Mountain Biking
FYI, this is mostly rather old and in need of updating. If only I had time....
Here is an Annotated List of Places where I've ridden.
Here is the Mid-Atlantic Super Series racing website.
New for 2008! I've joined a bike racing team, Guy's Racing, sponsored by Guy's Bike Shop in Feasterville PA.
There are more links at the bottom of this page....
I've been mountain biking since 1991, when I bought a Trek 830. Then, in 1995 I started getting serious about it. I've been slowly getting better, and in 2007 I had a great season! I finished fourth in the Sport class, Master I category in the Mid-Atlantic Super Series!
About My Bikes
In August, 2007, I bought a Giant Anthem 1 - a full-suspension, disc brake equipped racing machine. This was for me a replacement of my previous ride, a 2003 Giant NRS 1 with very similar, but four-years-of-improvements-better technology. The suspension is noticeable better-behaved. The Anthem feels incredibly efficient and fast. After racing the NRS 1 for four years, it was in need of a major overhaul. Then I raced it in a ridiculously muddy 24 Hours of Allamuchy (2nd place, Solo Masters!), which pretty much destroyed the front shock (not to mention the brake pads). So it was definitely a good time to move up to a newer ride.
In March, 1995, I bought a Mongoose IBOC Zero-G. A simple, straightforward, basic racing bike with Shimano LX components, Panaracer Smoke/Dart tires, and a Cro-Mo frame, in a beautiful metallic silver finish.
In August, 1998, while in Jackson Hole, WY on vacation, I came across a great deal on a 1997 ProFlex 857. I just couldn't pass it up! A red and black bump-eating beast of a bike, with carbon-fiber swing-arm, Shimano XT components, and a Girvin shock - it's just a dream! Here's a haiku in honor of the Pro-Flex. I added a few upgrades to it, mostly stuff pulled off my Mongoose.
Here are a couple of photos:
While riding my Mongoose in June 1998, my Manitou Mach 5 SX fork failed - the outer leg casing just snapped in two, apparently from fatigue. It caused a spectacular crash, which ended up ripping one bar-end off the bike, bending the other bar-end and the handlebar, and cracking a weld on the stem. Yow! Luckily, I walked away unharmed. And as I was flying through the air like a missile, with my head aimed at a very large boulder, I just remember being very glad that I had my helmet on. Anyway, the bike shop was very helpful, and though it took a while (6 weeks without my beloved Mongoose!), Answer Products replaced all the broken parts under warranty. They even replaced the old Mach 5 with a brand-new 1998 SX-R! Very nice of them!
My only real problem with the Mongoose is that I wore out the factory headset very fast (one year). That seems like pretty wimpy performance for a headset. It was a YST threadless. When it started squeaking on every bump, I knew it was in trouble; when I took it apart, the innards were totally mangled! I expect my new King headset will last a lot longer than the cheapo YST did!
Here are a couple of pictures of the machine:
When I bought this bike, I was so amazed by the wonderful feel of this new riding machine, that I was inspired to write a poem (well, some verse anyway). Here it is. Am I not an amazingly gifted poet?!? Well, if you think that was great ... a friend of mine who resides in Seattle responded with this wonderful haiku! Here are a couple more pictures, from 1995: side view, and front view
Other Notes
Most of my riding is along the scenic Delaware and Raritan Canal towpath, which winds for some 33 miles between New Brunswick and Princeton, NJ. If you're ever in this neck of the woods, do give it a try - there's no hills - very flat and easy, but other than that, it's highly recommendable as an enjoyable place to ride!
One more picture, just for fun. Me, finishing the National Championship Series race at Shanty Creek, MI, in 1995 (Veteran Beginner class).
Kevin R. Perry
Homepage: www.princeton.edu/~perry
Email: <perry@princeton.edu>