Hardtails on Hard Trails - Brown Mountain in Tucson, AZ

On this episode of Hardtails on Hard Trails we head to Tucson Arizona to ride an often overlooked challenging trail: Brown Mountain. Huge shoutout to my local Tucson friends for riding and sessions this with me. What a blast. Show your appreciation and support this channel by becoming a Patron today: / hardtailparty
Show your love for hardtails by sporting some Hardtail Party Swag (hats, shirts, hoodies, etc.): shop.spreadshirt.com/hardtail...
Trail info:
www.trailforks.com/trails/bro...
My glasses: bit.ly/3aXBeKp
My tire sealant: bit.ly/2ULJirZ
My pedals: amzn.to/2V9DzuK
My dropper: bit.ly/3dXWq4D
My stem: bit.ly/2xUreD2
My wheels: bit.ly/33G0Wjm
What's in my water bottles: bit.ly/2Xbxy3q
Hardtail Party Shirts, Swag, etc: shop.spreadshirt.com/hardtail...
Support the channel and save some money by shopping using these links. Feel free to share these with your friends, but please do not post these discounts anywhere else (especially coupon sites), or we will all lose these discount codes.
bit.ly/2WbHycF - 20% off at Club Ride using my code "hardtailparty"
bit.ly/2UwrmQq - Ryan Leech Connection: $19 off - coupon code "hardtailparty"​
bit.ly/2U8OyFE - Velocirax racks - 5% off using coupon code: "hardtailparty"
bit.ly/3adSvyv - CushCore - 15% off using code: "HTCushparty"
Amazon: amazon.com/shop/hardtailparty
Note: some of my links are affiliate links. That means I get a small commission on purchases made using these links. You don't pay anything extra, but it helps support the channel. If you've learned something from my videos, consider using the affiliate links above.

[@hardtailparty]

Don't forget to use coupon code "party" to save 5% on any rsd bike, including the same middle child cro-mo I ride.

[@PewterC5FRC]

What bike computer is that you're using? Earned a sub today as well.

[@hardtailparty]

@@PewterC5FRC thanks for the sub! My computer is a wahoo element.

[@proote]

So many videos of MTBing either falling off at high speed or downhill perfection. Nice to see the real world where thing's don't always work first time and take two or three attempts.

[@tamserenity]

I am glad to find a channel that focuses on hardtails! I love hardtail bikes! For me there is no reason to have a full squish. I thought of doing a channel myself but don't have the type of trails around my home to do one. I asked others youtubers if they would focus on hardtails a little and was told they don't have access to hardtails in their area. So thanks for the videos!

[@hardtailparty]

Glad you like it! A lot of KZbinrs, and riders in general, have never owned a hardtail. They jump straight to the full suspension. I have a lot of love for both, but especially hardtails. Glad you're enjoying the content. A lot of companies (and people) see hardtails as starter bikes, or beginner bikes. Many don't offer them for demos, don't spec them with decent parts, and don't build them with good geo. There are a few exceptions though, and good hardtails are better than ever. A good hardtail is better than a cheap full suspension.

[@JZMartinez]

Love the Stache! 👍

[@hardtailparty]

the stache is such a good bike!

[@tylerpierce3935]

Tucson Mountains are not for the faint of heart! Crazy combination of volcanic rock and cholla cactus. No room for error!

[@tjeu81]

Love the shots where you filmed the rider behind you. Gives a good impression of just how steep and technical these trails are.

[@becks431]

Fun vid to watch. Nice bunny hop’n that dope turn. Keeping it real is what makes these vids fun to watch.

[@genecarlsonii3115]

Another great video Steve. Thanks for the content.

[@crappypatty]

Awesome video. I love seeing seeing some sessioning! Finding a tough section, working take after take to get it, discussing lines and such, and finally getting it! Sooo good!

[@fatbastardmtb7414]

Dude LOVE your channel! Great to see some peeps riding gnarly stuff on a hardtail! Such fun bikes and can handle a lot more than people give em credit for...as long as YOU can handle it!

[@coltonowens5976]

it always make me happy when someone calls the trails I ride challenging! it’s doesn’t make me feel superior in any way but i’m just glad people are being challenged in ways I never was because I grew up riding this dirt and terrain, if i ever tried loam it’d feel pretty alien 😂

[@RyanMarcyesOutdoors]

That was awesome and watching all the great sessions was just as fun!!! Live-Life-Loud!!!!

[@marcosmadrazo2440]

This easily becoming my fav mtb channel. Kudos ⚡

[@hardtailparty]

Thanks Marcos, that means a lot!

[@brettlopresti8299]

Can second that! Waiting on the next vid...greetings from hardtailers in WNC

[@sparks701]

Man. Steve you climb like a beast. Well done!

[@hardtailparty]

Thanks. I love technical climbs, but I've got a long way to go before I master them. I love the challenge of mountain biking. I never want to stop learning/improving on my bike.

[@8milestogo]

The guy with the grey Treck was my favorite! Reving up that climb with full force! :D You guys are having so much fun! Absolutely amazing, good times!

[@eviltaz78]

Looks like a really fun trial! Great video!

[@francoisellett7298]

Awesome, exactly the kinda ride I like to do, and a great group of riders.

[@kiznile123]

* Ain't no party like a hardtail party cause a hardtail party don't stop *

[@greentransmission]

Great video! Just ordered a Stache 7 and excited to see one getting rowdy!

[@hardtailparty]

Congrats on an awesome bike. I really like the stache.

[@arod4084]

Awesome trail love the Saguaros. Great Job!

[@hardtailparty]

Tucson is the BEST!

[@chamaleon1963]

stupendo trail! hardtails , saguaro ,opuntia, barrel cacti and desert sun wow!

[@jordanrhodes]

Great! Beautiful trail.

[@acegardner4425]

U guys rock! What a rowdy fun trail. Looks like that chilean antigrip

[@1pho3nixmatt]

So fun!

[@jimmy196791]

Great MTB video 🚵‍♂️

[@andypersson4372]

glad i found your channel it been great to see a hardtail fan ,as i recently got a 2019 roscoe 8 and found im going to that instead of my full suspension witch ive had for a good year now and found the 2.80 mid fat tire great keep up the videos enjoying the channel alot

[@hardtailparty]

Very cool! I'm glad you found it too. Stoked to hear you're loving the roscoe.

[@pdpcycling248]

Good trial on that switchback uphill! Always feel great on the hardtail ;)

[@cranksnplanks]

Always a blast here at the hard tail party 🤙

[@chameleonpogono]

That sharp loose turn did indeed look hard. I'm impressed with your balance as you set up at the turn. If you're ok, I would love to try your hardtail out next time you're back out here. Love the scenery out there.

[@hardtailparty]

You're welcome to try it.

[@leinad41]

That is such a fun trail, I need to get out there again! I really enjoy the Stache, it feels just right for Tucson trails, great traction and rollover for the rocky desert conditions.

[@hardtailparty]

Killer riding Dan. You've inspired a lot of stache riders.

[@Krigloch]

Yuss! Hardtails! I'm on a Canfield Brothers Yelli Screamy. Love that damn thing!

[@hardtailparty]

Such a cool bike!

[@yeeyee7862]

Nice session

[@Phaethon666]

Great Video, Dude. Makes me want to come out from California and join you for a Hardtail Ride!

[@hardtailparty]

You should! We have a guided tour of the north rim of the grand canyon in June. It's going to be amazing. You should join. Details here: westernspirit.com/register/index.php?main_page=product_bike_trip_info&cPath=1_25_32&products_id=2084

[@TwoGuysOneVan]

Nice man... Looks like a fun day out... NIce Vid! :D

[@Happy_Biker]

Backwards facing trail cam: very cool

[@tfordy]

I ride a Whyte S-150S (Dual Suspension) but I still love to get out on my Whyte 901 Trail/Enduro hardtail!

[@1esk192]

I ride a Bird Zero AM Boost with a 64.5 head angle and I just love how versatile it is. Up is no problem at all and it just waaants to go down any trail I point it to, the steeper the better. Now I'm thinking about putting in 160mm up front instead of the 150mm, should make it an even more fun bike. :)

[@jamesclemons18]

Thanks, Steve! I didn't think about riding down that way. I live north of there in Picture Rock. Brown mountain is now on my list. By the way, check out Raptor Free Flight at the Desert Museum if you haven't seen it already. They'll quit flying the birds in a couple of weeks, and that show is awesome.

[@hardtailparty]

Dang, I'm sad I missed the raptor! We moved in from Arizona sadly. We will be back in November!

[@yegmtb8377]

looks sweet wish i was around for the hardtail party 🤙

[@hardtailparty]

What state do you live in?

[@yegmtb8377]

@@hardtailparty Alberta up in the Great White North eh

[@BengLang84]

Thank you so much for doing this vid Steve! I am so happy to see someone is using a Trek Stache 7. I rarely see people using it for a hardtail that us why I am so reluctant of it's capabilities as a hardtail? In your own opinion Steve how would you rate the stache 7 base on the type of terrain you guys are riding. Also, I am planning to use dhr II front and back for my stache and not the dhf. Do you think that would work? I read in the forum that some people use dhr II for the front. More power and rider safe Steve. God bless to you and your Family 😊

[@hardtailparty]

I prefer the DHR2 front and rear like you suggest. It's got more drag than a lot of tires, so it slows you down on the climbs, but the traction is unreal, both up and down. In my opinion, the biggest limiation on a hardtail is the rider. A good rider can take almost any modern hardtail down almost any trail. There are a few things that help, like wider tires, cushcore, and a slack head angle, but a good rider can get around any of those. My buddy Dan (the one riding the stache) takes his stache on all sorts of trails. In fact, you can see him riding it on hiline in Sedona on our episode of "Hard Tales." He takes his bike anywhere I take mine. Personally, the head angle is steeper than I like on the stache for this kind of riding. The middle child is more my cup of tea. The stache is a great bikepacking bike, along with xc/trail bike. But for really steep technical stuff, I prefer a slacker head angle. Trek did an awesome job making the chainstays so short on the stache. It's really a super fun bike. I just wish they made a 64* hta stache. That would be a blast. I have a lot of love for the stache, it's a killer bike.. It all just depends on where you ride and how rowdy you want to get on your hardtail. If you're doing super steep or technical stuff, I'd choose the MC. For more everyday rides, you might prefer the stache. Also, I'm super short (5'6") and the 29+ tires sometimes get in the way of where my body needs to be for some moves. In other words, I end up buzzing the tire because my legs are so short. For any one over 5'8", it should be no problem.

[@tjay_mac]

I enjoyed every second of this video! That’s an awesome trail! 🤘 Are you currently running 3.0 size tires F/R in your Ti RSD?

[@hardtailparty]

At the moment I'm running 2.5 29ers on my ti rsd. But I also like 2.8 rear and 3.0 front.

[@Dreggz1312]

I did this trail last year as part of a long ride, got heat stroke and smashed my dearailleur. It was sick.

[@scotti_wan_kenobi]

Great video Steve, your ethos of just going out and having fun really resonates with me. Some of my friends just want to go as fast as possible all the time and I never get to session jumps or features unless I go out on my own. Quick question about your Wahoo elemnt... Do you use it to track your ride, or can you upload trails into it to follow?

[@hardtailparty]

Come ride with us. We just enjoy the ride. Life is too serious as it is. Bikes are for having fun.

[@scotti_wan_kenobi]

@@hardtailparty I would love to, but it's a bit of a long journey from the UK. Haha

[@JamesStoup]

I've cleaned this trail, but only sections at a time. Every time I've ridden it I've cleaned sections I've not been able to make and then screwed up other ones I've had nailed. I'd love to clean the whole thing. Brown mountain is super steep and pretty technical.

[@hardtailparty]

Yeah. The video doesn't do it justice. It's a tough trail. Congrats on cleaning each section. I think this was mj first time cleaning every obstacle on one day. And cleaning the entire trail will make you exhausted! One day I'd like to clean the entire trail first time on every obstacle without stopping. That stupid 150* turn is such a tough one!

[@JamesStoup]

@@hardtailparty That turn is the worst part of the trail. After that you're mostly free and clear so long as you've got the gas!

[@shawnsk867]

Looks like a fun trail! What computer are you running? Looking to get one myself. Thanks!

[@hardtailparty]

It's a wahoo element. I really like it. I wear the wahoo heart rate monitor with it and it's great.

[@chriss8375]

Stoked with this content! Curious what tire pressure you running with the cushcore?

[@hardtailparty]

I've been experimenting lately. I've run the rear as low as 11 psi and as high as 18. I usually don't have my tire pressure gauge with me on the trail, and I'm always adjusting it based on conditions.

[@chriss8375]

@@hardtailparty Thanks! I need to make the leap with an insert on my hardtails. Feeling wise does it feel like 60mm, 80mm suspension cush almost?

[@hardtailparty]

I've never had a bike with less than 120mm suspension before. It's not quite the same thing as suspension, since you can't totally control the rebound or compression, and since the axle path isn't changing. But it does make the rear end feel more dead on bumps and more glued to the ground for climbs and braking. I suppose you have as much suspension as the tire can deflect. I'd say it feels closer to 25mm of suspension with plus tires. It takes the sting out and you get more traction than without.

[@martinhidalgo7055]

Hi greetings from argentina, I´ll drop a question for the HTP, don´t you lock the fork when climbing? i saw you struggling in that ramp up. For me it help´s to increase tracktion

[@hardtailparty]

No, I never lock my fork unless I'm at the pump track. Locking my fork decreases traction.

[@aarons4256]

Awesome channel Steve!!! I have a 27.5+ Commencal Meta Ht and have learned so much riding it this last year! I just got my Bronson v2 running again. Now the standard 2.3 DHR 2 tires feel way too small. What tire combo did you end up with as your favorite on the Bronson? Thanks Aaron

[@hardtailparty]

My favorite tire combo on the Bronson was a 2.6 dhr 2 up front and a 2.5 ardent in the back. However, I've had bad luck puncturing ardent, so now dhr2 front and back is my favorite. Glad you're enjoying your meta ht, that's such a cool bike.

[@aarons4256]

hardtail party So you were able to fit a 2.6 dhr2 in the back of the Bronson v2 correct?

[@hardtailparty]

@@aarons4256 it ended up rubbing a lot of the paint off whenever it would pick up a rock. So I recommend a 2.4 dhr 2 in the back.

[@aarons4256]

hardtail party Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions! Have a great day!

[@mtb7018]

What’s your thoughts on the Stache? Been thinking about adding one to the stable.

[@hardtailparty]

I love the stache. It's fantastic for certain types of riding. For my style, it's not quite slack enough, and the 29+ tires are a little bit of a handful for a shorty like me. If you mostly keep your tires on the ground, and rider more XC/trail mellow stuff, it's a fantastic bike. I applaud trek for thinking outside the box on this one and keeping the chainstays so short and still being able to fit a 29+ tire in there. If they made a 64* HTA stache (not likely), it'd be amazing!

[@tstoresbaby]

What tires are you running to put the cush core in...are they tubeless?

[@hardtailparty]

They are tubeless. You must be tubeless to run cushcore. I am now running Maxxis tires front and rear.

[@doctajuice]

You keep talking about the cushcore feeling like suspension but I'm sure the steel frame helps a lot too.

[@hardtailparty]

Actuality, my aluminum chameleon was more forgiving than my steel middle child. Contrary to popular belief, not all steel hardtails are forgiving. The middle child isn't harsh, but it's not as supple as a lot of other steel frames. Having ridden this bike before and after cushcore, it was definitely the cushcore I was feeling.

[@doctajuice]

Wow that's crazy! I've ridden a lot of steel bikes and a lot of aluminum bikes so I know the feeling very well. I've never had a steel frame as stiff as an aluminum. I guess the middle child must be a super super stout frame!

[@hardtailparty]

@@doctajuice yeah it surpsided me too. My rsd is more compliant than any aluminum frame I've ridden except for the chameleon. The chameleon is super complaint. It's more compliant than any steel frame I've ridden. It doesn't even have a seatstay bridge. Whatever voodoo they're doing with the aluminum chameleon frame is pretty awesome. I believe thr rsd has super tight fitting joints before they're hand-welded, contributing to the stiffer rear end. The middle child isn't overly stuff, but it's not quite as compliant as some steel hardtails. It might also have to do with the chainstay yoke. It's pretty beefy. Also keep in mind that I'm on a size small, and the smaller those triangles, the less they flex.

[@doctajuice]

@@hardtailparty that's pretty awesome. I've actually only ever ridden aluminum mountain bikes, but I've been through lots of different bmx bikes. With small wheels, no suspension, and 60lbs in the tires the difference between steel, aluminum, and carbon is turned up to 11. I've considered a steel hardtail though specifically for the compliance. Thanks a bunch for all the info!

[@ragiwarmbear]

Why do you always ride with the pullover hood up? Is it cold or do you fear the sun?

[@hardtailparty]

The sun is SCARY!

[@Ryfij]

👊👊😎😎🤙

[@Thealdon_47]

great riding guys.! It would be awesome to catch one of these rides ill keep an eye on the insta for group invites.

[@hardtailparty]

Yes, definitely keep an eye out. What state are you in? You can see our travel plans here: hardtailparty.com/tour

[@Thealdon_47]

I'm from Las Vegas NV, looks like ill be making a road trip for a HTP.!

[@hardtailparty]

@@Thealdon_47 we will be in st George sometime toward the end of May.

[@Thealdon_47]

Sweet, great trails out there plus Snake Hollow skills park is pretty awesome too. ill stay tuned, keep up the great work you and the wife have great content.!

[@hardtailparty]

@@Thealdon_47 agreed, it's an amazing park. I need to go back. We can definitely plan on a meet-up at that park.

[@rscimoch]

I am getting subliminal Steve’s throughout the video. They are telling me to get out and Mountain Bike. I must obey. :)

[@hardtailparty]

That's the idea!