So I decided I would see how the Moose-stang likes to play in the dirt. I've never brought the bike down to an off-road trail before, but I did try a track off of Singapore Polytechnic on my Marin Muirwoods once.
I didn't like it.
This time around, with a smaller, more comfortable frame, the Moose-stang proves why getting the right equipment is essential to enjoy the great outdoors properly.
The story at 6. But first, gratuitious shots of the 'Stang.
These pictures aren't just purely gratuitious. They represent the last time in a long while that I have the 'Stang properly cleaned and polished. I don't know if I will have the time to clean it up properly after this.
Besides I do like the look of dirt. Mountain bikes ought to be dirty. It means they are being used, as they are meant to be used.
Because of where I stay, a lot of you are probably wondering why I haven't done this sooner. Bukit Timah is a mere 4 kilos away from where I stay.
It just simply never occured to me.
The ride there took all of ten minutes or less and I arrived with plenty of fresh energy from the rain, and all set to take on the hill, on its own terms.
Which is to say, muddy, dirty, and very wet.
On 2nd thought, I shouldn't have worn slippers. They... slip. Like a lot.
I think this is a good time to note that the Moose-stang is not a conventionally configured mountain bicycle. The fenders and rear rack give away the commuter and tour status, but less obvious is the frame geometry.
The rear triangle is tight and smallish, and it transfers power from my legs to the rear wheel extremely efficiently. However, the long top tube and relatively shallow slope angle means that the bike is not as race-oriented as most hard-core mountain bikes you can get off the rack. But they add to a longer wheelbase for better stability. This bike rolls on rails.
The modest top tube slope means I won't be stressing my body as much on a long trip touring.
Or so I hope. I may have to get a shorter stem.
I'm using this bike for the tour I'm planning, because while I want a bike that can do everything from trails to roads, I don't particularly like hybrids.
Let's put the bike through the off-road test today shall we. Can it, or won't it, scale a hill?
Below: About twenty minutes of slow riding (boy, there sure is a lot of mud) I arrived at the first map.
Below: Where I been.
Below: Where I going.
Below: Moose-stang seemed eager to press on.
And I soon found out why. Never having been to the trail before, it took me by surprise to see this:
Where I been:
Awesome. Ladies and Gentlemen, this is why I want to tour on my bicycle.
But the road beckons.
Then, disaster struck.
Using my compass to orient myself on the map:
Getting stuck in the mud. (Note to Self: Self, don't be wishy-washy when it comes to mud ponds. Build up some speed and ride the heck through them. That's what freaking mudguards are for.)
The King of the Hill.
Dirt Bike.
So the Moose-stang survived Bukit Timah, muddy, no less. I enjoyed it tremendously. The brakes made a sound like only a Moose-stang would make, as though it was mating season, but I'm not about to put the 'Stang out to stud duty yet.
Here, you can see all the mud that's caked up:
What I would do better.
First, better tires for the rear, and proper footwear, like below. The tires were semi slicks and really had no place in mud or dirt.
I should really have packed my water bottle along too. And tightened my waist pouch a little more to accomodate getting off and on the seat so often.
It was a sweet day of singletrack riding. I'll be back next weekend.
The Verdict:
Yes. The Moose-stang is fully capable of traversing dirt trails, from really steep inclines to the muddiest downhills. And far from being a really crummy fork, the first generation Rockshox Quadra fork performs admirably. Granted, I'm not bombing down the trail like there's no tomorrow, and like my ass is on fire.
But who would do that on a fully loaded bike anyway?
That's all I guess. Seacrest, out!
No comments:
Post a Comment