The riding season is about to be upon us. Whether you have been riding the trainer or the couch the first ride always comes with some trepidation. Will the roads be in rougher shape with more gravel strewn into the path of where I want to be riding? How bad am I going to suffer on the flattest route from my house? And lastly, will the cars be paying less attention as they are not yet back in tune with cyclists on the road? The first two are pretty much a given; the roads will be a mess and no matter how much training I have done the first ride out is always harder than expected. The third concern of distracted drivers can be partially mitigated with technology. As our world becomes more connected, so has the interface with bikes and cars. Cars are beginning to put technology into collision avoidance with pedestrians and cyclists. And now cyclists can have detection technology on where the cars are in reference to the cyclist and if they are exceeding local speed limits. The product I a...

The wind whips against your dry, cracked face. The unrelenting cold of mid february coupled with the extra weight of the holidays drags your body downward, each step and movement a source of another ache and sore. As you make your way home from another long day, you remember the neglected promises of the new year. With the deficit of self care due for reconciliation, you pull that bike out of the garage and dust off the old trusty trainer. Time to pay your debt to yourself. You begin to painstakingly churn out those first dreadful miles. Your choice to suffer now, rather than face the ridicule when it's 70 degrees out, and all your riding buddies have been secretly training away. You know that you can suffer now in the privacy of your basement or suffer on that first ride out with friends; and you know you want to spare yourself the embarrassment.  Ok, maybe I am projecting here a little bit, but what I want to share with you in this column are the advancements that have taken plac...

Fall is in the air, the leaves are at their peak, do you know what that means? It's prime mountain bike season!! Want to know more about mountain biking and where to ride? If so, then read on! The COVID-19 pandemic created a large demand for people to find safe ways to exercise, bringing a whole new population of people to cycling. A large portion of them purchasing mountain bikes. It may seem simple to buy a bike and go find trails, but as a long-time mountain biker, I know that there is so much information (what can each bike do and where to go ride them) that can be overwhelming. In this article, I hope to bring some clarity to the language of tech speak. For those who have found this fun sport, and feel like you have plateaued I want to help you get to the next level.  What kind of bike should I buy? To begin, let’s start by breaking down the different types of mountain bikes. There is a sliding scale of bikes that, depending on the amount of suspension travel (how much the whe...

Wether you are a seasoned pro on the MTB or a brand new rider, you will find something fun to ride in Pittsfield State Forest!  Not familiar with riding at PSF?  Here are some recommended routes to get you started!  All of these recommended rides are linked to the TrailForks app and website, an amazing resource for finding and then navigating MTB trails.  Download the app and load the maps before you leave to ride, don't worry you don't need cell service once you load the maps.  These routes all leave from the Lulu Brook Parking lot and enter the woods just to the right of the wooden cabin by the paved road. Lulu Brook Parking lot map link Honey Bear Loop - 1.3 miles beginner Link to TrailForks trail listing Super fun and mellow trail, one recommendation would be to ride this trail clockwise.  The Trailforks loop shows to ride this trail counter clockwise.   Snoopy Loop - 8 Miles intermediate Link to TrailForks route Loved the Honey Bear Loop but want ...

  The ONLY mountain bike you need! Can you believe the fact that Steffen Root only has one mountain bike?  It is no secret that here at BBB we really love long travel mountain bikes.  Traditionally Steffen has a few mtb's in rotation.  A shorter travel bike for the pedal-y trail rides (Recently a Santa Cruz Tallboy) and a big bike for the lift access and more rowdy stuff (Specialized Enduro).    Steffens Staff Pick - Specialized Turbo Kenevo   Ever since Steffen laid eyes on the Kenevo, he knew that it was the unicorn of the mountain bike world.  This swiss army knife-bike that can climb and pedal with the fastest local XC racer thanks to the injection of 240watts via the motor.   You know what they say about things that go up, they must go down and wowie-zowie does this bike absolutely shred down hills.  170mm of travel is more than enough for any local descent or jump line at Thunder MTN. Nora's pick - Specialized Turbo Vado SL "I...

William Caligari Racing the Josh -  Photo by John Benedict It's Josh season: The time of year that the "Berkshire World Championship," as it is affectionately known, makes its way into backyard barbecue conversations. Talk of team rosters and training take on renewed intensity. The perennial obstacle of securing a competitive paddler is revived. The cycling portion of the event is arguably the most exciting. Whether you're new to the sport altogether, new to racing, or a long-time Josh participant, there may be something in this article for you. Being the bicycle mechanic who has been at the McDonald's parking lot helping people with last-minute fixes, I want to first make sure your bicycle is up to the challenge. While there are no "wrong" bikes for the Josh, there are cycling choices that will likely improve your race experience. For example, one could ride a mountain bike, but it will prove slow and cumbersome. A better choice for an event such as thi...