# my first ride report, bear with me



## nbrennan (Feb 19, 2007)

I woke up this morning and it was snowing... i thought i'd go for a ride

i bought my surly lht just recently. i am riding the transamerica route this summer with a friend from highschool. i wasn't expecting to get a bike that could conceivably replace all the bikes i own. there was probably about 4" of snow. 

<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/ferrouswheels/2200715642/" title="Long Haul Trucker by ferrouswheels, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2361/2200715642_509ecf70ef_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="Long Haul Trucker" /></a>

<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/ferrouswheels/2200715254/" title="First Tracks by ferrouswheels, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2264/2200715254_d35f4dd3de_b.jpg" width="768" height="1024" alt="First Tracks" /></a>

<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/ferrouswheels/2200714196/" title="Hilltop Hairpin by ferrouswheels, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2286/2200714196_c87fe4ce83_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="Hilltop Hairpin" /></a>
my friend was on his fixed gear mountain bike

<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/ferrouswheels/2199918579/" title="Sweet new whip by ferrouswheels, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2166/2199918579_cebe8ced88_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="Sweet new whip" /></a>
surly lht with the wheelset off of my mom's trek. 2.1" nobbies fit comfortably enough. if anyone is wondering, the aardvark saddle cover sold in QBP is *not anywhere NEAR waterproof*, despite their claims. it acted like a damn sponge and nearly destroyed my brooks b17. disclaimer: i'm not actually this short, but i'm definitely not tall.

<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/ferrouswheels/2199918325/" title="Patapsco by ferrouswheels, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2092/2199918325_7eabbed0c4_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="Patapsco" /></a>
a view across the patapsco river valley


we hit a mix of road and mountain bike trails. if you are from the baltimore area, or come here to ride and want the route lemme know. i was able to almost clean cascade trail in patapsco state park. i dabbed once and kept rolling, it was a blast. i hit all the log hops and rock gardens with no problems. the lht mountain biked extremely well and handled the road just fine. snow is great, but i want to start the tour!


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## nbrennan (Feb 19, 2007)

hmm.. thought the pictures would show up, instead of the links... i'll work on that

edit: fixed, and don't you dare make fun on the spoke protector or wheel reflectors.


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## llama31 (Jan 13, 2006)

Hey, I'm in Baltimore too. Where did you ride...Robert E Lee? Loch Raven?

Looks like fun. Cool bike.


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## FlynG (Aug 23, 2006)

We hardly ever get snow anymore so I enjoy the scenery shots. Did you get any sliding action shots?


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## nbrennan (Feb 19, 2007)

we rode the cascade trail in patapsco state park. we rode down hilltop from fredrick, and then up bonnie branch and down landing, where we picked up the single track. the trail starts right off landing road and goes down to the swinging bridge. loch raven is a popular nite/snow riding spot, but i wasn't up to braving the beltway.

yep, we were sliding all over the place. its hard to manage a camera when in a 2 wheel drift though. here is one action shot,
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/ferrouswheels/2199918447/" title="Skid by ferrouswheels, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2057/2199918447_666d82c2b2_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="Skid" /></a>

you didn't even have to touch your brakes to initiate a skid. after you've been mountain biking for a while you learn to throw your weight around to scrub the tire and bleed off some speed without hitting the brakes. leaning into a corner hard and pressing through it with the inside half of your handle bar was more than enough to get the front wheel sliding, and forcing the bb into a turn easily fishtailed the rear end. here is a front wheel skid mark, straight through to the pavement;
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/ferrouswheels/2200065021/" title="front wheel scrub by ferrouswheels, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2022/2200065021_0c2bcee5a5_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="front wheel scrub" /></a>


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## llama31 (Jan 13, 2006)

Aha, Patapsco. Never tried it in the snow, but I do Loch Raven every now and then. I know Patapsco well, though.


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## thebadger (Jul 27, 2002)

A friend of mind loves her long haul trucker. Hope you like it as much.


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## zeytin (May 15, 2004)

Nice pics, looks like a great ride. What kind of handlebars are those?
It's nice to see another Baltimorian on RBR. Cheers,


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## nbrennan (Feb 19, 2007)

the long haul trucker is a great bike. its nice to have a road worthy rig that doesn't have many terrain-imposed limitations.

the handle bar is a first generation Jeff Jones H-bar. Its very comfortable and offers a lot of usable hand positions. i had a mustache bar on my redline 925, and liked it, but found that it really only offered one hand position that i liked (the palms-in position on the back-swept portions, the curves and center were too narrow). 
the jones bar gives you a nice flat center and very ergonomic rearward extensions. the forward protrusions are also quite handy for grasping and mounting various bits like lights, computer, brakes, shifters, etc. 
if i had my way, the bar would have a backsweep across the center, like on the nitto noodle bar. i swear i can feel the bar flex over curbs and log hops and the like, but that may just be the budding curmudgeon in me... (in us all?)
i plan on moving the bar end shifters up to the front of the bar, just so if i crash (again) they'll be less likely to take the brunt of the impact.

http://www.jonesbikes.com/update/hbar/index.html


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## MarkS (Feb 3, 2004)

zeytin said:


> Nice pics, looks like a great ride. What kind of handlebars are those?
> It's nice to see another Baltimorian on RBR. Cheers,


That's BALTIMOREAN, moreon. 

NOTE: I rarely, if ever, comment on things like this, but given that Z is a high school English teacher, I just could not resist. And, she is a friend. I only give sh!t to my friends. 


AND, I concur with Z -- it always nice to see another BALTIMOREAN on RBR.


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## nonsleepingjon (Oct 18, 2002)

I haven't ridden in the snow since I lived up that way. Great report - keep 'em coming!


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## undies (Oct 13, 2005)

Looks like fun, great pics!


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## zeytin (May 15, 2004)

MarkS said:


> That's BALTIMOREAN, moreon.
> 
> NOTE: I rarely, if ever, comment on things like this, but given that Z is a high school English teacher, I just could not resist. And, she is a friend. I only give sh!t to my friends.
> 
> ...



Thanks Mark:blush2: I knew it looked wrong but I've been stairing at my students crazy writing so long I didn't check....lol
Of course some would say Baltimoreon or Baltimoron....but that's another story.:thumbsup:


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## superjohnny (May 16, 2006)

Very cool. Love the LHT with 26" mtb tires. The folks at Surly would be proud.


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 20, 2007)

Yup. Nice bike, nice ride, nice pics. Perfect!


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