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Highlights and Upcoming Events
Apri12Q-21 Knobscorcher NOC April 29 Monte Sano Ride April 28-29 XC Race Athens GA May May May May 2 5 6 12 Meeting S-Side Library Workday Cheaha Challenge Oak Mountain Ride Bump and Grind Meeting Camp Weekend

March / April 2001

BUMP and Grind Nears with Stars

The th Annual BUMP and Grind is nearing. Two-time Olympian Tinker Juarez will be competing along with other pros from across the country. This year's race is only one of four AMBC races offering UCI points in the country. A full schedule of events is planned. The downhill will be on Saturday May 19 beginning at noon. Riders will compete for the best time coming down the mountain using the technical BUMP trail. We already have pro riders from Colorado and Michigan stoked up about the chance of getting rare downhill UCI points. On Sunday, the AMBC cross-country race will take place beginning at 7:00 am and completing around noon. Over 600 racers are expected and the event will feature the same courses as last year with more prizes. Continued inside

2001 WORKDAY CALENDAR

Meet for workdays at the South Trailhead at the BUMP shed. Time to meet is 9:00 a.m. Call the hotline for any possible changes. Workdays subject to weather cancellation. May 5 - Saturday June 10 - Possibly Cancelled July 14 - Saturday August 5 - Sunday September 8 - Saturday October 7 - Sunday November 10 - Saturday December 9 - Sunday

May 19-20 June 6 June 9-10

Call our hotline 592-BUMP (2867) for any recorded 'changes or additions in BUMP events.

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State Park Tour for Road Trips

Saturday April 14 - Cheaha State Park near Anniston - Enjoy the Mountain Express Loop and travel Alabama's highest peak. Meet at the Olive Garden in Eastwood Mall at 8:30 AM for a 9:00 departure. Joel Robertson is the ride captain 2521612. Sunday April 29 - Monte Sano State Park near HunstvilleRain has always hampered this ride, maybe a change is due. Join us for the trip to Huntsville to tour another park. Meet at the Cracker Barrel off 1-65N and Fieldstown Road (exit 141) at 8:00 AM for an 8:30 departure. Paul Brookes is the ride captain 320-0918. Saturday May 12 - Oak Mountain State Park - No ride captain and no directions, just a leisure ride before the race. Meet at the South Trailhead at 9:00 AM.

VVorkdays Create Beginner Loop

After several months of planning and scouting, work began on a new loop at Oak Mountain State Park. This loop measures nearly one-mile and is specifically designed with beginners and children in mind. The trail is wider and has minimal climbs with sweeping curves. The location near the South Trailhead gives easy access to the trail and all other recreational activities at the park; canoeing, paddle boats, BMX, tennis are all just minutes away. Numerous volunteers turned out for the Mega Workday Weekend in March to begin the initial dirt work. The final section was put in place at the April workday. Bridge construction has begun, and will be completed soon. The Grand Opening of the course is planned for the BUMP and Grind weekend May 19-20. See related story inside. Dingo Aides Workday at New Trail ... Ken works the Toro Dingo to cut sidehill on the new beginner's trail at Oak Mountain. The machine was used to rip the up-hill side and then was bladed. By day two, Joe had mastered the Dingo. Volunteers followed behind for final grooming.

Hosting and supporting the web page at

www.BUMP.org

The BUMP Club meets on the first Wednesday of every month at 7:00 p.m. at the Southside Library.

Check the BUMP Hotline for any changes in dates and time.

592-BUMP

(2867)

Ingredients for Fun: Mud, Sweat, and Gear

BUMP and Grind Nears

ContinuedfonnjTontpage

~CYCLES
Hoover 822-{)600 Cahaba Heights %7-2003

www.cahabacycles.com
OakMtn
987-4043

Members Say it All

Hey, look at the new faces. Say hello next time you pass them on the trail.

The Black and White outdoor' exhibition March 24th held at the McWane center had all the equipment and contacts to fulfill your most demanding outdoor fantasy. Joel headed up the BUMP booth and was later relieved by Derrick, Margot, Bill, Celia, and Keith at various times throughout the day. With numerous other clubs and organizations represented, the event was a menagerie of outdoor related entities. Outside, Cahaba Cycles had mounting bike demonstrations and were sure to create at least one new mountain biker with the raffle of a new Trek 820. Chris Smith was the lucky winner of the new machine. A climbing tower and Velcro wall entertained ones adventure side in the heart of downtown. To cater to your personal needs, food and smoothies were available with an entertaining stage of events. Inside the McWane center is where much of the information exchanged hands. Sports ranging from soccer, rugby, skiing, fencing, diving, white water, and Frisbee were represented by area clubs. The sports would not be fun if you did not have the proper equipment, so you could visit with several outfitters to catch up on the latest equipment. How do you get to these outdoor activities could be answered by travel agents or the local Land Rover dealer. Where to go was addressed with Desoto Caverns and Ruffner Mountain. Have a special interesn UAB Special studies and TEAM Leukemia were also on site. The show addressed nearly every outdoor activity. It was easy to see the event's success in the starry-eyed participants as they walked around gazing and wondering. Where should I go?

Carla Simpsonand MikeHerring ScottMcAtee Gary Griggs Dan and ColleenEllis" Dale Carter Shannonand Morgan Lorenzo AlecWheeler" Whiddon Fred Beeson J. Quinton ManseU"Thomas T. Kitchens James and Jennifer Moore" Karen BrownEvans Johnny Newman Meredith White
Thanks to our new members and those renewing (*) for supporting BUMP and the sport of mountain biking. Membership runs from Jan - Dec. You can become a member at a local shop, contact us for an application, or print an application from our web site - www.BUMP.org. Membership dues are $20 per household per year. Be apart of the fun and join!

With the additional race on Saturday, we have organized a registration session at Cahaba Cycles Oak Mountain Store on Friday May 18 from 4:00 - 6:00 PM. This will allow all participants to register without having to enter the park on Friday night. Tinker will be present for autographs and possibly a few tips. If that is not convenient, Saturday morning registration will take place from 8 to 10 AM for DH racers. XC riders will be accepted if time permits. Registration will re-open Saturday for a 3-7 PM session and then again on Sunday beginning at 6:00 AM. Children start the XC races at 7:30 AM with others following. Volunteers are needed to produce a successful event. If you are interested marshalling, food, course set up, registration, scoring, info booth, water stations, etc. PLEASE contact Laura Cotlin at 591-2337. Volunteer positions are available for individuals wanting to race as well. The racers appreciate all the support as Kurt Fritz, Expert Racer from Florida, recently shared his experience at past races.
"1 have attended the Bump and Grind {or the past two years and have found it to be one of the more enjoyable races on the AMBC schedule. It is well run, managed and serviced. PLEASE keep up the good work. .. "

"Thanks for your efforts towards this great sport / hobby / activity"
J.Quinton Mansell - member

BUMP Babies and the News

Two BUMP families have done their part to increase club membership. Dan and Colleen Ellis recently gave birth to Madison. Weeks later, Derrick and Anne gave birth to Amelia Anne. The Mudslinger staff apologizes for the late newsletter, and has finally fInished March just in time to add April to it. Enjoy the rare bi-monthly edition.

Possible Change in Meeting Location

The Southside Library has been the club's meeting place for over a year now. The current agreement has the facilities paid for through May. The June meeting location may change if another facility can be obtained with more favorable location or costs. If not, the library will be retained. The meeting will still be the fIrst Wednesday of the month. Check the hotline (592-BUMP) before June's meeting.

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CYCLE AND FITNESS .

879-3244

New Board Member

Bill Garret has replaced the board vacancy created by the resignation of David. Bill was one of the club's founders and is sure to benefit the club as a Board Member.

2834 1tf' Street, Homewood

(205) 991-3335 www.bikelinkbham.com

Beginner Trail - We Did it All for the Rookie

By Derrick Seys

Dedication can only describe the attitude of the volunteers present for the past several workdays. Construction of the new Beginner Trail at Oak Mountain State Park was very successful. The trail is intended to provide a place for children and beginners to have fun without being confronted by some of the more technical sections on the park's Red Trail and other riders. The Dingo may have made all the noise for the first March weekend, but the April work day would bring the trail nearly complete. The trail had been talked about and discussed for months before we could begin construction. The Mega Workday's in March began Saturday March 9 figuring out how to tame the Dingo. Ken and Joe leamed quickly the best method to use for sidehilling. By Sunday, Joe had mastered it and progress was really moving. Joel and myself took the controls for a spell, but could not match the master. Of course his work required several volunteers to polish off the rough edges and make the scratched dirt into a trail. Bill G, Bill J., Christine, Frank, Margot, Hardwick, Chris S., Keener, Dee, Laura, Tom K., Steve B., Paul, Keith, Mark R., Miles were among those seen yielding a hand tool over that weekend. Everyone had a real sense of accomplishment after the first weekend of work. It is very satisfying to know this trail will be enjoyed by many in the near future. "Maybe someday our kids will get to ride on the trail" Joe said as he departed. Yeah, I thought, that would be something special. But first, I would have to give it my approval and joined Chris S for an inaugural run. We completed a loop in each direction to Ipok for any danger or tight spots and found just one comer needing some work. Excellent design I thought. April would soon come and the next workday would complete the entrance connector to the loop. Ken, Joe, Joel, Margot, Tom, Bill G., Johnny, Paul, Chris S., Daniel, Doug, Dee, and Andrew worked to complete the dirt work (see picture at right). The short trail has numerous bridges (five possibly more). Bridge construction was started with completion to be soon. Until then, we all wait for the official opening. And that includes my new daughter Amelia. She will be there and drooling with excitement!

Cmtlioe e,en ~- ~-1st Annual Spring Blowout Sale

#11 Dexter Avenue, Mountain Brook Village (205) 879-6255

Showtime with Joel and Margot

If you have attended any of the recent shows in the area relating to outdoor activities, you have surely seen Joel and Margot. They have organized BUMP's participation at the Mud, Sweat, and Gear Expo and Earth Day. They have done a great job to increase the public awareness of BUMP, our mission, our responsibilities, and our fun ways.

If you would like to run a classified ad, please submit it by the next meeting for inclusion in next month's newsletter. The newsletter is printed by the 15th of each month. For Sale: 2000 Trek 1000 Road Bike - 56 cm less than 200 miles, computer, Boreaus helmet, Shimano road shoes SPD pedals. $450 bike only $525 o.b.o. for it all. David at 661-9800 or ironlegsracer @yahoo.com For Sale: Englund air kit for '97 judy 85mm travel needs o-ring kit $60.00 Polar Heart Rate Monitor Lou Garneau Neoprene booties $30 each, Blackbum Defender trainer (silver tubes) $100. Adams Trail-A-Bike 5 speed $125. Misc. tires, water bottle cages, seats, and seat packs Call David at 661-9800 or e-mail atironlegsracer@yahoo.comif interested. For Sale: C-Dale F600's Several 2000 rental bikes featuring CAAD 3 frames and Fatty DL Headshock LXI XT derailleurs $599 Supply is limited and going fast. Hardwick 967-2003. For Sale: Trek 2100 Raod Bike - 52 cm Red RSX 105 compo Clipless pedals, AL frame, $899. Hardwick 967-2003. For Sale: Bump and Grind T-shirts and BUMP jerseys. Several shirts remain from previous races. A few BUMP jerseys remain - Contact Anne Seys for purchase at 987-3827. Wanted: COOL old bikes 1930's - 1960's Call Joel 252-1612 Especially Schwinn. Absolutely any condition.

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1410 Montgomery Hwy, Vestavia 205 979-3460 www.bobs-bikes.com 2001 BUMP Board of Directors
BUMP is President VicePres. Treasurer Secretary Member Member Member Newsletter a notfor profit organization BillJohnson 678-9752 LauraCotlin 591-2337 AnneSeys 987-3827 PaulBrookes 320-0918 Margot Andison 252-1612 KeithBryant 424-0556 BillGarret Derrick Seys 987-3827

: The MVPSUHGfR is published to inform the local mountain biking community of current : happenings in the area, and promote safe and responsible use of mountain bicycles. If you : : would like to submit information of any kind, please let BUMP know. Your ideas and I : suggestionswill be appreciated. Leave a message on our Hotline at (205) 592-BUMP or send: I : ~ an e-mail toiBykDoU@aol.com. I
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~ingle speed - sometimes the old ways are the best

By Paul Brookes
[f you hang around the mountain bikers, you've probably heard the term "single speed" mentioned quite a lot recently. It's actually a misnomer - referring to a bike with only one gear, rather than a bike that travels at one speed (now that would be dumb!) Anyway, what follows is a brief primer on single speeding, for the uninitiated ... WHAT? Single speed MTBs are those with a single gear ratio. They still have a freewheel, so are not fixed-gear (like track bikes). Some dedicated frames exist, but most people adapt an existing geared mountain bike. WHY? The most commonly asked question about singlespeeding. Well, there are a number of very good reasons. The best one I can think of is training - you get a real workout from grinding up climbs without the luxury of gears. Also you can only go so fast on the downhills, forcing you to take a rest when you probably ought to making your ride more aerobic. You also develop much better upper body strength from pulling on the bars during climbing. Another reason is weight. Most SS'ers ride rigid forks, bringing the weight of their bikes down to around 201bs. The front-end handling of a rigid-SS bike through the gnarly singletrack is quite amazing! A third reason is technical. .. how many times a year do you have to stop to re-tune the gears or mess about with broken drivetrain components? Add all that up and it amounts to a lot of lost riding time (and expense). Many riders in bad weather areas have converted to SS to avoid technical failures, and they make great snow-bikes. Finally, it's worth going SS just for the appeal of going retro and abandoning all the gadgetry and paraphernalia of the modern MTB. HOW? There are various ways to go SS, and a whole range of SS specific components. Among the more popular problems (and solutions) are.. Gear Ratio: Most riders run 2:1, and the final choice of rear cog usually depends on what your middle chain-ring is. To get a straight chain-line (v. important), most riders move the middle chain-ring to the

outer position. You can then either buy some narrow BMX chain-ring bolts, or butcher the big ring for spacers. Longer cranks (180mm+) are also popular among SS'ers, to get mqre leverage. Drop-Outs: A big problem is chain tension, as there is no derailleur to take up the slack. SS specific frames come with horizontal rear drop-outs, so you can tensIOn the chain by moving the back wheel, but for most folks, converting an old frame with vertical drop-outs is the only option. SS-specific geometry is still under debate, but most frame makers use standard shapes. Matt Chester makes nice Ii SS frames. Chain-Tensioner: You can butcher an old derailleur, but the spring is not really powerful enough to deal with the extra forces put on the chain when grinding uphill. SS-specific chain tensioners have beefed-up springs, and can also apply tension upwards, wrapping the chain further around the sprocket so it's in contact with more teeth, reducing wear. Some SS-specific frames have the bottom bracket mounted in an oversize shell, with an eccentric spacer, enabling the whole BB to be moved fore-and-aft. Paul components and Surly make good chain tensioners. Hubs: It's possible to use an existing cassette hub, and save weight by replacing unused sprockets with spacers. However, several riders report that the single sprocket eats into the freehub body, destroying it within a few rides. A better option is to buy a SS-specific hub. Those from Paul components, Spot, and Surly are designed to accept Shirnano BMX threaded freewbeels. Chris King's will accept cassette sprockets, so are lighter & easier to maintain. Spot's hub lS threaded on both sides, so you can run a different cog on each side and choose between 2 gear ratios by flipping the wheel around. Another advantage of a SSspecific wheeL.. because there is no cassette, the wheel is zero-dish, so is a perfect triangle cross section, and therefore very strong. Bars & front end: A wide riser bar is virtually essential for a SS MTB. You need a lot of leverage to get up the climbs. Rigid forks are also popular, not because they fit in with the whole retro feel, but because they don't bob around like suspension forks do - when your weight is out of the saddle, you really notice it. If that isn't enough, consider that my time for the Oak Mtn loop on the SS is only 7 minutes longer than on the bouncy geared bike. There's also a wealth of information on the WWW about singlespeeding. The singlespeed discussion board of mtbr.com is a good place to start. And of course you can always borrow my SS for a test ride, if you need convincing.

Birmingham Urban Mountain Pedalers Newsletter Post Office Box 590061 Birmingham, AL 35259-0061
Internet page www.BUMP.org

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