What type of biker am I?

Let’s get one thing clear right away. When we say biker, the Hell’s Angel variety is off the table. We’re talking non-motorized here, people. And yes, there are all sorts. To name just a few:

The Pub crawl cruiser

The bike is the ideal means to get to the next bar faster. You also like it to serve as a conversation piece when you saddle up for the jaunt to the next watering hole. And, of course, you want to look good riding it.

Ride: Main Street, out and back

Outfit: Sun dress, baggy shorts, flip flops. Don’t forget the perfect costume for Breck Cruisers.

Type of beer: You-Call-It

Money invested in gear: $50-$500

The Tandem

You prefer to pedal when your honey’s bringing up the rear and when there are no super steep climbs or descents.

Ride: Breck to Frisco and back on bike path.

Outfit: Brightly colored jerseys and socks (matching) and high quality spandex.

Type of beer: wine

Money invested in gear: $500 to $4,000

The weekend road warrior

Your days off are dedicated to getting your blood flowing and your heart rate up via some semi-intense pedaling on the skinny tires. Well, semi-intense for a few minutes at a time, anyway, with plenty of photo breaks.

Ride: Breck to Keystone around the lake and back (unless the Summit Stage is calling your name at the high school).

Outfit: New Belgium jersey and mid-grade spandex purchased at REI

Type of beer: Fat Tire or Breckenridge Avalanche

Money invested in gear: $700-$3,000

The Casual mountain biker

The elevation gets to you when you grind in granny gear for extended climbs, but you love the challenge of riding over obstacles and through (shallow) creeks. Too many roots and rocks are a little scary.

Ride: Flume Trails

Outfit: Baggy mountain bike shorts and not-too-tight jersey from Pearl Izumi or local outfitter.

Type of beer: Any IPA will do

Money invested in gear: $400 to $4,000

The Hard-core mountain biker

Those casual riders better MOVE when you’re rocketing down the single track. Your ideal day is never seeing pavement. You carry at least a gallon of water with you, rain jacket and at least two spare tubes at all times. You can fix a flat in less than three minutes.

Ride: Flumes to Colorado Trail to West Ridge, down into Keystone, back up through Summit Cove, down trailer park switchbacks to Gold Hill and Peaks Trail back to Breck. Or out-and-back on the Wheeler Trail.

Outfit: High-end baggy shorts or spandex with thick butt pad, long-sleeve jersey and full-finger gloves.

Type of beer: Stout or PBR

Money invested in gear: $3,000 to $10,000

USA Pro Cycling Challenge wannabe

If the pros can ride it, so can you. You think you could probably take down some of the stragglers in that race if you had the chance. You have ridden every stage of the Challenge and clock the Breck time trial loop at least once a week, keeping meticulous track of the seconds you shave off.

Ride: Anything marked with a Pro Cycling Challenge sign or anything involving at least 5,000 feet of climbing.

Outfit: Tight-fitting Euro brands, wraparound sports sunglasses.

Type of beer: Michelob Ultra

Money invested in gear: $8,000 to $20,000

The BMXer

You loving catching air in the skate park or over dirt jumps. The daily “grind” doesn’t get you down.  After a long day at work, you hop on your bike and your buddies are skating behind you to have an evening at the parks. Heck, the streets obstacles are just as fun as the park. You usually find yourself bunny hopping around town.
Ride: The Wellington Bike Park, the Breckenridge Skate Park or the streets in downtown Breck.
Outfit: Skinny jeans and t-shirt.
Type of beer: PBR or IPA
Money invested in gear: $500 to $1,200

Wide Calves??  Need better boots

The great thing about people is that we are all different, but this does present some issues for skiers, especially when it comes to ski boot fitting. One of the most common complaints I hear from people looking for new ski boots is that they’ve never been able to find a comfortable boot because they have wide calves, so they just accept that they will have to cope with hot spots and other pain while skiing. If you have the same mindset, abandon those negative thoughts, because there are few different ways to accommodate athletic calves.

Start by looking for a boot with a short cuff and consider getting a custom insole with a heel lift to bring the shaft of the leg slightly out of the boot. This will allow the boots to make contact with the lower leg and narrower part of the calves, enhancing fit and comfort.

You should also consider adding a custom liner that fits into any shell and can be molded by a professional to accommodate any extra room.

Although custom insoles and liners are great solutions for issues with fit, it really helps to start with the right boot. It is strongly advised that you consult with a knowledgeable boot-fitter to ensure that you are getting the best recommendations for your anatomy.

Storing you snowshoes

The end of the snowshoeing season is once again upon us. It feels like only yesterday we were brushing the dust of our shoes and heading out to the trails, but sadly…it’s time to clean and store your snowshoes properly to ensure they are as good as new for next season.

1. Clean Your Snowshoes 

The last day of the winter season is the best time to clean your snowshoes. You might want to put off the task until next season, but doing so could damage your
shoes.

• First, wipe down all surfaces with a clean, dry rag. This will remove all large chunks of dirt and sand. Be careful not to scratch your shoes as some larger pebbles can get stuck in joints and holes.
  
• Next, fill a bucket with mild detergent and warm water. Submerge your rag in the water, and wipe down the decking.
  
• Last, Take a dry towel, and sponge up the excess water, then hang your snowshoes to dry the rest of the way.
  

2. Inspect & Tune Up

Check your snowshoes for any signs that they might need a little TLC. Standard wear and tear on the trail means that sometimes things get scratched, torn, or broken throughout the season. If you take good care of your snowshoes throughout the year, you shouldn’t need to make too many repairs at the end of the season.

• Look for loose screws and bolts.
• If your shoes have any leather trim, make sure to check the hide for holes or abrasions.
• Make sure the binding and pivot systems and the bindings work properly.

If you find wear & tear, consider taking your snowshoes in for a professional inspection and tune up with a local dealer.

3. Find a Good Storage Location Store your shoes in a safe location in your home. The number one factor to look for when it comes to snowshoe storage is climate. Look for a cool, dry place. This can be a basement or attic or closet—just as long as the room doesn’t get too hot or too moist.

Shoes should be kept away from children and pets. Snowshoes come with sharp metal pieces that can easily puncture skin. They are also sometimes made with delicate materials that can easily snap or break. Most people like to hang their snowshoes—as this is easily done—to keep them safe from any disturbances. It’s also a nice reminder of fun times in store for next season.
Finally, snowshoes need to be far away from exhaust or chemicals. This seems like a no-brainer, yet some people forget about this when storing shoes in the garage or garden shed. Make sure your snowshoes are also far from your furnace as your furnace generates heat (and could possibly leak oil onto your shoes).

New Skate Skiers

1. Get Good Gear

Good fit is important. Buy gear from a reputable source, preferably from someone who actually skate skis. Spend as much as your budget allows, but save a little for waxing equipment and supplies.

2. Don’t Join Club Offset

You’ll find this stereotypical skate skier at every nordic centre: a super fit adult, offset technique for uphills, downhills and everything in between.
sporting top quality gear, wearing bicycling clothes, and using a bastardized version of
My friend jokes, “Club Offset is training today.” It’s mean, but funny.
Self-taught skate skiers all ski the same way. Their technique is both ugly and inefficient. Don’t join this club! There are 5 skate ski techniques and ultimately you need to learn them all.

3. Focus on One Skate and Offset

In our opinion offset and one skate are the most important skate techniques. Use offset to climb hills and one skate as much as possible everywhere else.

4. Two Skate is Not Your Friend

You’ll likely have trouble with One Skate. You’ll feel like you’re moving too fast and that you can’t possibly push with your poles with every leg push. You’ll think One Skate is the wrong technique for the terrain you’re skiing and you will want to switch to two skate.
Your problem is not speed, it’s lack of balance. Be disciplined and don’t use Two Skate to cheat your way out of your balance problem. Slow down and lower your centre of mass by getting into the athletic position. Practice the one skate dance.

5. Double Pole

Seriously. Yes, it’s a classic technique, but it’s fundamental to skate skiing. You can double pole with skate skis and poles. It will teach you how to use the power of your upper body to create forward movement.

6. Ski Uphill Without Poles

You’ll hate this, but you’ll be glad you did it. A common mistake is using the upper body and poles to haul yourself uphill. You feel like your arms are dying but you can’t access your leg strength.
Put down your poles and learn how to ski uphill, legs only. Use a wide, low stance and make a wide v-shape with your skis. Practice this often, more often than you want to.
The goal is simple: try to make it easier. How can you create glide with every step? Experiment with tempo, step size, stance width, and other factors.

7. Be Playful

If you’re not careful, you can become very good at bad technique. To avoid locking into poor motor patterns you want to give your neuromuscular system lots of different movement experiences and options.
The best way to do this is to play on your skis. Play is excellent because it stops you from over thinking and lets you respond naturally to all kinds of movement challenges.
Train yourself to be nimble and agile on your skate skis. Pick up your feet, practice step turns, quick starts and stops, stepping in and out of the track, skiing in circles, hockey stops etc. If you ski with group, have relay races and play games like capture the flag or one ski soccer.

8. Take a Lesson…Later

The first stage of learning to skate ski is just getting comfortable on the gear. You’ll have trouble simply staying upright as the skis glide across the snow. Taking a lesson at this point is a waste of money.
Find a flat area and just move around by yourself, gradually growing more stable and comfortable. Once you’ve developed a degree of comfort, take a lesson. If you’re in the Calgary area, you can contact us for lessons.

Is your bike ready for the summer??

Springtime means different things to different people up here in Breckenridge but, for a good percentage of the population, springtime means it’s finally time to pull the bike out of hibernation. The snow is receding and the roads are finally dry enough to cruise (the trails are a different story), but before you get all gung-ho about getting out there, take note of what steps should be taken to make sure your bike is good to go.

Elevation Ski and Bike on Main Street, knows a thing or two about biking, given his shop has been fixing up bikes in Breckenridge for years. We caught up with them to get the rundown on what people should consider when getting their bikes ready for spring and summer riding.

Clean it up   

It’s been a long winter, which means there has been plenty of time for your bike to accumulate grime and gunk.

The best part of getting your bike tuned at Elevation? You can ride right out of the shop and hop on the bike path just out the back door.
thorough tune at

“If you have been storing your bike on your porch or a shed, you really want to give it a thorough cleaning,” said Eldredge, noting that getting down and dirty with the bike will also give you a chance to see any noticeable issues.

Brake check
Just like your car, the brakes on your bike are one thing you want to ensure are working properly before you start your season.
“You want to make sure the brake pads are well adjusted and the cables look good,” Eldredge said. “Take note at how worn the pads are as well; it might not be a bad idea to buy new ones if you question whether they would be safe to ride on.”

Lube: it’s your best friend
When it comes to getting your bike ready, a little lube goes a long way, especially when you consider how many moving parts need to stay greased up. It pretty much goes without saying that you want to make sure your chain is adequately lubed, but other parts you should check include the derailleur assemblies, brake cables, brake and shifter levers and the brake assemblies.

How to get your bike ready for summer

If you are unsure about where these pivot points are on your bike, you can squeeze the brake levers, watching closely to see where they move. Anywhere you see metal parts moving against each other is a good place to lubricate. Remember to be very careful not to get any oil on your brake pads, as it will cause your brakes to do the exact opposite of what you want.

Be prepared for anything
“There is a pretty big cruiser scene in Breckenridge, which usually involves rides that go into the evening hours,” said Eldredge. “I would say pick up some lights, both rear and front, and maybe some fenders because we do get some sloppy conditions, and you don’t want mud collecting on your back.”
In addition to the steps mentioned above, it’s always a good idea to take your bike into a qualified mechanic to get things thoroughly checked out. Carver’s has four full-time mechanics with anywhere from three to 13 years of experience in the shop.

Once things are clean and lubed up

you are good to go.

A full bike tune at Elevation will run you $55, but you can ride away confidently knowing everything will be clean and running smoothly.

“There is a lot of competition up here, but we make it a point to treat people well as soon as they walk through the door,” says Joe “And I think it’s because of that we always see them come back.”

Find Elevation at 324 N. Main Street or, if you have any questions regarding bike tunes, call them at (970)453-2499.

Once your bike’s all ready to go, check out our blog on the Blue River Trail, accessible right from town.

I don’t ski or snowboard?  Ugh Breckkkkk

Go biking - Spend the day touring the town on a FAT Bike.  They are easy to handle and fun to ride.  Elevation Ski and Bike has a great selection and can tell you the best places to ride.

Skate the day away – The Stephen C. West Ice Arena offers two rinks in winter, skate rentals and a concession stand. The indoor arena is open year-round for ice skating practice and team training. Visit BreckenridgeRecreation.com for hours and pricing.
hockey,

Unleash creativity – From fine arts and textiles to photography and functional pottery, workshops in the Breckenridge Arts District span a variety of media. Work with artists-in-residence, catch a performance by the award-winning theater company, or make your own earrings. Check out the Breckenridge Creative Arts Calendar for a schedule of off-the-slopes arts events.

Explore the past – More than 10 local museums and historic sites serve as a window into Breckenridge’s gold mining history. Whether on a walking tour or browsing through local museums, you’ll meet Colorado’s original naturalist, an escaped slave-turned-prominent businessman and the townsfolk that still haunt some of Breckenridge’s oldest saloons. Visit BreckHeritage.com for a list of sites,
museums and tours.

Educate your palate – Foodies inclined to take their taste buds one step further can sign up for cooking classes with Colorado Mountain College. From basics such as knife skills to advanced techniques, classes include one-day and multi-day options. See upcoming culinary classes or check out Breckenridge Cheese and Chocolate for twice-weekly wine tasting events.

Play in the snow (off the slopes) – Travelers don’t need to ski or snowboard to have fun in the snow. Explore miles of snowshoeing and cross-country skiing trails, experience a dogsled tour in Breckenridge’s backcountry or hear the sleigh bells jingle on a starlit dinner sleigh ride. Adventure-seekers can fire up snowmobiles and kids can get parents giggling with a little sledding at Carter Park. Check out a few of Breckenridge’s top winter activities in this photoblog, or if you’re in town, stop by the Breckenridge Welcome Center (203 S. Main St., 877-864-0868) to learn more.

Hit the waterslide (and much more) at the Breckenridge Recreation Center – A great way to play indoors on cold days, the 69,000-square-foot Breckenridge Recreation Center offers a wide variety of indoor recreation options including free weights, weight machines, cardio equipment, fitness classes, a racquetball court, basketball courts, two climbing walls, an aquatics center with a waterslide, tennis courts, an indoor track and more. Visit BreckenridgeRecreation.com for hours and pass pricing.

Get centered – A dedicated yoga studio, Meta Yoga offers daily drop-in classes for all levels. Punch passes and one-week visitor memberships offer the best deal for those who plan to take several classes during a trip to Breckenridge. In addition, some 13 spas and wellness centers offer a variety of treatments including massage, aromatherapy, acupuncture and more.

Kick back – Cruise downtown in search of the perfect Made-in-Breck memento. Hit the restaurants (and be sure to stop by the Brewery and Distillery for tours and tastings). Or take it all in with a carriage ride through downtown. Check out the Breckenridge Dining Guide for restaurant suggestions.

Celebrate in style – Get a taste of Breckenridge’s unique character with one of many signature festivals that punctuate the winter calendar. From an enormous outdoor snow sculpting competition to a party in honor of the Norse god of snow, Breckenridge events give visitors and locals many reasons to celebrate. Visit GoBreck.com/events for a list of major celebrations and weekly happenings.

Say hello – Stop by and see us at the Breckenridge Welcome Center (203 S. Main St., 877-864-0868). In addition to the free historic museum on site – during construction, builders uncovered a well-preserved log cabin hidden between newer additions – the Welcome Center can set up any of the above activities and give travelers many more ideas for winter activities off the slopes.

Ski/snowboard films

There are some telltale signs that winter is quickly approaching, and chief among them is the annual parade of new ski and snowboard movies.  Earlier and earlier each year, the top names in the ski movie biz are pushing their premiere’s out to a hungry public.  Pow Hounds and Park Rats alike partake in the festivities, leaving the movies with a sense of excitement and an undeniable desire for winter to hurry up and arrive.
If you didn’t make it to the shows this year but still want to check out the new flicks and get stoked for the upcoming winter, here are a few movies worth looking into:

TGR Presents Jeremy Jones’ Higher
WOW.  If you haven’t seen one of Jeremy Jones’ movies, let me tell you what not to expect.  You won’t see any tall T’s, oversized headphones, double corks, or handrails.  However, you won’t really miss all that stuff.  Instead, you get to see some seriously passionate people climbing and then riding some seriously intense lines.  In his final installment to the Deeper, Further, Higher trilogy, Jeremy Jones takes his snowboarding to entirely different heights, which almost seems impossible.  Watching what he and his crew are able to accomplish is impressive if you only look at the lines they are riding, but when you get to see the effort and determination it took to get to the top of those imposing lines….wow…just wow.

MSP Films, Days Of My Youth
The Matchstick crew always delivers. Always.  However, Days Of My Youth does more than just deliver; this movie will blow your mind!  The story line is shaped and narrated by the writings of British Philosopher Alan Watts, which sounds a Days Of My Youth, brings every aspect of the perfect ski movie together, plus a little extra.  I don’t know if you can tell or not, but I loved this movie…

little strange, but actually adds a really cool aspect to the whole movie.  From the super beginner days all the way through a face meltingly intense chute,

Unicorn Picnic, Pretty Faces
Finally, finally, finally, there is a movie out there that puts a sparkly spin on that played out saying, ‘you ski like a girl’.  In a Kickstarter campaign, Lindsay Dyer brought together a phenomenal group of the top female athletes, and for the first time in a full feature ski movie, no guys, no beards; just a gaggle of INCREDIBLE ladies skiing lines and dropping cliffs that will keep your eyes wide and your jaw on the floor.  Trust me, when the credits roll, you will either be glad you are a girl, or wish you could ski like one.

TGR, Almost Ablaze
First off, this movie just won the Film of the Year Award at the IF3 festival which is kind of a big deal, so if you don’t know what the IF3 is about, you should probably check it out.  Anyways, Almost Ablaze mixes it up in this film, showing impressive skiing (obviously) as well as trippy new ideas with some artsy videography.  This movie doesn’t waste much time with story lines, but instead uses all of its energy in shot after shot awesomeness.  Definitely worth owning!

FAT Tires

With one of the longest ski seasons in North America, you might think (quite logically) that the Breckenridge biking season is one of the shortest. Not so.
Many Breck locals and visitors bike year-round. Yes, through rain, sleet, graupel, snow.

To start with Breck boasts some of the best mountain biking terrain in the country. And once the plows come through and the sun comes out, there are plenty of road biking routes.

The cycling culture in Breckenridge is strong. And, Winter Biking promotes even more positive community interaction (think contagious grins). Plus it’s environmental friendly, eases traffic and parking congestion and usually gets you plenty of nods and winks of encouragement. From commuters to die-hard recreational riders, riding happens even in the snow, but don’t be fooled …. we still love powder days as much as winter biking.

Winter Road Warriors
With 300 plus days of sunshine, road riding in Breckenridge can extend into late fall/early winter. What motivates a rider to brave the challenging elements of early winter?  To stay fit for cyclocross races October through December. Otherwise, in late winter I’ll get out again to get the base miles I need to be kind of fit for the Firecracker 50 (a Breck mountain bike race in July). It’s also a good time to think about stuff … family, work, life. And I like the heavy legs feeling when I get home.”

Road riding is a good winter recipe, but you need all the ingredients. The expression, “there is no bad weather, just bad clothing,” comes to mind. Suit up with layers. Start with breathable long-sleeve layers that are waterproof/windstopper and a good thermal glove, maybe a lobster mitt.
“Always having that last resort final piece of clothing – a vest or a light packable jacket – in a jersey pocket is nice when you’re on a longer ride far from home.

Another tip: Be selective and alert. Ride winter routes that get a lot of sun and don’t have a lot of traffic such as the Tiger Road. and Summit Estates route in Breckenridge. Be alert to drivers and pretend they don’t see you. Stay smooth on gravel, ice and snow and be sure to ride on a wider, knobbier tire on your road or cross bike.

Fat Fat Tires: Winter mountain biking
“Riding when the snow is falling is one of the best, most peaceful and perfect times to be on the bike,” says Lou Laurina, a Breck local who’s a fire fighter at Lake Dillion Fire District, as well as a mountain bike rider. “It’s all about trail compaction so snowshoers and cross country skiers are your best friends out there.” Riding on high-traffic, packed trails is ideal. Fat Biking is a slower, warmer ride, yet challenging. One of Laurina’s favorite trails in Breckenridge is, “up French Gulch on the B&B trail and Turks.”

Gearing up from head to toe: Foot Gear
Having the correct foot gear is key when riding for an hour or more. Snow boots work well for short rides around the neighborhood, but for comfort on a long ride Laurina suggests 45nrth boots for comfort and warmth. Laurina’s offers the following tips for a better Fat Bike experience:

• Take time to try different tire pressures;
• Take time to dial in your bike. It’ll handle a lot differently with conditions changing everyday; and
• Keep your cadence up and keep your pedal stroke as smooth as possible because it’s all about keeping traction.

Sound like fun? Winter Biking is a great alternative snow sport and Breckenridge is the perfect place to explore. Bring your bike or rent a Fat Bike at Elevation.