Saturday, August 29, 2009

FREE GRIPS!



The new SUNLINE SEATPOSTS ARE IN NOW! Sweet FREE GRIP deal when you buy one, too! Visit the web link on the blog list and order yours today!

Friday, August 28, 2009

Vegas Bob On Page 10!


Here's the SIGMA catalog page featuring Vegas Bob! It will be page 10 of the 2010 catalog, so get yours soon. Thanks SIGMA!

Thursday, August 27, 2009

NEW XPEDO WEBSITE FEATURING BACKBONERS!!



Thanks to Ken and XPEDO PEDALS for using our team Backboners' ugly mugs on their new website for the coming season! There are a number of great shots they used, like this one of Charles at Fontucky. This link can be found by clicking the Products button.




AND FINALLY! Vanessa is pictured here popping her collar to display proudly the pedal brand that she depends on every single day. Looking good, Super-V! This pic is on the Sponsorship Page.



These double-Ti pedals (XMFO8TT) weigh a scant 210 grams...and I have been on them for three years w/out breakage..weighing a good 40lbs over the weight limit!


Jim Roff's killer pic at Crested Butte is on the home page..ya gotta wait for it for a second....



A variant of the XPEDO Face Off pedal.


...because Vegas Bob is on that same page, along with...



...ANOTHER snap of Chucky-T! YEAH-BOY!



The Face Off DH/BMX pedal from XPEDO. Nice.


There is a very good chance some or all of these pix come from amazing and often-published action photographer Michael Darter, and if so..thank you to Mr. Darter! Stop by the TOMAC booth at ODD and check out the battle tested and Mama-Approved XPEDO pedal line-up on the Tomac Type-x, Carbide, Primer and Snyper's available for viewing at ODD in September.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Lydia Hard At Work On Team Press Kit!



The wifey is busting her arse this week to get the team Press Kit done by the 10th. She's also feverishly working on the team's website redesign. Also, she is going in to the studio to finish the kid's CD just in time for the Sept. 17th Grandview kid's show at the library. OH..and she's also got two shows on the 5th, all the while preparing for Interbike. Man, she must REALLY love you guys, because I ain't paying her a damn thing! The lovin' is pretty aweful too, so she's GOT to love you guys to take all THAT on, right?

Monday, August 24, 2009

MAMMOTH CHAMPIONSHIPS COMING!!

Chuck-T's top 10 Kamikaze run from 2005.

The return of California BIG-MOUNTAIN racing is nigh! The Golden State Mountain Bike Championships will be help September 4th to 6th this year, and our Gravity boys are looking to blow it up! You may recall in 2005 when Mr. Charles Libolt shocked us all with his amazing 8th place finish in the KAMIKAZE, finishing just behind Greg "H-Ball" Herbold. Well, this year he isn't taking home less than a top 5, and with his home-boyz from Nor Cal, the Benge Brothers rocking the DH course..and HOPEFULLY JAY-BOX and Darter as well..the Backbone gravity squad can light up the podium.




Chucky-T is recovering from two busted ribs suffered in Canada at Crankworx, but is looking to be fully recovered and DOPED UP for his return to the Kamikaze. He and James Schwanke have been working hard all season in Tahoe for this race. The XC & SD squad just returned from Mammoth, possibly on a pre-ride weekend for the coming shoot out. Can't wait for this one, seriously!


Bert is pictured here during the '05 Nationals at Mammoth taking a water bottle from Jay.


The Benge boys will be coming off a spectcular season, and will be racing in their 'hood. Although they did well enough this year to "theoretically" qualify for World's..they are both too young to get in..so they will be looking to show their worth at Mammoth!

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Luka's 6th Birthday Party Today.

Luka's birthday is Sunday, but his party is today. He'll be six. When do they stop picking their butts?


Lydia will be drinking wine and trying to manage 100 screaming "little people."


I'll be passed out in the corner of the backyard, dreaming of the Idyllwild Spring Challenge or something with elevation and rocks.


Hopefully at some point we'll come-to and probably have just enough time to pick up a mountain of wrapping paper..and maybe play with some of his toys.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Vegas Bob Featured In 2010 SIGMA Catalog

Look for Vegas Bob's picture on Page 10 of the 2010 SIGMA catalog!

...but you can't see it yet! I have the photo they used, taken during the 2009 Sea Otter Classic where Vegas Bob took a podium spot (4th) in his first ever Short Track race! I will be able to show you the page layout soon (I have it, just can't post it yet). Thanks to the peeps at SIGMA for all the great support and products. Stop by our booth at ODD and check out the new ROX 9.0 and other stellar new SIGMA equipment for 2010!

SIGMA Interbike Mailers!

These are the JUST OUT pre-Interbike SIGMA mailers with our logo on it! GO TEAM!


New Sunline Seatposts Are In!

Jay's version of product development in the hills of Santa Clarita, CA.



My new Sunline V-1 Carbon bars are en route, and Jay has informed me that the long-awaited seatpost is in stock and ready to rock! Jay will be at Interbike pimping his wares via Valencia Sport group (661, Royal, Sunline, etc.), so stop by and check out all the new stuff from Mr. Jay-Box!



Tilt adjustment independent of fore and aft adjustments for easy set up and adjustability

Zero offset 2 bolt clamp

40mm rail cradle to help prevent bent seat rails

Large range of adjustability to accommodate all seattube angles

One piece tube design eliminates head twisting in crashes

Anodized finish with laser etched graphics

400mm length in 27.2mm, 30.9mm, and 31.6mm diameters

Monday, August 17, 2009

Crankworx Canada Report From Chuck-T.


Yo Cap'n,
Crankworx was awesome, I highly reccomend that anyone interested in gravity racing of any kind attend this at least once before they die! I had about 5 days of the best and gnarliest riding ever, but it all came to a rather painful end on Saturday morning while I was practicing for my race on Sunday. I decided to do my best impression of a tomahawk while riding down "the chute" on the Canadian Open DH course. The end result of this impression was a slightly bent handlebar, and two fractured ribs (added to my sprained finger suffered earlier in the week... long story).


My entire right leg is one big bruise, and I have a stab wound from something sharp that hit my stomach and pierced my jersey. At first I decided to "man-up" and finish my race, and do one more practice run, so I returned to my condo, popped some pain meds, and headed back to practice (I think the adrenaline was still running, as I heard my ribs crack when I crashed, but the pain hadn't quite kicked in yet).

I got halfway down the course before I realised that doing 25ft-30ft jumps with TWO FRACTURED RIBS wasn't going to work. So, I had to sit this one out. But I got some great photos during the course of the week, and I'll send you a more detailed account of all of Crankworx after I get back in the states.

Also, mucho props to Austin for pulling 2nd place in the open Junior Mens class in the Canadian Open Enduro race! Kick ass!

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Tomac Carbide Ride Report


Hey Captn, whats up?

Just wanted to send another e-mail about the new Carbide. I went out on a real mnt. bike ride on it a week ago to see how it was set up, and holy crap was I impressed! Tthat bike is unbelievable. The loop we rode is about 24 miles long and has 1900' of climbing on it. There are some real sandy sections and alot of double track. There's not alot of technical stuff but the one thing it does have and where I was most impressed with the Carbide is the square edge bumps.

So the Specialized I really liked with had lock out levers or pro pedal stuff, but with the brain suspension it takes one- one hundreth of a second for the blow off valve to open after hitting a bump ..and that's exactly where I noticed the biggest difference in the Carbide. Now I don't understand all the different types of suspension single pivot, dw link, four bar link whatever I know these are single pivot and if read much the mags try and say, single pivot isn't so great when you apply brakes. Horse shit! The rear end of this bike is amazingly plush compared to my Specialized. When I hit square edge bumps I was saying to myself WOW because with the split second on the brain shock I would feel all of those bumps but not with this one.

Anyway I just wanted to say I love this bike and I can't wait to go ride it again because I just put on a brand new rock shox sid team fork yesterday so I need to go testing again I can't wait. I also want to say THANKS to Joel at Tomac for supporting the team of misfits nd this is really great bike Joel, and thanks to you and Roger Captn. for giving me the opportunity to have one of these bikes.

Thanks and I will see you at Interbike.

Randy

Friday, August 14, 2009

Pre-Interbike SIGMA Ad!


Here is the ad to be featured in the cycling mags the week prior to Interbike next month! Thanks to SIGMA for the props, and EVERYTHING ELSE they have done for us over the past few years. There is going to be some SICK new product from them this year, so get by the TOMAC booth at ODD and the SIGMA booth at the show for a sneak peek! Holla'!

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Yeah Boy!

Today is movie day! This one was sent to me from Stuart, owner of roll: bike shops in Columbus, OH. The production quality is sweet. Maybe we should shop this one at Cannes next year?


Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Chuck-T's Box Springs Mtn. Run On Snyper.

Taylor Libolt from Dirty Mike on Vimeo.




Yo Chris,
Just thought I would share a video with you, you might like it. I took my Tomac Snyper out riding at Box Springs, the guy behind me had a helmet cam on and captured most of my run. Keep in mind, I was the only guy riding a bike that didn't have 8" of travel and DH specific tires. I had on a set of 2.1" El Mocos!

http://www.vimeo.com/6045415

Also, I'm up in Whistler right now, and it is AWESOME! I just got done with my first day of riding, the bike was great, and my Telonix tires are by far the best choice up here! I have 3 more days of riding and having fun until I have to practice for my race. Later!

-Taylor


**Wow does that bring back memories! The Klawitter boys and I used to bomb that trail (from the top, up at the radio towers where the REAL riding started) on fully rigid steel bikes with canti-brakes and TIOGA PSYCHO tires. Ahhh the good ol' days.
*****Here's a photo from about 1991 or so?? of Adrian Klawitter and I at the base of Box Springs, after riding there from La Sierra and Roubidoux! I ain't scared!***

Monday, August 10, 2009

Don't Feed The Damn Bears, Lady.

And people say Darwin didn't know what he was talking about..

Bear Found Feeding on Elderly Woman's Body in Colorado

Saturday, August 08, 2009

OURAY, Colo. — Wildlife officials say a bear was found feeding on the body of a 73-year-old woman who had been repeatedly warned not to give dog food to the bruins that live near her home north of Ouray.
A caretaker said she saw the bear over the woman's body Friday and called 911. The victim's name has not been released.
Colorado Division of Wildlife spokesman Joe Lewandowski says it's unclear if the bear killed the woman of if she died of other causes. He says the woman was known to feed bears dog food and would not stop, even after repeated requests from wildlife officials.
Sheriff's deputies investigating the incident killed an aggressive bear at the woman's home. A necropsy is planned for the 250-pound male to determine the contents of its stomach.

**Thanks for the story, Bob!

Lydia's BriHi Show Poster


Lyd will likely be featured on CD101 for this event, and there will also be TWO bike races going on DURING the live musical performances! HELLO...USA CYCLING..are you paying attention??

Saturday, August 08, 2009

Hydrapak At ODD.



**Hydrapak's Matt Patterson will be on hand at the team booth!**


**The Fuzz at Sea Otter with his Hydrapak**


Matt Patterson and Hydrapak will be hanging out at ODD in the TOMAC booth with us, handing out some of the new reservoirs and bite valves for their sweet packs! If you don't have one yet (who doesn't, but just in case) be sure to pick one up before you get to Vegas..or at the very least grab one at the show! We all use ours regularly, and they have a been a major component in the results of the Backboners, especially at the endurance races!

Amino Vital will also have some cold Endurance samples there, so stop by for some SWEET bikes, Hydrapaks, and Amino Endurance. We'll also have some Voler Team Apparel to check out

**Ed Fonda holding up the team kit at the '07 Interbike show.**


...and probably KFC and some beers too. I'm just sayin'.

**The Amino girls, like Lil' Lydia Johnson(center), are always nice to see at trade shows.**





Thanks to Joel and crew at TOMAC BIKES for the ODD booth! I will certainly try to keep the ratio of strippers to cyclists to a maximum for the two days in the desert..