John

If you are a bike enthusiast that follows World Cup Downhill, undoubtedly you have seen Dakota Norton’s crazy handlebars. They have an 80 or 85mm rise, and quite honestly look real goofy. His riding and track speed however, is far from goofy. The dude is simply ripping. What adjustment is made with a high bar?…

Remember those auto tire commercials that stress there’s only one thing actually touching the road?? Yeah, tires. Kinda a big deal to bike setup and ride quality.   Within the world of mountain biking there are only about 100,000 combinations of tires and wheels. How hard can it be to get the right setup? Actually, easier…

Remember the days when a carbon framed mountain bike was a rarity, only seen ridden by pro riders in prototype form? You would hear things like “I don’t trust it, it’ll break”, or “it’s too expensive, it’ll never be mainstream”.   Those days are long gone. Carbon bikes are more common now than alloy (aluminum), at…

Moab has been a world class riding destination for many decades, due to the unique desert slickrock terrain with the magnificent La Sal mountains lying just above, offering incredible alpine conditions. The integration of Alpine and Desert terrain in one spot is unrivaled anywhere else. Add in the fun, funky vibe in town, epic camping,…

When is the best time to visit Moab? Unquestionably one of the most anticipated months of the year for all of us that love our desert time is October. Visiting Moab in October has plenty of benefits! Snow may be sticking to the ground in the higher elevations of the mountains, fall colors are still…

Have you ever been on a ride, feeling awesome, thinking you are looking pretty much like Aaron Gwin on a World Cup downhill track? Then it happens, you smack a hole in a turn, your front wheel folds up under you, and before you can blink you are flying OTB on your way to a…

Schladming, Austria is steep, fast, and not at all like the western US. European downhill tracks go DOWN THE HILL, with the fall line, at sustained grades. The tracks are natural, rooty, rocky, off camber, and again, steep. My bike was not feeling like my bike. I was feeling terrible arm-pump, overturning in almost every…

The day was hot. The smell of sweet ponderosa pine filled the forest. A six minute World Cup level downhill outside of Colorado Springs, Colorado was in perfect condition from the rain the night before. I was doing training laps with the Australian “Thunder from Down Under” Mick Hannah and Colorado ripper Matt Fischer. I…

Have you ever been on a bike ride and felt like you were going to bounce right off the bike?  Most likely, your bike was not set up specifically for your weight (hydration, repair kit, helmet, shoes included).  Bike setup is critical to the terrain you are riding.  Moab is rough!  It’s like running over…

If you’re an avid mountain biker, Moab, Utah is a dream come true. The region’s diverse terrain offers a variety of trails to suit all skill levels. At Chile Pepper Bikes, we’re conveniently located for direct shuttle access to three of Moab’s top trails: Slickrock Bike Trail, Raptor Route, and Moab Brands Trails. Let’s take…