Support hardtail party and save some money by shopping using these links: RSDBikes.com - 5% off any bike. Use code "party" Tasco-mtb.com - 10% off everything - use coupon code "party". CushCore.com - 15% off everything using coupon code: "HTparty19" Ryan Leech Connection: $19 off - use coupon code "hardtailparty"
Nice video man 👍👍. Too bad you couldn't ride with some of the Texas UA-camrs. There are quite a few there. Good thing there is Trail Forks so you don't get too lost 😁.
Dogs are so amazing ever ask why your dog always wants to be in front?? Because they are making sure they scope out any danger that could be coming for their best friend ❤️❤️❤️best creature on the planet!!!!!!
Great video man. Riding with others is usually the way to go but riding by yourself can be good therapy too. Who would have guessed Texas would have such awesome trails!
Awesome videos every single time dude!Thanks for the energy shared in every motion, going up or down the hill. Love the last part collecting your camera after riding hahaha. Big fan and hardtail rider from Chile (nice mountains and trails too) Congratulations for the channel !!
Thanks! I have shirts ready to go: shop.spreadshirt.com/hardtailparty All the info is on hardtailparty.com. stickers are coming soon ... Thanks for watching. wear your hardtail party swag with pride, you're part of the party now.
Cool terrain. Reminds me of rockville except we have volcanic tuff and conglomerates instead of what looks like limestone over there. Thanks for the video!
Sadly I learned that lesson the hard way. I didn't know which trails to hit, so I just looked at trail ratings on mtbproject and trailforks. I missed out on Jaws.
Nice! Very easy place to get lost for sure. Wish you could have found all the good Enduro stages. Way to hit the double drop on Super D and even on a hardtail!
I wish I could have too. I could tell there were a few great spots in there, but I couldn't find them. It's funny how weak that double drop looks on camera. :)
@@tylerroberts4645 Dang, I'm sad we missed you. Thanks so much for the invite. I don't think we'll be back anytime soon, but I'll definitely hit you up if we do pass back through. I know there are some real gems we missed.
you read it correctly. I'd point out that words have meaning and if the rules are changed, one needs to make it clear on the rule board.... LONG LIVE TRAIL DOGS!
I ride solo a lot, most of the time, always frustrating when parks and trail systems are so utterly confusing. Spend all that time hacking a trail, zero time hanging a $5 sign to show you what's what. It's especially galling on a trail that you pay to ride. I haven't ridden there, but I'll be mounting the phone if I do, lol.
Yup. I'm using the Dakine Hot Laps 5L: amzn.to/2WeJfqE It holds 2L of water and a good amount of gear. It flops around a bit, but I like it enough. I added a camelbak bite valve and a hose quick disconnect. I also have an Evoc Hip Pack Race 3L: amzn.to/2Wa2pOy It only holds 1.5L, and not much gear, but it sits much tighter on the waist, it doesn't bounce around, and it's more comfortable It feels better built than the Dakine, but I primarily use the Dakine because it holds so much more water. For short rides I'll take this. Good luck.
Nice video Steve! Hey Steve I was hoping you can help me: I have a Chameleon and thinking about upgrading my fork. I see that you had a Fox 36 on yours. Any suggestions? Thanks
I'd be happy to help. Which fork did your Chameleon come with? What don't you like about the stock fork? What are you trying to accomplish? I actually just bought a new fork today for my middle child. I got a rockshox pike 150mm 29er. The pike is my favorite fork for 150mm travel and less. The fox 36 isn't bad, but it's a lot of fork and it's a half pound heavier than a 34. For 130mm and under, a fox 34 is a great option too. I also love the cane creek helm. I haven't ridden a DVO more than a couple times, but people swear by those too. I'd love to test/review a DVO someday. When choosing a fork, it's helpful to know: 1) what's your budget? 2) how heavy are you? (over 180 lbs will definitely benefit from 35-36mm stanchions. Under 180 lbs? a Fox 34 may be best) 3) how much travel do you want? (more travel puts more stress on the fork, requiring a heavier fork. Under 140mm, a pike, revelation, fox 34 will be good. Over 150mm, you'll want a 36, lyric/yari, or other similarly beefy fork. 4) which offset do you want to run? I've been loving slack bikes with short offset forks lately, but it's really only a few mm, so it doesn't make a HUGE difference. I'd be happy to make recommendations based on your answers. For budget forks, the Fox Rhythm, marzocchi z2, xfusion, and revelation/yari forks are great forks for the money. Kashima coating on a fox is a complete joke and waste of money. It's more for looks and bragging rights than anything. I'll never buy a kashima coated anything. Hope that helps.
Thanks for quick response. The bike came with a Fox 34 Rhythm with 130mm of travel set up with 27.5 plus tires. It seems like a decent fork but I’m 200 pounds and I think I can use something a little more stiffer. I’m also have trouble getting it dialed and I’m blowing through the travel on my descends. I’ve added two air tokens and I noticed a little change but not much. Budget wise I don’t want to go over 900 and that’s pushing it a bit. Travel wise I think 140-150 is a nice place for the trails I ride. Offset - stock chameleon r+ build. I have no clue on the actual mm. I’m a little green in that area. Thanks for taking the time to help me out, I really appreciate it.
@@derekmann4317 Great info. You can pretty much get whatever fork you want for that price. This is the fork to have lately: www.fanatikbike.com/collections/all/products/fox-36-float-29-fit-grip2-evol-15x110-boost-performance-elite-44mm-offset-2020?variant=16094519164974 Some people like the bling of kashima and pay more for that, but there's no reason to. The Rockshox Yari/Lyric is also a great option as well. The yari has the same chassis as the lyric, it just has a differet damper. A lot of people will buy a yari and put an avalanche damper in it and have a killer setup. The Cane Creek Helm and DVO Diamond are fantastic as well. Any of these would be good. Regardless of which fork you get, you're going to need a good shock pump (I recommend this one: amzn.to/2MgTgzg) and you're going to want to get really good at adjusting your fork. None of these forks will work great if they're not adjusted right. As you learn how to adjust it, you'll start realizing what each adjustment feels like and how to get the fork to perform how you want. Sorry if you already know how to adjust a fork, I always assume it's good to review the basics in case someone reads this who doesn't know how. On the chameleon (and most bikes), the bigger your fork travel, the worse it'll climb, and the higher the BB will be. The good news is that the head angle will get slacker, which that bike really needs. Best of luck.
Pikes are my favorite fork. I love how high they ride in their travel. They give me something to push against in berms, off jumps, and just popping off manuals. Fox forks sag into their travel a little more than the pike, and the MRPs sag into the travel even more, but they're super plush. I actually don't love the feel of a plush fork 90% of the time. I've had pikes on a lot of bikes and they just have my favorite feel. They're more supportive than any other fork I've ridden. They don't dive when braking or getting your weight forward. The cane creek helm is the plushest fork I've ever ridden, so if you're looking for plush, check one of those out. It felt really solid when I test rode the helm. At 200 lbs and 150mm travel, you'd probably prefer the stiffer chassis of the lyrik over the pike. At 140mm you'd be fine on a pike.
This is a dakine hot laps pack. I have a fanny pack shootout review video coming soon with a handful of different packs. The dakine pack is decent, but there are 5 or so that I love more.
Depends on the terrain and what I want it to feel like. 13-20 psi. I'll go up to 35 psi for a pumo track for s faster roll. Keep in mind that I run cushcore front and back.
@@hardtailparty Thanks it helped me a lot i have a similar + sized bike and i just started to play with the tyre pressures. I had no idea where to start.
@@renearrieta5204 even though I have a sealed headset, i just pulled everything apart and greaed the cups, bearings, and cone washers. It's gone now. If you wash your bike too frequently or leave it outsieldr it'll creak like this.
@@desertratmtb Sadly they don't make a 27.5x3.0 DHF. They do make a 29x3.0 though. I prefer the DHR2 front and back, but it might be too draggy for some people.
The clicking is my shifter. I shift every few seconds on trails like this. I've also got a creak in my headset. Sorry about that! The camera amplified it more than normal. It took me a few weeks to track down the headset creak. Unfortunately the next few videos will feature my creaky headset. I eventually found it, pulled it apart, greased it up, and now it's silent. I hate a creaky bike!
Support hardtail party and save some money by shopping using these links:
RSDBikes.com - 5% off any bike. Use code "party"
Tasco-mtb.com - 10% off everything - use coupon code "party".
CushCore.com - 15% off everything using coupon code: "HTparty19"
Ryan Leech Connection: $19 off - use coupon code "hardtailparty"
I gotta give you hella props for the logo, best logo ive ever seen
Nice video man 👍👍. Too bad you couldn't ride with some of the Texas UA-camrs. There are quite a few there. Good thing there is Trail Forks so you don't get too lost 😁.
How long will you be in Texas? Gotta cone to Houston.
@@sto1vall I post all my ride meetups on instagram. Sadly I didn't have any takers while I was in Texas. I'm now back in AZ.
Dogs are so amazing ever ask why your dog always wants to be in front?? Because they are making sure they scope out any danger that could be coming for their best friend ❤️❤️❤️best creature on the planet!!!!!!
Great ride. You're attitude is always so uplifting. You seem to find the fun in any trail. That's awesome.
Great video man. Riding with others is usually the way to go but riding by yourself can be good therapy too. Who would have guessed Texas would have such awesome trails!
Fab video. I always look forward to hard tail party and dusty Betty's videos. Thank you . And I love fender too. What a lovely dog
Thanks Elly. Dusty betty and Fender are such good companions.
Awesome videos every single time dude!Thanks for the energy shared in every motion, going up or down the hill. Love the last part collecting your camera after riding hahaha. Big fan and hardtail rider from Chile (nice mountains and trails too) Congratulations for the channel !!
Oh man, I'd love to ride Chile one day. Thanks for the kind words!
You are part of the reason I got a hard tail and created my channel
Sweet. Welcome to the UA-cam and Hardtail parties.
hardtail party
got me going for an hardtail too 👍
Thanks for the video.
Any plans for Hardtail Party shirts/stickers? Sure I'm not the only one interested. Great logo, btw.
Thanks! I have shirts ready to go: shop.spreadshirt.com/hardtailparty
All the info is on hardtailparty.com. stickers are coming soon ... Thanks for watching. wear your hardtail party swag with pride, you're part of the party now.
Great video. I'm a local, been out there several times and always get lost. Would be impossible solo without GPS. Beautiful place.
Fender ! Fender needs his own GoPro ! Nice riding . Good job.
Looks fun! I dig those rocky trails.
It was a good time, but not as fun as Prescott or somo
Cool terrain. Reminds me of rockville except we have volcanic tuff and conglomerates instead of what looks like limestone over there. Thanks for the video!
Really like your videos...I love hard-tails
Rocky trails look more like your cup of tea. That hardtail goes everywhere and anywhere.
I love rocky trails.
That was awesome looked like there is some really sick stuff
Good ride, wish I wasn't busy that day I woulda met ya there!
Great place to go when Spider Mountain bike park is shut down due to rain. Def can mark the trails better though.
Local here. Reveille is definitely a place where you need someone to show you around. I hope you hit race loop and Jaws before you left.
Sadly I learned that lesson the hard way. I didn't know which trails to hit, so I just looked at trail ratings on mtbproject and trailforks. I missed out on Jaws.
Steve I absolutely would have shown you around!
Nice! Very easy place to get lost for sure. Wish you could have found all the good Enduro stages. Way to hit the double drop on Super D and even on a hardtail!
I wish I could have too. I could tell there were a few great spots in there, but I couldn't find them. It's funny how weak that double drop looks on camera. :)
@@hardtailparty Next time you guys come through hit me up and I will show you all the goodies around Austin. ty@findhomeaustin.com
@@tylerroberts4645 Dang, I'm sad we missed you. Thanks so much for the invite. I don't think we'll be back anytime soon, but I'll definitely hit you up if we do pass back through. I know there are some real gems we missed.
you read it correctly. I'd point out that words have meaning and if the rules are changed, one needs to make it clear on the rule board.... LONG LIVE TRAIL DOGS!
I ride solo a lot, most of the time, always frustrating when parks and trail systems are so utterly confusing. Spend all that time hacking a trail, zero time hanging a $5 sign to show you what's what. It's especially galling on a trail that you pay to ride. I haven't ridden there, but I'll be mounting the phone if I do, lol.
Nice video Steve you'll need to train Fender up to collect your 3rd person cameras
Great idea!
I ride there a few times a month... TX trails are often poorly labeled, getting lost or loosing flow is common. Trail guides or pros make it fun.
Excellent!
Can I ask what waist pack your using? Need to replace my Camal pack for the hot summers. Thanks
Yup. I'm using the Dakine Hot Laps 5L: amzn.to/2WeJfqE
It holds 2L of water and a good amount of gear. It flops around a bit, but I like it enough. I added a camelbak bite valve and a hose quick disconnect.
I also have an Evoc Hip Pack Race 3L: amzn.to/2Wa2pOy
It only holds 1.5L, and not much gear, but it sits much tighter on the waist, it doesn't bounce around, and it's more comfortable It feels better built than the Dakine, but I primarily use the Dakine because it holds so much more water. For short rides I'll take this. Good luck.
Nice video Steve! Hey Steve I was hoping you can help me: I have a Chameleon and thinking about upgrading my fork. I see that you had a Fox 36 on yours. Any suggestions? Thanks
I'd be happy to help. Which fork did your Chameleon come with? What don't you like about the stock fork? What are you trying to accomplish? I actually just bought a new fork today for my middle child. I got a rockshox pike 150mm 29er. The pike is my favorite fork for 150mm travel and less. The fox 36 isn't bad, but it's a lot of fork and it's a half pound heavier than a 34. For 130mm and under, a fox 34 is a great option too. I also love the cane creek helm. I haven't ridden a DVO more than a couple times, but people swear by those too. I'd love to test/review a DVO someday.
When choosing a fork, it's helpful to know:
1) what's your budget?
2) how heavy are you? (over 180 lbs will definitely benefit from 35-36mm stanchions. Under 180 lbs? a Fox 34 may be best)
3) how much travel do you want? (more travel puts more stress on the fork, requiring a heavier fork. Under 140mm, a pike, revelation, fox 34 will be good. Over 150mm, you'll want a 36, lyric/yari, or other similarly beefy fork.
4) which offset do you want to run? I've been loving slack bikes with short offset forks lately, but it's really only a few mm, so it doesn't make a HUGE difference.
I'd be happy to make recommendations based on your answers. For budget forks, the Fox Rhythm, marzocchi z2, xfusion, and revelation/yari forks are great forks for the money. Kashima coating on a fox is a complete joke and waste of money. It's more for looks and bragging rights than anything. I'll never buy a kashima coated anything. Hope that helps.
Thanks for quick response. The bike came with a Fox 34 Rhythm with 130mm of travel set up with 27.5 plus tires. It seems like a decent fork but I’m 200 pounds and I think I can use something a little more stiffer. I’m also have trouble getting it dialed and I’m blowing through the travel on my descends. I’ve added two air tokens and I noticed a little change but not much.
Budget wise I don’t want to go over 900 and that’s pushing it a bit. Travel wise I think 140-150 is a nice place for the trails I ride.
Offset - stock chameleon r+ build. I have no clue on the actual mm. I’m a little green in that area.
Thanks for taking the time to help me out, I really appreciate it.
@@derekmann4317 Great info. You can pretty much get whatever fork you want for that price. This is the fork to have lately:
www.fanatikbike.com/collections/all/products/fox-36-float-29-fit-grip2-evol-15x110-boost-performance-elite-44mm-offset-2020?variant=16094519164974
Some people like the bling of kashima and pay more for that, but there's no reason to.
The Rockshox Yari/Lyric is also a great option as well. The yari has the same chassis as the lyric, it just has a differet damper. A lot of people will buy a yari and put an avalanche damper in it and have a killer setup. The Cane Creek Helm and DVO Diamond are fantastic as well. Any of these would be good.
Regardless of which fork you get, you're going to need a good shock pump (I recommend this one: amzn.to/2MgTgzg) and you're going to want to get really good at adjusting your fork. None of these forks will work great if they're not adjusted right. As you learn how to adjust it, you'll start realizing what each adjustment feels like and how to get the fork to perform how you want. Sorry if you already know how to adjust a fork, I always assume it's good to review the basics in case someone reads this who doesn't know how.
On the chameleon (and most bikes), the bigger your fork travel, the worse it'll climb, and the higher the BB will be. The good news is that the head angle will get slacker, which that bike really needs. Best of luck.
hardtail party thanks! I was looking at the Elite, so this is great. How do you like the Pike?
Pikes are my favorite fork. I love how high they ride in their travel. They give me something to push against in berms, off jumps, and just popping off manuals. Fox forks sag into their travel a little more than the pike, and the MRPs sag into the travel even more, but they're super plush. I actually don't love the feel of a plush fork 90% of the time.
I've had pikes on a lot of bikes and they just have my favorite feel. They're more supportive than any other fork I've ridden. They don't dive when braking or getting your weight forward. The cane creek helm is the plushest fork I've ever ridden, so if you're looking for plush, check one of those out. It felt really solid when I test rode the helm.
At 200 lbs and 150mm travel, you'd probably prefer the stiffer chassis of the lyrik over the pike. At 140mm you'd be fine on a pike.
Hey Steve, Can I know what kind of mtb fanny pack you have on in this video?
This is a dakine hot laps pack. I have a fanny pack shootout review video coming soon with a handful of different packs. The dakine pack is decent, but there are 5 or so that I love more.
normally what tyre pressure do you use on ethos plus sized wheals ?
Depends on the terrain and what I want it to feel like. 13-20 psi. I'll go up to 35 psi for a pumo track for s faster roll. Keep in mind that I run cushcore front and back.
@@hardtailparty Thanks it helped me a lot i have a similar + sized bike and i just started to play with the tyre pressures. I had no idea where to start.
cool place
What's making that noise? Saddle?
it took me a few weeks to pinpoint it. It was dry headset cups.
@@hardtailparty I have been chasing a similar noise for a month, I guess I'll have to re-check the headset. Thanks man!
@@renearrieta5204 even though I have a sealed headset, i just pulled everything apart and greaed the cups, bearings, and cone washers. It's gone now. If you wash your bike too frequently or leave it outsieldr it'll creak like this.
>.> I should have taken the day off of work and come rid with y'all. Then go out for margaritas and queso!
#NextTime
Cool place. I bet it would be better if you knew where to go!
Are you riding on 3.0s
3.0 up front, 2.8 out back. I can't find a 3.0 rear tire I love yet. I wish they made the dhr2 in a 27.5x3.0
hardtail party thanks. I was thinking of using the DHF in front and back 😂
@@desertratmtb Sadly they don't make a 27.5x3.0 DHF. They do make a 29x3.0 though. I prefer the DHR2 front and back, but it might be too draggy for some people.
Had some crazy loud clicking going on this video. Know what it is? Keep this channel going strong!
yeah that's brutal
The clicking is my shifter. I shift every few seconds on trails like this. I've also got a creak in my headset. Sorry about that! The camera amplified it more than normal. It took me a few weeks to track down the headset creak. Unfortunately the next few videos will feature my creaky headset. I eventually found it, pulled it apart, greased it up, and now it's silent. I hate a creaky bike!
Note 9? Hahaha
Fender must be using the best suspension he's so smooth 💪💪
Steve be careful there sum wild bores out that way
hm... good to know. We didn't see any wildlife aside from cows that day.