Mar 07, 2020

THEY LAUGHED AT ME WHEN I PUT ON MY CAMELBAK

WE ALL RODE TO THE TOP TOGETHER, I knew this first descent would be a preening of who's got speed/get outta my way. So, I let them go. Gave 'em quite the head start. Then, I, the dork with Camelbak, proceeded to pick them off one by one.

One gent 'splained how he had to go slow as he was afraid his water bottle would be ejected over the rocky terrain.

I've never seen a Camelbak get ejected - but I have seen a rider get ejected and have his back protected by the liquid-filled bladder.

Another claimed he was bonking because he'd forgotten to drink.

It's so easy to drink and race with a Camelbak - jam hose in mouth, spit out when done. No futzing about grabbing a bottle the trying to race and drink with 1 hand on the bar then somehow getting the bottle back in the cage... all while negotiating a techy single track.

I'm not saying the Camelbak was the reason I was shredding the DH, but I am saying there's a lot to be said for rocking the Camelbak...

... it's secure and it's easy.

Which is part of my secret to DH speed.

I learned it from the unlikeliest of places, a book called Zen and The Art of Archery. This is an old book, and a quick read. It's an autobiography of an amateur archer on assignment in Japan who winds up shooting with zen masters of archery.

My big takeaway: hold onto the bars firmly, all nonessential muscle in your arms should be flaccid.

That simple skill is so hard to master, seems so trivial, and is a key to uncorking real speed on a mountain bike.

Speaking of uncorking... what's this dork drinking?

https://pedalindustries.com/products/3-2-1-hydration-base