildly discussed ad nauseum over the dinner I had slaved over.

Saguaro East Closures - Fire Danger

2011-06-13T21:32:00.004-07:00

Due to extreme fire danger and concern for public safety, and for the protection of the park’s natural and cultural resources, Saguaro National Park will implement fire closures in the Rincon Mountain (East) District, beginning at noon on Thursday, June 9, 2011. These closures coincide with similar closures going into effect on other public lands in southern Arizona.

Press Release

Whatever Works

2011-06-10T10:05:00.000-07:00

I'm about 94.8% sure Magellan was on-scene when this repair was made.

Interesting new MTB video

2011-06-09T18:57:00.001-07:00

Civil War Century -- Still Looking for Riders

2011-06-07T18:40:00.001-07:00

The ride is filling up. If any Pirates want to come out and ride this with us...need to sign up soon. Right now it's just the four of us.

What: Tour in and around Civil War sites in the vicinity of Gettysburg, PA
When: 10 Sep, 2011
Where: I already told you that
Millage Options: 103, 75, 63, 50, and 25. (If you fly out here and sign up to ride 25 miles I will punch you in your private parts)

So far it's Big D, Chino, Pickles and Karyn riding for the Pirates. More are welcome and encouraged to join.

http://www.civilwarcentury.com/

Tucson's SDMB Win $50k Grant!

2011-06-05T21:47:00.007-07:00

A big congratulations to the Sonoran Desert Mountain Bicyclists who scored a $50k grant from Ford & Good.Is with a little help from Todd Wells.

Good.Is Announcement
www.sdmb.org

Phantom's Giant ATX Pro Build Specs...

2011-06-05T21:28:00.003-07:00

I finished Phantom's bike build yesterday with some brake help from Masa. I was planning on shipping it to him on Monday but there is an issue with the back shifter that is gonna set me back a week. It turned out pretty sweet and rides like butter. Here are the build specs...

Frame: 19.5" Giant ATX Pro
Front Fork: Fox Talas RLC
Rear Derailleur: SRAM X.9 (3x9)
Front Derailleur: Shimano XT (3x9)
Shifters: SRAM X.9 (3x9)
Crankset: Shimano LX Integrated
Pedals: Crank Brothers Candy SL
Saddle: Selle San Italia XO
Seat Post: Easton EA30
Brakes: AVID BB-7 Mechanical Disc
Wheels: Mavic 717
Hubs: Shimano XT w/ Center Lock Rotors
Tires: Kenda Nevegal (2.1 Back / 2.35 Front)
Headset: Cane Creek Integrated
Stem: Titus Maxim
Handlebars: Titus Maxim
Grips: Ergon P3

Bicycles for kids age 4-7.

2011-06-04T21:51:00.005-07:00

My son is two years old now and rocking out daily on his Strider Push Bike and loving it. I highly recommend this bike for kids < 4 years old. However, it won't be long before he is ready for a pedal bike and my occasional search for light weight kids bike options have left me underwhelmed at best.

My nephew is in town for the summer, has a birthday coming up, and was in desperate need of some wheels. We opted to fill the void and hook him up. After some more research we found that the Specialized Hot Rock series offered the lightest weight bike (I suspect due to their use of aluminum vs. steel frames) for kids 4-7 years old.

We ended up getting him a Specialized Hot Rock 16 (kids bikes are sized by the wheel diameter, hence the 16 = 16" wheels) which as configured in the picture above (sans the training wheels and adding some heavy steel pegs) weighed in at 17.58 pounds. The competitors bikes in this space all come in around ~25 lbs (w/ training wheels) and the Hot Rock was at ~20 lbs before the mods. The bikes are all in the $200 range. Which is pretty steep if cycling isn't an avid part of your families lifestyle. Check out the Specialized Hot Rock series here... Specialized Hot Rock

If you are not sure what size bike to get your kid I recommend checking out this article from livestrong.com... Sizing Bicycles for Kids

Here are a couple of other big name bike companies offering bikes in this space...
Trek Bikes (Masa's daughter loves her Trek Mystic 16)
Giant Bikes
Marin Bikes

RIDE YOUR BIKE!

2011-06-03T11:12:00.000-07:00

Tucson Frame Builder: Cory Rosene

2011-05-30T22:07:00.005-07:00

Photo by Jack Sanford

I keep running into stories about Cory Rosene's awesome hand built stainless steel 29'er that earned him the "Rookie of the Year" nod at the 2011 North American Handmade Bicycle Show. It peaked my interest since he is a fellow Tucsonan. It looks like Cory either studied or apprenticed under David Bohm (also a Tucson native frame builder) of Bohemian Bicycles website / blog. David's website and blog are woefully out of date... the last note indicating that he was suspending taking orders until he got his backorders finished. Cory's website appears to be under construction and no new info is available sans articles from the NAHBS. I friended Cory on Facebook, if he accepts, I'll try to get the down low and update this blog.

In the meantime here are a couple of links/articles about Cory Rosene of Rosene Handbuilt Bicycles...
North American Handmade Bicycle Show (NAHBS)
Fair Wheel Bikes Blog
Dirt Rag Flikr

Ride For Life!

2011-05-16T03:59:00.000-07:00

The Sonoran Pirates of the United Kingdom sported a great showing at the Ride For Life through Thetford Forrest.

The Ride, consisting of either 25 miles of off-road, or 35 miles of road, raised money to support the East Anglia Children's Hospice.

Lee finished his off-road in 1:40. Glen, Trev, and Mick experienced a 'navigational anomaly' but still managed 2 hours. Meanwhile, Sean completed the road section in same time.

Way to represent guys!

Adamo Seat

2011-05-13T22:03:00.002-07:00

I was wondering if anyone has tried these seats? Adamo Typhoon is the one that I am interested in... Please post comments on it if you have used this saddle and let me know what you think!!!

Green Ventures Bikes

2011-05-09T06:25:00.004-07:00

We mentioned in an earlier post that Lee Woodcock works with Green Ventures Bikes in Thetford, Norfolk, UK. The company refurbishes bikes that were either bound for landfills or donated and sells them for $30-100 (US$) to folks in need. A noble venture indeed and we're definitely stoked to learn that a new member of the pirates helps out his community the way that Lee does at Green Ventures. Well done mate. Link here... Green Ventures Bikes

phantom on a tandem?

2011-05-08T19:53:00.003-07:00

It is true. That's me on the back. Good ole' Magellan riding with the phantom future pirate. Who is he you ask?

I cannot tell you much, but what I can tell you is that he...
- has studied ninjutsu
- is slightly fatter than Jason Bourne
- has no online identity

Lee "the machine" Woodcock takes 25th...

2011-05-08T11:45:00.003-07:00

Lee "the machine" Woodcock placed 25th in the Male Senior division of the English Eastern Region MTB Series Mud, Sweat, and Gears Round II race today in Thetford, England. Lee and his carbon Salsa are known for whooping up on the locals. Additionally, Lee works for an organization that takes bike donations, revamps them, and sends them off for people in desperate need of bikes. Congrats Lee.

Online Results

someone find out the details on this

2011-05-05T20:08:00.002-07:00

cool trailer Todd Wells tweeted...looks like he is doing the competition for the Sonoran Desert Mountain Bicyclists...haven't found the scope of this competition but looks good:

A must have accessory for Pirates???

2011-05-03T10:20:00.002-07:00

I think that I might be getting a couple of these for Derek, since he tried to give me a heart attack and broke his wrist in two places on a ride this past Saturday. I don't like the club that Ray started and Derek joined...
Click here to check out the reviews on this brace, it does look promising for providing support and protection...

Offered to Pirates first.

2011-05-02T16:48:00.005-07:00

I've got a Kidarooz 535 in good condition.
If you're interested let me know and you'll get a deal before I offer it on Craigslist.

Steel frame.
20" wheels.
Back has a storage area.
Fits 1 or 2 kids.
Has a removable front wheen and handle to transform into a jogger.
I have the original owners manual.
Safety Flag on a stick (not shown).

My 5 year old just got a little too tall to ride w/ a helmet on and now rides her little Hot Rock with Mom and Dad. Email me and I can send more photos.

jboen(at)Cox(dot)net

6 Pirates Ride 25 Proof @ Whiskey Off-Road

2011-05-01T21:02:00.006-07:00

A close 2nd to the news about Osama Bin Laden being dead is that...

Six members of the Sonoran Pirates completed the 25 Proof Whiskey Off-Road race in Prescott, Arizona this Saturday. The course ended up being 28.4 miles long with 3890+ feet of climbing. A tough course to say the least and a big accomplishment for those who rode and concurred the trail. Summary of the pirate's placing & times below...

25 Proof - Men's Open (334 Riders)
024 - Brad Knox (02:51:18.68)
046 - Jordan Janes (03:05:08.95)
106 - Derek Regan (03:27:48.22)
234 - Jeff Wilson (04:34:43.78)
251 - Josh Anderson (04:42:11.06)

25 Proof - Single Speed Male
061 - Justin Bailes (04:42:10.78)*

Online Results

*big thanks to Justin who sacrificed at least 45 minutes of his time to pull me through the course...

IBIS Demo in Prescott

2011-04-29T09:26:00.003-07:00

Ibis will be at the Whiskey for Demo rides. You guys should check them out if you get the chance, they are fun bikes!

No bikes on New AZ Trail Section

2011-04-21T20:41:00.002-07:00

Justin and I confirmed today that the new section of the AZ Trail starting a few miles NW of X9 to Saguaro East is off limits to bicycles. I'm a fan of multi-use trails and am not a hater of the equestrian users. But I gotta tell you... the trail leading up to the "off limits sign/gate" was rutted and torn to hell from horse hooves. Why are bikes not allowed? We don't do that kind of damage. Ugh.

Last call... Sonoran Pirate Jersey in Gray

2011-04-19T21:04:00.002-07:00

This is the last call for the new Gray Sonoran Pirates Jersey. Sending in order at the Thursday night. Send me an email if you want a jersey and haven't already told me.

A reason to visit Idaho!

2011-04-19T01:56:00.001-07:00

Ellsworth Contest - Name it & Win it!

2011-04-18T21:59:00.002-07:00

Ellsworth is introducing a new 180mm travel mountain bike. They don't have a name and are currently running a contest where you can provide 3 potential names for the new bike. If they pick your name. You get the bike.

Click here... Name It & Win It

Same Crash, better Angle

2011-04-17T21:17:00.002-07:00

More exciting than any MTB race

stick to mountain biking

2011-04-17T19:38:00.000-07:00

Check out the Eagle Mountain Bike Park

2011-04-12T14:39:00.003-07:00

The link is to videos from the Eagle Mountain Bike park... Really awesome place to be near!
CLICK >>> EAGLE MOUNTAIN BIKE PARK

bike rack stolen!

2011-04-12T08:48:00.003-07:00

Roof rack stolen from my car last night sometime between 10 pm and 7:30 AM. It was locked on so the thieves may have a bit of experience doing this. Filed a claim with Tucson police and insurance. For anyone going to the swap meet this weekend or who likes to look around on craigslist, the setup is above.

the jersey color winner is...

2011-04-11T21:49:00.007-07:00

Charcoal Grey wins by a very narrow margin.

Here are the write in comments...
- Ocean is cool...Oranges...I like orange!
- redesign the entire jersey
- Redesign, dark green with a bolder blacker logo
- Yep definatley royal for the uk pirates

Please send me an email with the sizes of the jerseys you would like to order. You can find sizing info here... Primal Fit Guide

Custom Steel Frame Video: Soulcraft

2011-04-11T21:40:00.003-07:00

Thanks to cousin Sean for sending me a link to this video.

Here's what we bring on MTB rides...

2011-04-10T20:53:00.003-07:00

Thanks to those who participated in the survey. Click the pic to make it bigger.

Write in comments...
-Cell phone, Helmet...
-Giga Meter
-Raging calf muscles
-Toilet paper
-Tweezers, 3 X 16oz air canisters and 2 scopes1st Endurance EFS in water bottle with ice
-When in Idaho the needs are the same except the comb, no cacti here. When we rode in the mountains near Sun Valley we did bring bear repellant, too many sightings of bears not to be cautious.

E-HUB... is it the future?

2011-04-06T21:18:00.008-07:00

Ekstundo LTD. is a company out of Slovenia that has released an interesting new bicycle hub design. Basically, it looks like Ekstundo's E-HUB uses an internal spring to help redistribute power to the drivetrain during the "dead spots" of your pedal stroke. The company claims their E-HUB increases efficiency and performance (by reducing your required power output) by 7-10%.

It doesn't look like they have a US distributor at this time... but the hubs are showing up on EBay (presumably sold by Ekstundo) for around $600/ea. They have both road and mountain versions, currently being used in UCI sanctioned races, compatible with 8,9, & 10 speed Shimano, SRAM, and Campagnolo drivetrains. They also custom build the hubs to match your skill and yearly mileage specs. I couldn't find a weight for the hubs listed on their website, so I sent the company an inquiry. I'll let you know what they say in the response.

Esktundo LTD Website

E-HUB Discussion Thread

Race Face closing backstory

2011-04-06T07:54:00.001-07:00

north shore mountain bike article

mo money mo problems

Vote! Color options for Pirates Jersey.

2011-04-05T21:26:00.006-07:00

Charcoal Grey

Royal Blue

Ocean Blue

These are the color mock-ups we got from the guys over at Primal today. Please take a second to review the color options and vote on which color jersey you would like us to choose for the next run... click here

Lets Revisit Some Good Times

2011-04-05T17:58:00.002-07:00

Good Times! Lets get another Sedona trip together soon

Nate Dog with some tricks to show us!

What do you bring on mtn bike rides?

2011-04-03T21:02:00.005-07:00

Have you every struggled with a decision to bring or leave a piece of equipment on a mountain bike ride?

We're gathering some info and are interested in what you bring with you on every ride. Take 60 seconds and fill out this one question survey.

Click here... survery

You Should Probably Register For This!

2011-04-02T09:26:00.006-07:00

LANDIS CYCLERY BARN BURNER 104

Endurance Mountain Bike Event
Solo, 2-Person, 4-Person Teams
August 27th, 2011

2011 Barn Burner

U.K. Pirates 1st Event - EDP Ride For Life

2011-03-31T21:28:00.003-07:00

The first official event of our U.K. brethren under the Sonoran Pirates flag will be during the Eastern Daily Press Ride For Life in Thetford, England on May 15th. Good luck mates.

Details here... EDP Ride for LIfe

Sweet

2011-03-31T18:42:00.004-07:00

Just arrived... Sonoran Pirate stickers

2011-03-30T20:41:00.008-07:00

Just received an order of high quality vinyl silkscreened 4" x 3" Sonoran Pirates stickers from the guys over at Sticker Robot. In Tucson? drop in and get a few. Outside Tucson? send me your snail mail address and I'll get them to you.

Big ups to the Sticker Robot crew for making what appears to be a great product. You can check 'em out here... Sticker Robot

March 2011 Newsletter

2011-03-29T21:39:00.003-07:00

We sent out the first Sonoran Pirates newsletter via email this evening.

If you didn't receive it please send me your email address so we can add you to the distribution list.

Also, if you have any ideas on content for future newsletters please let us know.

Thanks! Magellan

Results Urban Assault Ride Tucson '11

2011-03-22T21:27:00.007-07:00

The results from Sunday's Urban Assault Ride in Tucson are posted... here.

highlights - pirates and friends...

COED 47 of 204 - Ed & Kelly (Maybe it's the pug in me)
COED 59 of 204 - Nick & Kristin (Istanbul not Constantinople)
COED 84 of 204 - Brad & Misty (Sonoran Pirates)
COED 85 of 204 - Joshua & Lacey (Sonoran Pirates - Ekipi Skenderbeau)
COED 86 of 204 - Jeff & Amber (Sonoran Pirates - Inglorious Wilsons)
MALE 66 of 120 - Nate & Jordan (Sonoran Pirates Ghost Faced Killas)
MALE 74 of 120 - Jake & Dave (Sonoran Pirates <3 Bacon)

New Seatpost from Paul Components

2011-03-21T21:58:00.003-07:00

Not the lightest option available but strong enough to survive cruise missile attacks if you happen to leave it in Libya...

Tech Info
Materials: 2024 Aluminum
Weight: 320g
Finish: Anodized or Polished Post, Anodized Clamp
Anodized Color: Silver or Black
Post Diameter: 27.2mm
Length: 360mm
Setback: 26mm
Cost: $102

Check it out here... Paul Components

2011 - New Belgium Urban Assault (Tucson)

2011-03-20T20:45:00.003-07:00

We had a strong Sonoran Pirate turn-out for the 2011 New Belgium Brewery Urban Assault Ride in Tucson today. Unfortunately, we weren't able to round up all the pirates for the pic (missing is Ed & Kelly). Big thanks to Betsy (aka la madre de los piratas) and congrats to Mistress Mindy (who joined the ranks today in her first pirate event). I'll post the results when they are published.
Urban Assault Ride

2011 UAR check in

2011-03-19T18:19:00.003-07:00

Think anyone noticed that there are a bunch of Sonoran Pirates riding in this years UAR? Sign up table 3 was ours.

p.s. Is that the beginning of a Sonoran Pirate stick person; tricorn and all?

Stealth Electric DH Bike

2011-03-19T15:26:00.002-07:00

Check it out

lay off the front brake

2011-03-18T09:31:00.000-07:00

BUCS 2011 X.C Carnage! from Joe Bowman on Vimeo.

best vid I've seen in a while

Urban Assault Ride (Tucson) Routing Tool

2011-03-17T22:04:00.006-07:00

I loaded all of the UAR stops (including 1702 Pizza & Beer which we think is the mystery stop) into mapquest's route planning tool. You can access this map/route at the link below and then move the stops around until you find a route that you think is disco.
http://mapq.st/eGyphQ

Not signed up for Sunday's event? Saturday is the last day to register. Details here... New Belgium

Come ride in Boise!

2011-03-17T14:57:00.000-07:00

FS: Lemond Poprad Cyclocross (57cm)

2011-03-14T22:44:00.003-07:00

Masa is selling his cross bike to fund a new ride (a lot of that going around these days). It's worth noting that this cyclocross bike has disc brakes (allowed according to UCI's and US Cycling's new rules on Cyclecross specs)! It's a great bike and fun to ride.

Check it out on craigslist here... Lemond Poprad

The pilot... from Hong Kong to Ray's Indoor

2011-03-13T21:26:00.005-07:00

My bro-in-law, the pilot and fellow pirate J-Son (seen here posing for a live art exhibit at an International Art show in Hong Kong) was lucky enough to ride Ray's Indoor Mountain Bike Park in Cleveland, Ohio today. Lucky bastard.

FS: Heckler ('08) & Chameleon ('09)

2011-03-13T21:02:00.004-07:00

Fellow pirate (Derek) from Idaho is selling a couple of his rides. He's willing to work with any pirates who are interested on price. Pics and links to his craigslist adds are below...

2008 Santa Cruz Heckler on craigslist here... Heckler

2009 Santa Cruz Chameleon on craigslist here... Chameleon

RaceFace is closing shop...

2011-03-12T07:13:00.003-07:00

News is starting to spread in the blogosphere about RaceFace closing shop within the next few weeks. Confirmed this morning by both Bike Biz and PinkBike. It is a sad day in the world of fat tires.

Another Tucson Groupon Deal

2011-03-08T15:03:00.003-07:00

Here's another deal for the Tucson folks