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WMBA Halloween Costume Crit 2011 Photos

October 31st, 2011

Saturday was the 3rd Annual WMBA Halloween Costume Crit. As in the past, there were some great costumes. The criterium course included pavement, dirt, curbs and rocks.

The race had a LeMans start which was very funny to watch and is shown in the video above. Doing well required more than being fast on the bike since there were hula hoops, limbo, jello shots and hopscotch.

In addition to the crit, there was food, drinks and a raffle for a bunch of awesome prizes. Once again the ladies of WMBA put on a very fun event.

Below are a few of the photos I took. You can find many WMBA Halloween Costume Crit photos here.

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2010 WMBA Halloween Costume Crit

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3rd Annual WMBA Costume Bike Crit

October 27th, 2011

Halloween is almost here and that means it’s time for the 3rd Annual WMBA Costume Criterium. It will be held this Saturday, October 29 at the SRM Powermeter Service Center. Registration begins at 3:30 and the race starts at 4:00pm. Every year WMBA throws a great Halloween criterium that’s more party than race with food, drinks, and fun.

There will be an adult Costume Criterium full of stunts and silly obstacles. The kiddie race will take place immediately after the adult race. Costumes are mandatory and helmets must be worn by all racers. Spectators are welcome!

Bring your friends and family. This event is open to the public and a definite not-to-be-missed event!

$10 suggested donation will get you into the ride, a prize ticket, and a drink cup. There will be lots of great prizes and prize drawings.

There will be many amazing giveaways with items from:

RockShox
SRAM
Truvativ
Corepower Yoga
Criterium Bike Shop
Bicycle Village
Old Town Bike Shop
Carmichael Training
City Rock
Sound Mind – Sound Body Salon and Day Spa
Local’s Barbershop
…and more!!

You might be one of the lucky ghosts or goblins who will walk away with a RockShox Sid XXWC fork, a SRAM X-9 2×10 drivetrain, a month of unlimited yoga, or one of the many other sweet giveaways!!

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2010 WMBA Costume Crit

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A Dozen Mountain Biker Gifts

December 15th, 2010

Still looking for Christmas gifts for the mountain biker in your life? If you procrastinate buying Christmas gifts like I do, time is running out. Here are a dozen gift ideas for mountain bikers.

Helmet Cam

A helmet cam is a great way for mountain bikers to share rides with friends. Most of the cams can also be mounted on the bike. The HD GoPro HERO helmet cams have been very popular. My friends have beat up their older cams and they’ve taken whatever has been thrown at them. The Twenty20 VholdR Camera Recorder is another cam that has been getting good reviews.

Mountain Bike Repair Book

Zinn and the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance has recently been updated. It’s a hefty 464 pages of information on illustrated tips for repairing, maintaining, tuning and upgrading your mountain bike. But that size means it (almost) has it all.

Seat Dropper

Descending on a mountain bike is easier if you’re seat is lower. When I first started mountain biking, I would stop at the top of climbs and lower my seat. Then I’d have to stop at the bottom and raise it again. I finally just got used to riding with the seat at full height all the time. Now stopping isn’t necessary. Now you can adjust your seat height with the push of a lever on the handlebar. Two nice seat droppers are the Crank Brother’s Joplin Adjustable Seatpost and the RockShock Reverb.

Garmin Edge 705

The Garmin Edge 705 is the ultimate cycling computer. It is a newer version of the Garmin Edge 305. They both have GPS and heart rate monitor and can be bought with an optional cadence sensor. The 705 adds a color screen and maps. With the topo maps you can get turn by turn directions even off road although it does try getting you back to the road. Read my Edge 705 review for more details about it. If you want a GPS enabled bike computer but don’t need maps, the Garmin 500 is a good option.

Crank Bros Multi 19 Tool

This multi-tool has everything you need for on the road or trail bike repairs. Not only does it have the standard hex wrenches and screwdrivers, it also has spoke wrenches and a chain tool. The chain tool doesn’t work as good as my stand alone ones but it’s saved me from walking many miles.

Bike Lights

Bike Lights extend riding hours and riding at night changes a familiar trail into a new adventure. Bike lights also open the world of 24 hour mountain bike racing. Bike lights have came a long, long way since I did my first 24 hours solo mountain bike race. With the switch to LEDs and Li-on batteries, they weigh a lot less. The Light & Motion Stella 400 Dual Bike Light is a top rated bike light although some people like a brighter light for bombing technical trails in the dark. The Light and Motion Seca 700 or Seca 1400 should provide enough light for aggressive riders. The NiteRider TriNewt is another good choice.

RoadID

Safety is important when you’re out mountain biking. We always hope that nothing bad will happen and most likely it won’t. Still it’s good to have some ID on you if you’re injured and can’t talk. I’ve been using the wrist Road ID for a very long and don’t even notice I have it on. They also have ones that go on your ankle or shoe.

Sidi Dominator Mountain Bike Shoes

I’ve been using the Sidi Dominator Shoes for about 10 years after destroying a few pairs of lesser shoes. I’ve gone through a few pairs of Dominator shoes during those 10 years but not as many as I would have with other shoes.

Mountain Bike Helmet

Another safety essential is a helmet. I used the Giro Pneumo for several years. The last couple years I’ve used the Specialized S-Works helmet and have liked it too.

CamelBak Rogue Hydration Pack

The Camelbak Rogue is the hydration pack I use the most. Actually I have two of them I like it so much so I can do a quick swap during long mountain bike races. It has enough storage space to carry a jacket, tubes, and my Crank Brothers multi-tool but doesn’t seem bulky. The 70 ounce bladder is big enough on most rides to get me to where I can refill. When I need to carry more gear and water, I use the Camelbak Blowfish.

Floor Pump

A good floor pump is a must for any cyclist. You can’t go wrong with a pump from Park Tools. Some pumps have a single head that is supposed to work for both Presta and Shraedar valves. I’ve had a couple and weren’t happy with either one. I’d stick to a pump that has a dual head if you want both. I always use Presta valves on my bikes but my kid’s bikes have Shraedar

Seat Pack

A seat pack is nice for carrying a multi-tool, spare tube and tire levers.

If none of the gear above is a good fit for your gift buying, check out the Cycling and Outdoor Gift Card Guide. Also, below are links to some more gift guides for even more gift ideas.

When you click through and buy these or other items this Christmas Season, you’ll be helping those less fortunate.

– UltraRob

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Christmas Spirit in the Outdoors

December 10th, 2010

Last night I hiked up the Manitou Incline. It’s only a mile but climbs 2,000 feet with a steepest grade of 68%.

When I got to the top, I noticed something hanging in one of the small spruce trees. It was dark and I generally hike up without using my headlamp. That way my eyes adjust and I can see more than what’s in my light beam.

When I switched on my headlamp, I saw a tree beautifully decorated with probably 100 ornaments and a star on top. The photo above doesn’t do justice since the only camera I had was my phone. In the background, you can see the city lights 2,000 feet below.

I’ve seen trees decorated for Christmas along trails in the past but they only had a few ornaments on them. Have you seen any good Christmas decorations out in the wild?

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WMBA of COS Halloween Bike Crit

November 1st, 2010

The WMBA of COS Halloween Crit on Saturday was a fun event. There were a lot of great costumes. I think it would have been hard to ride in some of the costumes.

The crit was 20 minutes. As if riding in costume wasn’t enough of a challenge, there was the limbo, jello shots, a cup stacking station and required whipped cream refueling. It looked like all the racers were having fun and watching was a blast too.

Awards were given to the “fastest” racers and those with the best costumes. There were also prize drawings for great things like a Giant Cruiser bike, Avid CR brakes, Rock Shox SID World Cup Fork and much more. There also was a post-crit potluck with beer provided by Bristol.

A few of the photos I took are below and you can see my complete set of WMBA of COS Halloween Crit photos here.

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A Scary Bike Criterium This Weekend

October 29th, 2010

Local mountain Pro Matt Simmons with his wife.
Photo courtesy of www.wmbacos.org

Update: WMBA of COS Halloween Crit photos

The Women’s Mountain Bike Association of Colorado Springs is having their 2nd annual Halloween Costume Criterium tomorrow (Saturday). This year it will be at the SRM Service Center at 720 West Monument St. Costumes and helmets are required to ride in the criterium.

Registration begins at 3:30pm with the race starting at 4:20pm. The course circles around SRM which includes hitting some dirt, so mountain or cyclocross tires are recommended. Be prepared to participate in obstacles and other silly adventures. This event is open to everyone. If riding in a costume isn’t for you, come to cheer on the racers.

A special Costume Crit for the kids will be organized in the parking lot at 5:00pm, so make sure the little ones have their bikes and trikes too. There ill be creepy, crawly goody bags and some gooey obstacles for all the kids too!

$10 Suggested Donation
Prize Drawing
Bristol Beer
Potluck style – please bring a dish to share

As usual they will have great prizes from their sponsors to give away as well as some homemade awards for costumes and finishers. Here’s a list of some of the awesome prizes they are giving away!

Rock Shox SID World Cup Fork
Avid Elixer CR Mag Brake Set
Truvativ Noir Carbon Crank Set
Cruiser Bike by Giant
Day Passes to CityRock
Bristol Beer Pack
Free Month of Yoga at Corepower Yoga
SRM Jersey, Socks, Beanie
Kenda Tires
Helmet

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Spooky Bike Criterium

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Valentine Heart From a Bike Chain

February 10th, 2010

http://www.instructables.com/static/flash/viewer.swf
How to make a Valentine out of Bicycle Chain – More cool how to projects

via Cyclelicious

– UltraRob

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Happy New Year 2010

December 31st, 2009

Happy New Year! It seems like 2009 went by in a blur. Here’s hoping you have a 2010 filled with fun adventures!

– UltraRob

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Merry Christmas 2009 from UltraRob.com

December 24th, 2009

I hope you have a very Merry Christmas! Hopefully you have good times with family and friends and get some time to play with cool, new toys found under the Christmas tree. Also don’t forget the true reason we have Christmas.

– UltraRob

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