The "World Famous" Slickrock MTB trail in Moab, UT

[@markforbes1537]

I use to ride this trail before suspension. Boy your forearms were sore. It was the late 80s and early nineties. I remember riding it for the first time with front shocks and V brakes. We use to install slick tires with no tread so you would have better grip on the rock. Even with inferior bikes we could ride up every hill. Sometimes you had to go back down and give it multiple tries. Good times on slick rock.

[@ronsanderson99]

You remind me of a time I rode a trail with a nearly 5,000 foot descent on my original, suspensionless mountain bike back in the 90’s. And yes, brutal on the arms and shoulders! Thanks for sharing your story! Oh, to be young and fit again! Thanks for watching!

[@scottzreality3061]

Gotta get there sooner than later 👍

[@ronsanderson99]

Yup, sooner than later…it’s a unique trail, and so much fun!

[@Themilkmanskid.]

I'm blue as far as technical rides go, but pushing black on the physical abilities. This looks like a good trail for us if there isn't too too much walking the tuff parts. Kind of worried about getting a long ways from the car and then finding out the ride gets so tough we'll have to start walking too much. Guess we'll pack big lunches and take tons of water. This ride looks awesome! Thanks for sharing!

[@ronsanderson99]

The ride is awesome! And water and a lunch is also a good idea…maybe plan for a 2-3 hour ride. Also, right at the Slickrock parking lot and trailhead they’re is a short practice loop which is very similar to what you would encounter on the rest of the trail. You could try that out first to see what the terrain is like before committing to the bigger Slickrock loop.

[@Themilkmanskid.]

@@ronsanderson99 Thanks much!

[@garyharmon5386]

Thank you so much

[@ronsanderson99]

No problem

[@williambanzhof9739]

EXCELLENT!

[@ronsanderson99]

Yes, very excellent! Thanks for watching!

[@garyharmon5386]

Great video and riding. I am a retired photojournalist but never had to shoot video. I’m thinking about getting a video camera for my mtbing and gravel riding. Your videos are always so good I was wondering if you use a GoPro

[@ronsanderson99]

Thanks for the compliment! And I do use a GoPro, this video was shot with the GoPro Hero 12, which was purchased back in October. If you are a photojournalist, you probably have a way better eye for lighting, color and scenery than I do. The great thing about GoPro and most action cameras is that they are pretty much "plug and play", where you simply use the recommended settings, strap the camera on a chest or helmet mount and ride! I sometimes do a little corrections to the video in post editing but if I've got the right light and camera settings then I don't make any changes. Also, I originally had an earlier version of the GoPro which required me to use a gimbal for video stabilization. The gimbal was always so finicky and added weight on my chest mount that it was a real hassle. But now, with GoPro Hero 9 to 12 cameras, the stabilization algorithm inside the camera is so good that I don't need a gimbal any more! For me, my travel journey is not just about riding these incredible trails, exploring new places and staying fit, it is as much about the new "hobby" of learning about cameras and video editing software for things to do between my MTB vacation excursions. Once again, thanks so much for watching and supporting my channel! I've got lots of great video content coming over the winter!

[@Kendubious]

Good work Ron. I rode it in 2013 for the first time on a brand new Anthem. How do you think you would have done on that bike? mostly on the climbs. Or should I say the 2023 model.

[@ronsanderson99]

Thanks for the compliment. I rode Slickrock and Porcupine for the first time in 2015 on an old 2004 Kona Cindercone without rear suspension. I endowed a couple times on Porcupine and realized that I needed a new bike! So I returned a year later with a 2016 Giant Trance, which made a huge difference. But I don’t know much about the Anthem, I suspect it is a more upright frame design than the Trance or the Reign I now ride. More recent frame designs are increasingly more slack in the head tube angle so I would imagine climbing and descending on Slickrock with an older Anthem would be a bit of a challenge. But Slickrock is so awesome I would ride it on anything I had, and try to make the necessary adjustments, walking steep sections if I had to. Thanks for watching!

[@Kendubious]

I rode Porcupine in 91 on a fully rigid bridgestone. I loved my Anthem for its climbing@@ronsanderson99