Uncovering the Lost Sierra MTB

[@BernhardMasterson]

I love that you two are riding single track on rigid drop bar bikes. Well done! 1980s style MTB, my favorite.

[@kentlewan]

those are some nice trails! Well done

[@Henrywildeberry]

The Sierra's is a nice mountain biking destination. Truckee is great too, but busier on the weekends. If Amtrak could work out how to allow bikes on and off there, that would really help.

[@ilyapo]

Great atmosphere, great bikes and you are both very nice.

[@bengt_axle]

5:06 FYI, Mr. Wildeberry, I believe Growtac has now launched a friction brifter that works with any derailleur and that Velo Orange will be selling it. Jom of Gravel Cyclist did a video about it. I believe it is disk only, however.

[@Henrywildeberry]

Disc only? So hydraulic levers with a friction shifter? Wow, that's interesting.

[@bengt_axle]

@@Henrywildeberry No, it is cable-operated disk. Perhaps it would work with a rim brake, if the pull ratio is similar.

[@Henrywildeberry]

@@bengt_axle I see, cool! It will be interesting to see the reviews.

[@bradsanders6954]

Amazing, how some love to live in the past with old rim brakes and clackity clack friction shifting.....like having drum brakes on a car, or a hand crank starter. The good old days.

[@wallacedavidg]

Beautiful scenery, thanks for taking us along.

[@deansantos8915]

Downieville Classic trail is so much fun on a full suspension trail bike, especially Butcher Ranch. I gotta try these trails sometime with my curly bar bike.

[@wizardculture]

Seems like quite the enchanting area and those trails look fuuuunnnn! Thanks for sharing!

[@Henrywildeberry]

It's a great environment for adventuring. There is definitely a lot of challenging terrain, and getting through the miles is slow, but the scenery is worth it. The gold rush towns are a hoot!

[@evaristocedillo448]

You make beautiful videos, the scenery, the way you and Ms.Cools treat each other and the adventures you have make my gloomy days brigther God bless you

[@fredvanvactor6110]

Man, excellent film footage! Beautiful! I’m inspired to wake up early and go for a long ride tomorrow! Thank you!

[@klarkolofsson]

I would love to ride that route someday, fantastic scenery. Just gotta fly over to the states first...

[@Ramenscooter]

See it before it burns 🥵

[@sjtaylor128]

Thanks for another entertaining video. I watched it over breakfast on the way out for a fitness ride. You again mentioned your Campy/Shimano drive train. I was given an old Cannondale road bike with Campy 8-speed and a corn cob cluster on a non-repairable rear hub. From Sheldon Brown's site I discovered that Campy 8-speed mech will shift a Shimano 7-speed cassette. That conversion might let me use a replacement non-Campy rear wheel and wider range 7-speed cassette. Fun stuff.

[@Henrywildeberry]

Thank you! If you haven't already, check out the Jtek Engineering site for their conversion pulley. It's 30-$40 and will allow you to use different Campy/Shimano components together. It's very easy to install too.

Beautiful scenery 🙏

[@sveablu]

Excellent footage. Thanks.

[@furleyforever]

Haven't ridden that part of the Sierras. Looks beautiful. Race Kings are fast tires. Probably perfect for those trails. A little sketchy on bare rock and sandy spots though.

[@markxkovacic]

Sierra

[@mark950-d7d]

Watching your video reminds me of the gravel road - trail network in Maidstone, VT state park. It is in the northeast kingdom. Across the Connecticut River is Coos County, NH. There are some bikepacking rides nearby. No grizzly bears on the east coast.

[@Henrywildeberry]

I hear the gravel in Vermont is quite nice this time of year. I'd like to visit the East coast during the Fall season. The Sierra mountains are home to black bears, but no grizzlies.

[@jonathanbenn2241]

Riding in Rutland County VT this weekend. The gravel is really nice.

[@Henrywildeberry]

@@jonathanbenn2241 Have fun! Have the leaves started to change color yet?

[@bradsanders6954]

Downieville, some beautiful country around there. The southward climb up the fire road to Henness pass is quite a climb. Henness pass goes thru Alleghany, a true middle of no where cute little town at altitude. And on up to Truckee if you persevere. A rocky road somewhat but very scenic. But if you like rocks,have to come to Bidwell Park in Chico, we have rocks. Not those round ones but sharp rock on lava cap, no one beats our rocks. We rode Harmony Ridge in Nevada City, No Rocks, none. Smooth fun steep trails really FUN.

[@Henrywildeberry]

I bet those lava rocks have sharpened your line choice skills.

[@danjones1365]

If you’re talking about Galloway Road up to Henness Pass that is 4 miles with some of the steepest hike a bike you will ever do.

[@CountryB4Party]

Good old Bidwell Park, where I learned to ride mtb in the early 80s.Sad to hear about the big fire. You guys have had in rough in recent years.

[@bradsanders6954]

@@CountryB4Party The fire, burned a lotta brush, the park will come back fine. I rode the park in the 80's on good old rigid bikes, I would still ride it now but with 2.6 tires and 6" travel minimum. Its not even the same sport between the 2. I dont want any more beatings.

[@ryaneck]

Mad skill riding Downieville on a rigid drop bar bike

[@dirtbike9003]

Wow such a great vid, thx !

[@davidstepro7486]

There aren't a whole lot of gravel bike friendly trails around Downieville.

[@watertankhikes]

Bullard's Bar is doable.

[@Korina42]

Gorgeous ride; no bear bells?🤨

[@Henrywildeberry]

I've seen too many bear bells in piles of bear scat to know what happens to bear bells! 😂

[@Korina42]

@@Henrywildeberry Yikes! I thought it was only brown bears that hear a dinner bell. 🙃

[@robertpeterson8640]

These trail videos often make me a little dizzy. Beautiful stuff, thank you!

[@bradsanders6954]

There is a video, where a guy at Downieville goes off a 110 foot drop over the edge, on a dirtbike, with a camera filming away.............he survives to get helicoptered out..............amazing that he lived,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,downieville requires full concentration in many spots.

[@wallacedavidg]

Great to see Teresa riding with you again. There is no shame in hike-a-bike. I agree, a little under biked for those trails.

[@Henrywildeberry]

I don't mind the hike a bike sections. It gives me a chance to stretch out my old tired back muscles.

[@aintnobodygottime4dat]

Good you're riding the slightly stronger 27.5's.....that's some bumpy trail you were on!

[@bradsanders6954]

It made my wrists/lower back/shoulders hurt just listening to the rigid bikes with small tires bang over rocks. 1985 I was doing the same thing and loving it. 2.6 is the tire for Downieville. 6" travel is good.

[@peterbedford2610]

Just thinking of the Tahoe Flume trail yesterday.

[@Henrywildeberry]

It's good time to get up there. The fire season has been relatively light this year and the rain has helped to keep things fresh.

[@bengt_axle]

For those wondering, the opening song is, America's "Tin Man". Are the Contis quieter on the pavement than the Schwalbes?

[@glenjo0]

Agree on the chains. I have 8, 9, and 11 speed on my various bikes, and I have snapped the 11 speed chain while shifting.

[@Henrywildeberry]

I'm sorry to hear about the 11 speed chain. I just broke my first chain, ever, last week. It was an extra light 11-speed chain on my gravel bike. One side of the link broke but I didn't notice until I got home. It was making a funny noise but held together for 10 miles!

[@PaulResor]

Looking at your videos I always wonder if you ever run across Bears cougars or rattlesnakes Oh my.

[@Henrywildeberry]

Yes, pretty often. We came across a black bear on this trip. Once he saw us he bolted off.

[@cobykluth1878]

Downieville has the Classic, but henrywildeberry and Ms. Cools are ours! Bravo

[@Henrywildeberry]

Thank you! 😊

[@lkflrs]

What internal rim widths are each of you using?

[@Henrywildeberry]

25mm internal width.

[@miker6270]

Are you guys running tubeless with those tires? Thanks

[@Henrywildeberry]

Yes, we're both set-up tubeless with these tires. Stans sealant, I believe.

[@mrbinky7]

mmmmm coffee on the road

[@alainangeli5775]

Verr😊y nice

[@dougpeterson3356]

Do you damage headsets with that type of riding?

[@Henrywildeberry]

I haven't, but I suppose if I rode these trails more often I would.

[@mellissanash7517]

How or why would that damage the headset? I ride my gravel bike with a similar tire setup(maxed out w/the faster 29x2.2 Racing Ralph atm) on the regular and never had a headset issue on those type of trails out in the desert.

[@CountryB4Party]

Shouldn’t be an issue if they’re adjusted properly.

[@PrabuddhaDasGupta1966]

In the video, its hard to tell if you are going off-route at times- it all looks equally rideable-unrideable. No hungry wild animals in the area?

[@fartstorm]

i'm listening.......

[@yostumpy]

haha! your Westy pop top canvas is as bad as mine.

[@solarheat9016]

Is Miss Cools in this video? Won't you die riding that mountain bike trail on a drop bar bike? You could just hike those trails.