Short Ride at the Colorado Rally

[Mike Ramos]

http://youtu.be/EO7Ohvpil-k
Gentlemen,

I only had a chance to ride one day. It appears the skinny front fork tubes and axle performed properly. If you stand on your head, you can pretend they are late model, upside-down forks.

Ride safe,
Mike Ramos

[Pat Conlon]

But the USD forks gets the chicks...! 

[The General]

Great vid. (you1re a naughty boy!!) - Seem to work well. Sure used all the travel under braking. I`m guessing you were a bit luggaged up? Springs not too soft? Doug

[SlowOldGuy]

I'm sorry, but that pass to the inside (right) of a fellow rider is rude and stupid (unless you were waved by, but I didn't see it).

Then passing in a curve is another unadvised move.

Did you get a trophy at the end?

Nice riding, anyone who can hang with Dean is a good rider, but your ride manners suck.

DavidR.

[racerman_27410]

i agree with David..... jamming up the inside on Dean when you guys got roadblocked by the cage was pretty uncool.

I've ridden with Dean enough to know he was only waiting for a safe place to pass. If another car had been coming around that corner it could have been really ugly.... for more than just you.

Use you head and live to ride another day brother.

as the immortal banana lover Hoffman once said.... there are no winners here.... only losers!

KOokaloo!

[Mike Ramos]

Holy Toledo!

I sure got beat up on this one...

Pat, you are right (and got me good!) on this one; all the while I thought it was the pink stripe... I think the word is touche'

Let's see...

DavidR - re: the inside pass; I was seen coming & knew it ( we don't ride in a void). And no, no trophy, nor insulting [riding] behavior, either unintended or intentional. And "hang with Dean"? No way; I've seen him ride on much more challenging roads in Tennessee and the only one who is on par with Dean is Bill (the Fan), and I think Dean edges him out.

Racerman - I did not jam up on Dean nor were we blocked, and the view ahead was clear, yes there were turns in the road but at that point they were not blind turns, and it was a clean pass - the video makes it appear more dramatic than it is; you will have to look elsewhere for any real drama. It may have been spirited riding, however certainly not stupid.

Doug - re: the front forks; actually I never bottomed out [in this sequence]. The nice things about the Fork Valves is that they allow for a softer spring rate which allows for a softer ride while still responding to quick, sharp jolts as if the forks are using a heavier spring. I think a good example (I trust I will not get beat up over this too) is as soon as I pass the car the forks take several good shots, amazingly very little is transmitted through the handlebars and the wheel tracks exceptionally well.

I trust all is well with everyone; keep in good humor.

Ride carefully,

Mike Ramos.

[SlowOldGuy]

DavidR - re: the inside pass; I was seen coming & knew it ( we don't ride in a void). And no, no trophy, nor insulting [riding] behavior, either unintended or intentional. And "hang with Dean"? No way; I've seen him ride on much more challenging roads in Tennessee and the only one who is on par with Dean is Bill (the Fan), and I think Dean edges him out.

The one rule that's been universal with EVERY group I've ever ridden with is "No passing on the right of another rider..... ever!"

You may not ride in a void (I have no idea what that means), but you know nothing about what the guy in front of you is going to do in that situation.

If I had been leading that ride, I would have stopped and told you to go elsewhere.  I believe there is an ettiquette and discipline to a group ride.  I learned this riding with the East Coast group and try to abide by it on every ride.  I've been passed on the right once, and I saw it coming, but was totally amazed (and pissed) because AFAIK EVERYONE knows you're not supposed to do that.

I guess it's just a different approach to riding discipline. 

DaivdR.

[mst3kguy]

hah, i'm not gonna argue anthing on this topic other than the statement that i might have an edge in riding over bill prodoehl.  on my best day and bill's worst, he's way smoother, way faster.  that is all.  ( :

[Mike Ramos]

Double Holy Toledo!

DavidR - As I stated earlier, you are looking for drama that just isn't there. PERHAPS the only exception is when Dean and I overshot the right hand turn [where the engine sound come in]. And YES(!) it was a good thing that a vehicle was not in the opposing lane at that moment.

You have lost your sense of humor; good natured bantering is part of the fun, let's not forget that.

Substitute the word "vacuum" for "void", perhaps that is a better choice.

And Dean, Bill told me himself that he thought you had the edge on him. A compliment such as that is quite a compliment.

Keep in good humor & ride safe,

Mike Ramos.

[1tinindian]

Mike and Dean, funny you both over ran that right hander.
I have video of myself doing the very same thing on that same turn.
(What the hell was with that turn??)
That was my only unintentional cross over the whole time I was in Colorado.
Not a good thing for any of us, but at least now I saw that riders better than me had the same trouble with it.

Take care, and lets enjoy the ride!

Leon

[Mike Ramos]

Hi Leon,

Yes it was a strange right hand turn [as seen in the video] and we were lucky.

However, in my opinion the most elegant pass was when you, followed by your son, swept by in a long downhill right hand sweeper. As I stated to you at the time, just excellent riding by the both of you.

And no, I did not follow, for the simple reason that I was outclassed.

So yes, let's enjoy the ride!

Mike Ramos.

[1tinindian]

Hi Leon,

Yes it was a strange right hand turn [as seen in the video] and we were lucky.

However, in my opinion the most elegant pass was when you, followed by your son, swept by in a long downhill right hand sweeper. As I stated to you at the time, just excellent riding by the both of you.

And no, I did not follow, for the simple reason that I was outclassed.

So yes, let's enjoy the ride!

Mike Ramos.

Thanks Mike, but that one was faster than I had planned on, and I was shocked to see my kid in my rear view mirror on that one.
Too bad we didn't get that one on video.
I would have liked to had been able to review it from your perspective.

I gotta say, I was VERY pleased with the Dunlop Q2 on the front, it had a ton of grip and felt stable all the time while blasting through the canyons and mountain passes!
My old Dunlop 208 on the rear also performed great, I even have another (NOS) to mount on the rear next week.

Leon

[Firehawk068]

Mike, You got pretty beat up on this one..........
I would have to agree with the passing on the right......Riders are usually not expecting this, and may cause an unintended reaction.
I'm not sure if Andy saw you coming, or not......Only he could answer that.
But take everything in good stride.......Everyone here is trying to help in one way or another, even if they disagree with you.

Good video footage though. I enjoyed watching it...........

And NOBODY can hang with Dean!

[1tinindian]

True that Alan.
Dean is the standard I measure myself against.
I was actully able to hang around in the top 5 lead bikes this year, and that was FUN, but I'm still not so proud that I can't admit to when I've had enough of the pace I'll wave people by.
The FJ group is a fun pack to ride with.

Dean truly makes it look easy, and he is SOO smooth!!! Very fun to watch from a few bike lengths back!

Mike, Alan is right, don't take this too hard, every comment is meant as constructive criticism. I too enjoy your videos, but that pass on the right kinda shocked me the first time I watched the video.

By the way Alan, has anyone actually heard from Andy since Colorado?
I'd just like to know that he is OK.

Leon

[SlowOldGuy]

Yes, let's move on.

Mike, you're obviously a very good rider.  I'm from the old school where Drill Sgt Hoffman would run a very tight pre-ride review of the group riding rules. 

I would never assume the guy in front of me knows I'm behind him unless I made eye contact.  I don't know how many rides I've lead where I've spotted someone coming up on my group.  Since he caught up with us, he's obviously a faster rider.  I'll intentionally slow down to wave him around or let him work his way through the group easier.  Just rider courtesy.  I'm always depressed at the number of comments from fellow riders that never saw him coming and were freaked out when he passed them. 

A lot of times someone is concentrating so hard on maintaining their position, they don't realize they're holding up a faster rider behind them.  I don't like that situation either, the slower rider needs to be more aware of what's happening around him and let the faster rider by.  But this is a whole other discussion.

Peace,
DavidR.