New Bike Day at Buffalo Creek

Is blogging still a thing?

So there I was, drinking beer and looking at the internet. What ever happened to my blog..... I don't think people even realize that I race mountain bikes for a living. I think people know me as that guy who posts weekly POV videos on YouTube about riding on the edge of some scary cliff in the desert. I am a Vlogger now, do I really need a blog? Well, after a two-year hiatus, I just turned it back on because it made me smile. Let me know what you guys think. Times were simpler then. More projects, more problems. Wouldn't trade it for anything.

New Bike Day | Buffalo Creek

5/4/2018

7 Comments

New bike day is always special. #followcamfriday chasing James Weingarten on Blackjack at Buffalo Creek. 100mm travel, what could go wrong?

Now that I am back in Colorado for a bit, I am trying to tick off some of the classics that the fans have been asking for. New Zealand was amazing and I can't wait to go back next year. That said, Buffalo Creek is a pleasant reminder of how much I love Colorado. It's nice to be home.

Not only are we riding one of the sweetest trails in Colorado this week, I just built a fresh bike. New bike day is always a treat. My new Yeti SB100 is the shortest travel bike I have owned since riding a hardtail 12 years ago. Is it up to the task of handling business on Blackjack? I figure taking my smallest bike on one of Colorado's rowdiest trails is a great way shake out the kinks.

It's always a pleasure to ride with James. The man has more skill in his pinky finger than I possess in my entire body. Nose game on lock. Legend has it that he has been spotted riding around Denver without a rear wheel..... Can anyone confirm? James runs a tee shirt business that donates 8$ from every sale to a different animal charity each week. Instead of having 8 beers at the bar, maybe just have 6 and buy a shirt for good cause, haha. Check it out HERE

Raspberry Ridge and Blackjack are some of the most technical sanctioned trails that exist in Colorado. Everyone has been asking for this one, so here you go. Go ride these lines. The rock here has grip for days. It will tear the skin off of your body if you mess up, but, don't do that...

And now for the question of can a 100mm bike handle Blackjack.... I was very naughty and basically rode disrespectfully with my new bike. Everything to flat, all the hard lines, basically complete disregard for intended category. And you know what? The bike blew me away. The rear end is stiff, the head angle is perfect in my opinion with a 130mm fork and this thing acceleratetes like non-other. I was honestly amazed at what I could do with this "XC" bike. I am a hucker. This is my XC bike. Technology is amazing.

Full disclosure, I am a Yeti athlete, so take all of this with a grain of salt if you must. I get it. But if I am being honest, this may be my new Colorado secret weapon. Light, stiff and fast as fuck. Pretty much everything I am looking for in a bike most of the time. I am a big believer in the driver over the car, and I fully realize that not everyone could get away with riding an XC bike like this. I can, and I love it.

I am racing in Moab this weekend at round one of the Enduro Cup at Klondike Bluff. I will be racing my new bike. I am fortunate to have a quiver to choose from and I will be racing the 100. Wish me luck!
See you on the trail!

7 Comments

dan

5/7/2018 10:51:26 am

Obviously the SB100 is new and Yeti wants more exposure, but after Moab (congrats on 2nd) what are your thoughts on the 100 vs the other options you could've had. Thanks.

Nate

5/7/2018 08:03:36 pm

Hey Dan. I can race which ever bike I choose and have no pressure from Yeti to race the 100. They don't really care. I chose this bike because the Moab tracks have a bunch of pedaling, so I wanted something snappy. That said, the tracks are also some of the roughest in the states at speed. I wanted to see what the little bike could do. I know it pedals really well and accelerates fast. It's ability to ride through Chunder and square edges really surprised me. The 100 feels very similar to my 45. Slightly snappier and slightly less capable descending, as you would imagine. The long top tube on the 100 feels really good at speed and the new orientation of the switch link makes the rear end really stiff. I was definitely faster on this bike than I would have been on my 5 or 55. I bet the 45 would have yielded a similar result. More bikes, more problems, haha. JK, I am fortunate that Yeti has my back. Hope my ramblings help...

Frank

6/21/2018 11:43:24 am

Hi Nate,
nice SB100! I'm thinking about to build up an SB100 as my new Trail-Bike (not as an XC bike).
What hight are you and which frame size (stem length) do you ride?
I'm between M and L (1,78m / 5’11” hight).

Thank you and ride on!
Frank from Germany

Nate

6/21/2018 04:57:52 pm

Hey Frank, I am 5'9" and ride a Medium with a 50mm stem. Feels great. Good luck with the build, you will love the bike!!

Jae L

8/14/2018 12:57:56 pm

Hey Nate, love the videos! Hey I just got the sb100 and I have a question for you. Most people that have the bike seem to be coming from XC wanting a more capable bike. I'm a recovering "enduro bro" that was looking for something to get me to the downs easier. I'm loving the bike, but wanted to go with wide bars than the stock 760. I was also thinking going down to a 40 mm stem, have you tried anything like that? Does it defeat the purpose? Just wondering how much it affected the climbing capabilities before I spend money on another stem and bars.. Thanks in advance for any insight you might be able to provide!!!

Nate

8/15/2018 01:34:10 pm

Hey Jae. Hope you are enjoying the bike. I run 750mm bars and 50mm stems on all of my bikes. Its all personal preference. Run what feels good. If you like the feel of a short stem, go for it. It will affect climbing slightly but you will get used to it. I tend to optimize my bike for the downs to maximize fun. Hope that helps, see you out there!

Jae

8/15/2018 05:31:36 pm

Thanks so much for the response! Yea i’m torn. Part of the reason for getting this bike is the ease of climbing over my enduro bike. Thanks for the advice!

Is blogging still a thing?

New Bike Day | Buffalo Creek

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