Pain and progress

     I still see myself as young. Even at the ripe old age of 29 I feel  young. Ihave been the guinea pig on multiple occasions and have come out with nothing more than a few scratches and some funny stories.  My friends  joke me about how much I crash and why. They make fun of my rubber bones  and ability to roll out of any crash. But the years have taken their toll.  I seem to still have rubber bones, but the wounds inflicted on my body  seem to take just a few more days to heal. The sore shoulders and tweaked  joints just a tad more painful in the morning.  I had a friend tell me once  If you are not crashing, you are not riding hard enough. I guess I have been riding hard all my life.  I suppose there is a little truth to that,  but at the same time you need to wonder, when will I learn to stop the pain?
     A fresh new bike, a sticky trail and a beautiful May afternoon. What  could be better? My job affords me the opportunity to pursue my passion on  my mountain bike.  I am usually able to take the afternoon off, when I  like and head out for a ride. I was not about to let this gem of a day get away. So I packed up the car, got my bike and gear together and headed out for a climbfest on my new Goblin. I have had a few after work shakedown  rides and quite a few small runs around work. But I was looking for a real test  of this bikes ability. Like all of you know I am a new convert to the  29er scene. This day I decided to start with some long climbs, and long descents. I always tell the kids at work that you have to earn your  turns, and today would be no different. 1000ft climbing and a little more to  the valley floor on the other side of the mountain. It was going to be a  good day!           
     The day started off like most the long climb up the  mountain was uneventful. My only surprise was how fast I could complete my leg  burner on a 29er, and how many tough switchbacks I was able to clean. It¹s a  whole new world on the wagon wheels. After making it to the top I decided to  take a trip down the Gauntlet. A favorite trail of mine that follows a long  finger off the ridge and the curves around down to the valley floor. The  Gauntlet has 2 entrances. ³Old and New² I decided to take ³New Gauntlet² for a  spin. It is a singletrack dream. Fast ,smooth, buffed trails. Nice and tacky  and plenty of elevation to lose before it re-joins the old trail. I hit  all of it with stride. I may have been a little slower than I would have on a  full boat All MTN rig. Once you rejoin the trail you can either head up a  small freeride section of continue down the trail proper. Well my gravity  roots were calling. Why not see what this bike can handle. I know what your thinking, why are you going to go ride a 29er XC bike down a freeride  trail? That¹s stupid, the bike is not designed for that! I thought the same  things as I was cranking up the trail to get to the start of the features. I  guess my rots were in the mountain too deep. I can only stray so far from  the home my tires grew up on. I needed to try it, If only once.          
      5 minutes later I was laying in a heap at the end of a transition at the bottom of the trail. I made it down all the  features. Tables, kickers, straight gaps and some rock chatter. At the bottom of  the trail a new jump had been sculpted out of clay and dirt. It was  begging me to try it out. I should have known to wait till someone else was  there. But the thrill was in me and I needed to try it out.  Try it I did. And I  failed miserably. I carried way too much speed and I was too over confident  in my ability as well as the bike. I knew as soon as the rubber left the lip  that I had made a horrible mistake. I was way too high and it seemed like I  was not going to hit the ground again for weeks. When I finally did touch  down I was a little nose heavy. I would have landed perfect if I was another  6ft back on the lander. My hand blew off the bar and stars filled my eyes.  The all to familiar taste of blood and dirt were on my tongue and I was in  pain. I layed there for a while taking stock of what happened and trying to  figure out what was injured. My arm was bloody shoulder and hip were hurting  and my bell was ringing.
     20 minutes I was at the bottom of the mountain. I  was in pain but also in one piece. I cracked my helmet and I can only imagine what the other  riders were thinking when the passed me on my limp back to the car. I am  still nursing a little pain from that day.  My cuts are not entirely healed,  and I need a new AM Lid. But I don¹t regret a thing. I may be getting older  but I still have not learned how to stop. Getting hurt is part of the game.  It lets us know our limits and pushes us to be better. I don¹t think it  is a matter of riding hard enough or not. I like to think of pain as a  teacher. ³kind of the school of hard knocks for mountain bikers.².  it is going  to guide your decisions, and influence the way you ride. Different people require different teachers. Some need gentle guidance, and some  require a stern hand.  I may not be as young, and my bones are no longer rubber.  But for me the pain will never stop. It reminds me I am human, and I can  make mistakes. When I make it out of the woods with no pain I know there is nothing more I can learn. I think that will be a sad day.  For now I  will be ready. For the long days in the saddle and the pain that comes with  effort. I have a lot more lessons to learn, and the mountain is the only place  I can be taught.


P.S. In case anyone is wondering. Yes you can in fact,  whip a Goblin. Just be sure to catch the lander!

I was so wrong.....

It takes a real man to admit when he’s wrong. And I was, very wrong. I was
wrong at just about every one of my preconceived ideas on what this bike
would ride like. Wagon wheelers are by nature either super long trail
boats,  stable, slow cornering, slobbering beast’s that can plow over most
obstacles in their 700c path. Or they are twitchy, slightly uncontrollable,
neurotic messes. That was how it was. 29ers sucked, they would (A) never be
as much fun as a 26² bike. (B) have a sharp learning curve to work out all
the bikes quirks. And (C) never be as much fun as a 26² bike. Once I
threw my leg over the Goblin I knew all of that was completely un-true.
The first thing I noticed was the feeling on the bike. I am sure you have
been told ³some² 29ers will give you a “certain” feeling. Some will give you
the feeling of riding a horse sitting way too tall off the trail,
compensating for complicated linkage and all the bells and whistles.

The Goblin gives you the ³IN² the bike feeling  sitting in between the wheels
rather than 10ft above them. Initially when I got on the bike I felt
awkward. I am a die hard gravity rider. I have said it before and, well you
know how the rest goes. I like to climb and put in long days in the saddle.
But I live for the downs. The ³gnarsty² descents. So this high saddle, stiff
hardtail, big wheeler took me a few minutes to figure out. The first thing I
noticed pedaling out of the parking lot and getting onto the trail was the
feeling of acceleration. That was something I was not expecting. I guess a
stiff aluminum frame and no rear squish helps in that department. Easily
explained. Other than my parking lot observations above, I have had no prior
29er experience. Time to really shake this thing down. Lets see how the
goblin holds up to the east coast babyheads and roots!

Needless to say I came off the trail 2 hours later with a huge grin on my
face. I have been lied to all my life! Where was the slobbering Ox I thought
I was going to be piloting? Where was the twitchy nervous wreck? Yeah that¹s
right I was wrong. Completely wrong, and I was happy to admit it. The Goblin
was everything I wanted it to be and more. I am not going to bore you by the
science behind why I think it steered well, or what specific trait of the
geo gave the bike the snappy steering I was so surprised to find. I just
want you to know that it worked! I opted to give the bike an all out sampler
of trails. I planned out 12-15 miles of singletrack with a mixture of tight
tech, flowy goodness, lung busting climbs and some downright gnarly
descents. The bike came out about the same as it went in. I did put the
classic Dangerous Dan stamp on the bike, in the form of a few scratches in
the downtube from a tree that got a little too close to me in a flat corner.
Other than my classic frame testing the bike rode excellent. I was
pleasantly surprised in every area. The Goblin accelerates well and once you
are up and running the wagon wheels keep on rolling. I was a little nervous
about the cornering ability until I started throwing it into the turns.
While I like the SB8¹s this particular day was a little wet and the tires
just would not hold like I wanted them to. That is an easy change, but for
now the SB8¹s will work just fine as long as you have a small shoulder to
bite, and the confidence to put weight on the outside the bike holds like a
champ. The Tight twisty stuff is where I was the most surprised. I was able
to maneuver the bike much easier than I would have believed. The large
wheels were a bit tricky to master but once I had a few tech turns under the
rubber I got the hang of it.

I have made one change to my bike that I think made the transition from my
usual gravity/AM bike to the XC machine a little easier for me. Swapping the
stem to a 50mm gave me a slightly more playful feel. This is by no means a
suggestion. I rode the bike with the stock stem and found that the size 18²
bike I received was just a touch to long with the stock stem. It also had me
way to far over the bike for my taste. I find that a shorter stem lends
itself to my body position on the bike and my riding style. Other than that
my only plan is to set it up tubeless and start slaying single track.
Now who should buy this bike? Well ask yourself these questions and it may
help you decide.
1. Do you love to carve out large chunks of singletrack?

2. Do you like to clean technical climbs and roll over rocks and roots?

3. Do you enjoy finishing your ride with a wide smile on your face?

If you answered yes to all or any of the questions above then I can highly
recommend this 29er. This bike will work for beginners, or experienced
riders. XC, FR, DH riders, give it a shot, you will be surprised how much
fun it is to roll through the woods and climb on this machine. Check out
more info on Airborne Bikes website. www.airbornebicycles.com
<http://www.airbornebicycles.com>
On Facebook at www.facebook.com/#!/Airborne.bikes
<http://www.facebook.com/#!/Airborne.bikes>
And you can follow me in my random Bike wanderings on
Twitter @ #Ridedierepeat
Instagram @DannyStanny
And of course Facebook!
Comments? Please feel free to leave a note!

So you want to open a bike shop?

My life has been full of thoughts like, "what the heck am I doing". Most of
the time when I say that to myself I am on the verge of something big.
Sometimes the situations are good, sometimes they are bad. Sometimes they
are life changing, and sometimes I only think they are life changing.
Getting married to my wife was one of these situations. Even though I was
scared, I knew she was my soul mate. It was the best decision I have made to
date. Once again I am in that familiar "what the heck" place. This decision
is life changing, scary, and it is going to take myself, my family and
my best friends on a wild ride we will never forget.

A little over 2 years ago Chris and I hatched a plan. We wanted to open a
bike shop. In our minds that was the end all best scenario for our future.
We wanted to be involved with bikes and nothing was going to stop us. We
have learned a lot in the last 2 years and from that initial idea we have
molded our dream into an all too real reality. If anyone were to tell you
opening a small business is easy, they would be a blatant liar. There is a lot of this business I can't take responsibility for, but I can tell you
that it is far more difficult than anyone can imagine. There are so many
things to consider like insurance, dealers, products to carry, colors to paint
the walls, how to display products, a shop location, and eight thousand
other things that you can’t plan for. It has been a second job with no pay
and lousy hours. With the support of our friends and loved ones we have been
given the strength and the encouragement to lead us to where we are today.
Our dream is almost realized.

I have learned a lot in the last 6 months of setting up this business. I am
still new to this and have very limited experience. Having said that there
are some things you should know if you are thinking of a similar endeavor.
These are 5 things I think are important. Take them or leave them. They are
things I wish I knew 6 months ago!

First, you will always encounter negative thinking. We still get a lot of
negative comments regarding our vision. The key word there is OUR vision.
It is hard to explain your dream to someone that does not understand. So
always keep your head up and take everything with a grain of salt. If you
work hard and keep your vision on the trail ahead- you are going to succeed
in accomplishing your goal.
Second, It will cost you about 3 times more than you can budget for. We are
lucky to be in a situation where we are well funded. The best advice I have
is to plan ahead for everything! That’s including the paper towels you are
using to wipe your greasy pizza hands after a long night of painting.
Third, call in favors! No matter what business you may want to open, you
will have a valuable resource that is cheap to employ. It will work late
hours with you, and it only requires pizza and beverages to keep it going.
What is this mystery tool? Your buddies! Studies have shown that friends
help friends start businesses. We have leaned extensively on our friends and
family. Many of the things we have accomplished would never have been
possible without our friends and family.
Fourth, NETWORK! I happen to think this is one of my best attributes. Never
underestimate the power of meeting people. The guy buying a cup of coffee in
front of you at Starbucks may be an investor, a graphic designer, a lawyer,
or an accountant. These are all valuable assets that you can use in any
startup business. Keep your eyes and ears open. Talk to friends and ask if
they know people that can help. Chances are if you are starting something
local they will want to help in exchange for products services or
discounts.
Fifth, support is key. Friends and family can provide you the boost you need
when your feeling down. Things happen, and sometimes you will be blindsided
by unforeseen circumstances. Lean on the people you care about. If they care
about you they will boost you back up and make sure you get back on track.
Plan on this happening to you more than once. That is what friends are for!

As the time to open the doors to the public draws near, my anticipation
grows. So do my nerves, and my realization that we will never get everything
done in time for a grand opening. In just a few short weeks I will be
helping to run a new bike shop. It is surreal and scary. But it will be the
fulfillment of a dream. I feel like I should insert some quote about
reaching for the stars, or climbing a mountain. I will keep that to myself
for now.

My life has taken some turns and this is one I did not see ahead. But
this "what the heck am I doing" moment has been a awesome ride. I can’t wait
to see what happens when we actually open. I hope this can help someone out
there in cyberspace looking to open a small business. It does not have to be
a bike shop. My five points of advice can apply to any small business. But
if you are looking to open a bike shop give me a call. I am sure I will have
more than a few more bits of advice to give you by the time you read this.
I think I would be wrong if I did not thank some of the people that have
helped me along the way. The future looks bright for us. And without our
family and friends Chris and I would be nowhere. This blog has gone all
over the place. Thanks for sticking around till the end!
Thanks to:
My wife and little girl for supporting me. Letting me be gone long nights to
paint and ready the shop. And for letting me follow all of my dreams, you
are my heart!
To my family for supporting my ideas and always standing behind me!
My friends for the help, the strong backs and the advice. For promoting our
little shop, our vision and our dream.
The Jeremy and Eric at Airborne Bikes. Thanks for the advice and support.
You may not know it but you guys helped shape some of our decisions! You
guys rock!
To the Flight Crew for the support and the positive feedback when I need it.
Jason at Kali Protective’s for giving a small time shop a chance. And for
believing in our vision!
Chris and Flick at KHS. 99% of big name company’s would not give us the time
of day. You guys gave us the boost we needed when we were getting worried
about a brand. Thanks for the support. We can’t wait to work with you in the
future.
To Blue Ridge Gravity for letting us be a part of the scene with you. Good
luck in 2012. Keep it Fast and Loose!
To Roanoke city and the Grandin village for welcoming us into your
community!
Please check us out on Facebook and keep an eye out for all the new and
crazy things we have planned for this year! Please let us know what we can
do for you!

Now go ride a bike!
Dan Lucas
UnderDog Bikes

2 years

It has been roughly 2 years ago that I was given the rare opportunity to
join a new company. This company was re molding itself, changing it¹s
direction, and looking to re emerge as a fresh take on a bike company. I was
not joining this company as an employee, nor the CEO or some high up VP of
something or other. I was given a chance to join as a regular guy who likes
bikes and wants to share it with everyone. 2 years have passed, and
Airborne Bikes has grown. Sea Otter has come and gone as quickly as both years. Now once again it is that time of year when Airborne
opens the gates and looks for a new flight crew. I thought that I should share
my story on how I got chosen to be a member of one of the best teams in the
sport.

I don't recall everything perfectly clearly. But I do remember where I was and
why. I was sitting in a recovery room at Roanoke Memorial Hospital in
Roanoke Va. I had been awake for right around 4 days with little to no
sleep. My mind was racing after the birth of my daughter, not to mention the
nurse coming in every 30 seconds to check on my wife and new little bundle
of joy. Needless to say I was not going to sleep. The sun was still below
the horizon, and February 18th was still new. I was doing what every new
father in my situation would be doing. Surfing the web-er-net, while my poor
wife recovered from a very long and painful 4 day labor. I don¹t know what I
was looking for but I was of course reading biking websites. Pinkbike,
VitalMTB, MTBR. The usual suspects. I remember coming across a news tag
that said something about a new company looking for riders, I could be the
next one, blah blah blah. I decided to look it over. I remember reading
that getting selected would win you a chance to go to Sea Otter, a new bike,
some go pro stuff and a spot on the Flight Crew, "whatever that is.

I remember looking at my wife and the newest member of the family, Izze, and
feeling like I should give it a shot. Not much was required other than some photos, an essay, and a video if you were feeling creative. I wasn¹t, but I thought I
would write an essay. I had never been epically good at writing, but a
chance like this does not come around very often. I typed away trying to put
to words why I would be a good member of the Flight Crew, Why I deserved a
bike, and why I should be among the ones chosen to go to Sea otter. Spell
check, title, and SEND.

A few short months later I received a strange scam mail. It was from a
gentleman claiming I entered a contest to be on a bike team, and that I
needed to call him right away to chat and get the necessary paperwork out to
me. I immediately deleted that email, only to un-delete it and call my co
worker Steve over so he could read it for himself. He told me to call the
number. Before I did that I did a little homework. I looked up the company
sending the email and it seemed to check out. Next I looked the name of the
sender up and it checked out too. Well only two things to do, pinch myself
and call him up. 15 minutes later I hang up the phone and continue to pinch
myself. Yeah it was real alright. I quickly call my wife, my best friend, and
quickly lord it around the office that they were in fact looking at one of
the new members of a brand new bike team for Airborne Bikes.

The next month or so were a blur. I had to patiently wait for Sea Otter, and the chance to
meet the 9 other new members of this team that I was to be a part of.
Sitting here 2 years later remembering all of that makes me laugh. It has
been quite a ride, and one that I do not want to give up. I am planning on
completing my 2012 Flight Crew application and throwing it back in with all
of you who chose to take the opportunity. It has been an amazing time for
me. I count my inclusion in the Flight Crew as one of the top spots in my
career. I have been given opportunity¹s not many people get. I will not
make you sit through me bragging about what I have been able to do. But I
will say thank you. Thank you Jeremy, for the advice, and the good times at
Sea otter, and Snowshoe. For shedding a little light on the process of
creating bikes. And even letting me weigh in and share my views, and ideas.
"even if they are crazy". Thanks to Rick for your help in this years process
and your years of experience and knowledge you are willing to share. Thank
you to Eric. For your wise remarks, the friendship, and the free beer
when I beat you down the mountain.

Airborne is now part of my life. If I continue on the Flight Crew or go a
new way I am always going to remember my time serving them. In just 2 short
years I have seen the company grow and change. I know that Airborne will
only get bigger and better as the years pass. The super secret stuff I am
lucky enough to see is very exciting. It also validates that Airborne not
only cares what The Fight Crew has been saying but also what the public has
been calling for. I hope my story has been interesting to some of you, and
maybe even inspired some of you to give the Flight Crew a shot. It is
something you will never regret. Good Luck and I hope to see you on the
crew next year!

Flight Crew Member
Dan Lucas