Okay, this isn’t a free clinic, but a free look at one…Lots and lots of folks ask us: “so…what’s it like at a Bikeskills clinic?” We’ve done our best to tell people that it’s fun, cool, you’ll learn a lot, meet some nice people…” But in this day and age, people keep asking for video. So, a couple of weeks ago we got our ace videogrpaher to come out and grab some footage of Jiro Nakamura teaching a trail riding clinic at Camp Tamarancho in Fairfax California. Check it out!

So What About Those Santa Cruz Bikes?…
Here’s the deal. We have two, Santa Cruz Blur LTs. The specifics are listed below. These bikes are out of stock anywhere and everywhere… they are that good. If you are getting this email, you are part of the Bikeskills team. Being a member means you get 10% off (the prices listed below) on what we feel is the best trail bike available… that isn’t really available.

Santa Cruz’s new Blur LT, also known as “the LT2,” is one of the best trail and all mountain bikes, period. If your riding ranges from fire roads to Mr Toad’s (a great single track ripper in Tahoe) then this might be the bike for you. Best of all, here’s your chance to pick up one of these as-good-as-it gets mounts and also help us help others!

If you’ve been reading our Bikeskills blog, you know we have some on-going projects that require funding - like The Lake Tahoe Crossing - an event we are documenting to raise awareness and funding for our injured veterans. We’re not asking for donations, quite the opposite: we’re giving you you the opportunity to get a dream machine and know that your helping others who really need it. We’ve only got two bikes, so for more information including pricing, contact us soon at rhoward@bikeskills.com

The Blur LTs we have are as follows:

• QTY 1, Medium Size, Anodized Black, RP23 Shock, XT Kit, Float 140RLC Fork $4,299
• QTY 1, Medium Size, Anodized Black. RP23 Shock, X9 Kit, Float 36RC Fork $4,599

Early season wet weather riding can make for the best riding - but only if you know how to set your bike up properly, how to handle tricky conditions, dress right, and as important as anything else, to take proper care of your bike before and after the ride.

Once again we’re going to point you to that time honored, Bikeskills article, on wet weather article written way back in 2004. And while we can - and will - provide you with more tips and advice to have safe fun this fall, winter (and spring in most places) as “old” as it is, our advice way back in 2004 is still a good place to start. But before you read the article, here are some basic things to think about, plan for, etc:

• A little water on the dirt often makes for optimal riding in terms of traction, reduced dust, loose rocks, etc.
• Even a light rain can make rocks and especially roots, a lot more slippery. This is something to keep in mind especially on the trails you ride the most often in the same way you need to think about those first rain’s effects on your daily commute to work and back!
• Some tires provide more traction and control in wet and slippery conditions and are also less prone to getting clogged with mud and gunk
• There are “things” on your bike you will need to keep well lubricated if you plan on riding in wet, messy conditions
• Don’t forget about yourself!  If you get wet, you will most likely end up getting cold so remember it’s often more important to stay dry than it is to worry about layering up, if the layers end up getting soaked
• Last and certainly not least, there’s no doubt about it, wet weather, cold temperatures, etc. make for more challenging conditions which means more things to go wrong! Make sure to wear more protective gear including eye protection, pads, a full-face helmet if the trail is demanding…

For more information on how to become four-seasons ready for mountain biking, check out the full article by clicking on the “Wet Weather Riding” image above, or by going to: http://www.bikeskills.com/wet.php

Bikeskills has several clinics scheduled throughout November in Southern (SoCal) California as well as NorCal, Bend Oregon, and our newest location, Fresno California. Check our calendar on our homepage and blog for dates and times!

Bikeskills NorCal Team Heads NE to Lake Tahoe

Although the primary mission was to meet with Skiskills co-founder Dr. Robb Gaffney MD and sort out some Bikeskills / Skiskills crossover events, we managed to get some riding in. We had a pefect set-up: a chilly morning that gave way to a cool, crystal clear day, and recent thunderstorms had damped down the infamous Tahoe moon-dust making for “as good as it gets” conditions on one of Tahoe’s best all around rides: the 17 mile long Hole in the Ground.

That’s Jiro above, on the far left, with an all star Tahoe ski crew including Skiskills’ JT Holmes, fourth from the right. To the left, Jiro demonstrates how much big-to-flat a skilled pilot can soak up aboard a Santa Cruz Nomad.

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Bikeskills Bend’s Paul Thomisberg leads NorCal student, Brian Foster, on some of Oregon’s most beautiful and challenging trails. Paul would know: he designed and built many of them! If and when you are in Oregon, whether you’re up for a clinic, or want to get one of the best local guide there,  Bikeskills Bend is the place, and Paul T is the man.

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Dr. Dmity Livdan, the double PhD (plus a masters), obtains what he really wanted all these years: a degree of confidence when headed downhill. No doubt about it, Bikeskills NorCal’s main man, Jiro Nakamura, confered upon Dmitry some serious cycling education. While Dmitry was a great rider when he showed up for his first Bikeskills clinic, at the end of his second he had that one thing that was missing from his quiver, skills when the trail points down. Congradulations Dmitry!

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Another Cal Bear Demonstrates Perfect Form. Maureen demonstrates the perfect body position to manual and J-Hop. Notice how she’s moved down and back. She’s ready to safely hop over obstacles, absorb shocks, or, manual a section of rollers. All in a day’s work for this Bikeskills student who turns out to be a pro class mountain biker, and a PhD candidate in Cal’s Environmental Science program. Whoa…

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Click on the Image below to see the Video!

Here are two more Golden Bears (Cal graduates)

Here’s Jon “Sick Air” Sigerman making it absolutely clear that being a former trial lawyer is no more barrier to getting out there on a mountain bike than is being 62, or having a pace maker. If the name sounds familiar it might be Jon was the founder and CEO of Summation Legal Technologies, or, that he’s been one of mountain biking’s biggest philanthropic forces and role models for all ages. Get down Jon:

What The Heck, Here’s Skiskills Jonny Moseley - Olympic Gold Medal winner and Cal graduate. It’s just about ski season, so what the heck. Yes, there is a Skiskills.com! And just like Bikeskills.com, Skiskills.com has some of the best skiers on the planet: Jonny Moseley, Dr. Robb Gaffney MD (the only world class skier who’s also a practicing psychiatrist… that we know of anyway) JT Holmes, to name a few. Here’s a short video that has a collection of clips of instructional videos we’re working on at Skiskills. If they look something like the videos we make at Bikeskills, good. That’s what we’re after. Click on the image below to see the video:

Jiro Nakamura and his NorCal Bikeskills team will be on hand at the Fairfax Biketoberfest this Saturday, 18 October 2008.  Be sure to sign up for the Bikeskills trail riding clinic starting at 8 a.m. The clinic will take place on Camp Tamarancho’s epic single track trails. You’ll finish in plenty of time to check out the Biketoberfest event where you’ll find an array of bike displays new, old, cool  - and of course the downright weird - great food, and lots of fun for all ages.  To sign up for the clinic, click on the schedule button above, or, contact Jiro directly at jiro@bikeskills.com.  To get more information about Biketoberfest, go to http://www.biketoberfest2008.org/

Guaranteed Return on Your Mountain Biking Investment: Bikeskills Clinics

We may not have the cure for the macro economic environment anymore than we have the solution to global warming, but we think it’s fair to say that we can help you at a micro level. Not only can Bikeskills help you get a better ROI (return on investment) in your mountain biking, but, getting you to spend more time on your bike just might translate in to less time in your car or doing other things that aren’t nearly as earth friendly as cycling.

And as luck would have it, our most recent Bikeskills clinic had experts in both economics and ecology. Dr. Dmitry Livdan Ph.D.,  a UC Berkeley finance professor, and Duane Kubischta, the founder of Adventure Film Works, an action sports film firm that specializes in documenting ecologically sound sports practices.

In the Foreground, Dr. Dmitry Livdan Ph.D. looks to Duane Kubischta, founder of Adventure Film Works, to see if he’s buying what Bikeskills instructor, Jiro Nakamura, is selling. Read on to see what they concluded…

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Key Fundamentals Driven Home: Elbows Up

There are a number of Bikeskills “Key Concepts” that will make you a better rider, a safer rider, and get you there faster than any other method. None are more important than keeping those elbows up.

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On-Trail Work: Switchbacks 101

Under the watchful eyes of Jiro and Bikeskills’ director of electrical engineering, Ed Becker, a student is guided through a switchback tutorial known as the Lawwill method. If switchbacks leave you frustrated in general, or you have a hard time with the complicated ones, Bikeskills has spent a lot of time developing instructional techniques that apply to all switchbacks. You can check out some of those techniques in our switchback video in the video clips page on our website.

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J-Hop: Just Maybe the Single Best Way to Supercharge Your Riding

Jiro Demonstrates what the J-Hop - named after Joe Lawwill - is all about, and what it can do for your riding control and safety. Want to see it in action? Learn how to do it? Find out about and learn how to do one of the most powerful tools in all-mountain cycling? Sign up for a Bikeskills clinic!

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Time For Single Track Fun: Putting the Skills Learned to Work

There’s always time at the end of a Bikeskills clinic to put those new and refined skills to the test and have some fun. And there’s no better place in Marin County than the downhill sections at Camp Tamarancho for rip and rail fun: all single track, 100% legal!

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Team Bikeskills and Epic Way Sports’ Newest Addition: Duane Kubischta

From left to right: Ed Becker Bikeskills NorCal, JP Sickler, Bikeskills Central Valley, Duane Kubischta, Epic Way Sports Director of Video Editing Services, and Jiro Nakamura, Bikeskills NorCal Operations Manager

Well, Duane was so impressed with Bikeskills that he decided to join our organization! Duane will be heading up Epic Way Sports’ (Bikeskills, Skiskills, Surfskills) rapidly growing video production projects. We’re really excited to have someone with not just Duane’s professional and educational background, but his committment to the environment and action sports as well.

As for Dr. Livdan, the economics expert, he seems to be a bit tied up with macro economic issues at the moment, but we will post what he has to say about riding bikes during economic ups and downs, so stay tuned!

Jiro Nakamura. Bikeskills’ New NorCal Operations Manager

We’ve been after Jiro for a long time!  Jiro is one of mountain biking’s true MVPs.  In addition to having raced the very first Mammoth Mountain Kamikazee event at the age of 12, Jiro has been part of the competitive mountain biking scene for over 20 years. He climbed the ranks to become a professional license holder some 12 years ago and has used that license quite literally around the world in disciplines ranging from the high intensity demands of cross country, physically demanding world cup downhill events and more recently grueling marathons and Europe’s new “Enduro” scene. The result is the kind of rider that most of us aspire to become: capable and confident in virtually any situation with a style that can only be described as… mellifluous - look it up… 

And if two-decades of being in the world class mix wasn’t enough to qualify Jiro to teach at Bikeskills,  his UC Berkeley psychology education certainly helps as there’s a great deal of sports instruction that takes place above the neck! Seriously, ask any great sports instructor be it Skiskills’ Dr. Robb Gaffney MD (himself a practicing psychiatrist) or Surfskills’ legendary waterman, Dave Kalama, and they will tell you: the difference between physically able and actually capable, is often psychological. And who among us hasn’t had some form of psychological barrier keeping us from getting to the next step, or overcoming an unreasonable fear? 

Talk about the rubber meeting the road: within 72 hours of showing up for work at Bikeskills, Jiro was digging in to his first clinic. I have to say, he did not dissapoint the Bikeskills staff; and I’ll let what one of his students do the talking from the customer’s side:

Jiro is a pro racer and can definitely teach anyone enough to get to the next level. He was extremely patient and asked us what we wanted to work on…  They helped me tweak my bike so it felt way better than I had it. I just built it up but Jiro and Ed showed me some tricks that made it feel a lot better in terms of control and comfort.

…my skills at switchbacks improved by a factor of 2. REALLY great experience overall. I highly recommend it. If you want to get better these guys can take you to the next level - no matter your current level. I’ll do some homework and practice and when I’m ready to advance I’ll drop by again.
Thanks a lot guys!

Wilson Wong, Electrical Engineer

Jiro is currently teaching trail riding clinics at Fairfax’s Camp Tamarancho. For more information about the clinics including times, and dates, go to http://bikeskills.com/event_calendar.php 

If you would like to contact Jiro directly about one of his upcoming clinics, a custom or private clinic, you can do so at jiro@bikeskills.com
 

Twenty seven Epic Way Sports and guest athletes started. Twenty seven finished and finished together. We started at dawn.  Some seven hours and 22 miles later, we made landfall on Lake Tahoe’s North Shore. The Good Doctor himself, Dr. Robb Gaffney gives a pep talk at Camp Richardson, South Lake Tahoe. Want to see TV news coverage? Then click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLNQbJnz-2A

Out of the gate, the group heads towards a distant, very distant shore.  It didn’t take long, maybe an hour, for it to sink in: paddling 22 miles would take a long, long time… and what about bathrooms?

There were times when solitude reminded of us why we there, and for whom we were doing this for. There were also times when the value of friends, and the power of team were equally clear.

It was amazing how long it seemed to take to padde that last mile!  Credit equal parts crystal clear views,  thirst, and fatigue for that.  But there it was, Kings Beach, North Lake Tahoe!

Then there was the media swarm! But that was also the time that the group was able to talk about what was most important: the reason we were there, doing this: to raise awareness and funding for injured war veterans.

Check out this great article and spectacular audio-visual slide show at the end:

 http://www.tahoedailytribune.com/article/20080812/SPORTS/167393114&parentprofile=searchWant

Want to check out the TV New coverage of the event?  We have that for you too! Click on Robb:                                        

Just Two Days Before the First Ever Lake Tahoe Crossing on Stand Up Paddle Boards.

Tomorrow, Sunday the 10th of August 2008, some of action sports greatest athletes including Jonny Moseley, Daron Rhalves, JT Holmes, Dr. Robb Gaffney - and we hope Greg Minnaar - will take a “SUP” clinic from 3rd generation Hawaiin surfing legend, and Jaws pioneer, Dave Kalama. Many of these athletes will be stepping on their boards for the first time. A few, like Robb and Daron will have had all of a month or so to train and become the first to have ever paddled across Lake Tahoe, a distance of 22 miles. We set out at dawn on Monday the 11th of August.

As mentioned before, while this may sound like a combination of pleasure and pain, it’s a very serious endeavor. The training and The Lake Tahoe Crossing are about raising awareness and funding for veterans suffering from traumatic brain injuries, also called TBI. Epic Way Sports, Bikeskills, Skiskills, and Surfskillls parent organization has combined its efforts and resources with the Bob Woodruff Family Foundation (www.bobwoodrufffamilyfund.org) to help in any way we can.

In addition to the clinic and event, two-time Emmy Award winning film maker, David L Brown will be making a documentary on the event, the people, and the cause. We will post more information, photos, and video as they become available.

In the meantime, wish us all luck and please visit the Woodruff Family Foundation’s site and give what you can to help those who so badly need our help.

For Immediate Release

Location:  Tahoe City California, CA, 11 August 2008

Contacts: Rob Howard 510-773-4701, Dr. Robb Gaffney MD  530-412-1325 

World-Class Athletes to Cross Lake Tahoe on Stand-Up Paddle Boards to Raise Awareness and Funding for U.S. Service Members Injured in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Epic Way Sports’ Skiskills.com joins forces with the Bob Woodruff Family Foundation to raise awareness and funding for service members suffering from traumatic brain injury, combat stress, and other war-related injuries.

Skiskills.com, a division of Epic Way Sports, is bringing together a group of world-class skiers, surfers, mountain climbers, and disabled athletes to cross Lake Tahoe on stand-up paddle boards on Monday, August 11, 2008. Among the 20 participants are Olympic gold medalist and world-champion skier Jonny Moseley; Olympian and top-tier U.S. downhill skier Daron Rahlves; Olympic snowboarder and X Games gold medalist Nate Holland; big-mountain snowboarder Jeremy Jones; legendary big-wave surfer and Jaws tow-in surfing pioneer Dave Kalama; and Mark Wellman, the first paraplegic to climb El Capitan and Half Dome, and a recipient of a U.S. Senate Resolution Award.

Most participants had never stepped onto a stand-up paddle board before this summer. Now they are committed to paddling 22 miles across Lake Tahoe. And while it will be difficult for them, these world-class athletes recognize their challenge is nothing compared to what the victims of traumatic brain injury and other serious war-related injuries have to deal with each and every day—even to do the most basic and mundane tasks. “As a medical doctor who has treated traumatic brain injuries, I know firsthand the difficult journey these men and women must endure,” says Dr. Robb Gaffney, MD, Skiskills cofounder, event co-organizer, and practicing physician. “I hope our symbolic journey will help by making people more aware and convincing them to give generously to the Bob Woodruff Family Foundation (www.bobwoodrufffamilyfund.org).” Adds Crossing leader Dave Kalama, “What these veterans have to deal with makes surfing Jaws seem pretty tame. They’ve put their lives on the line for all of us and sacrificed so much. It’s time to step up and do whatever we can to help them. “

Dr. Gaffney and his posse of world-class action-sports athletes are teaming up with the Bob Woodruff Family Foundation in this awareness- and fund-raising event. Bob Woodruff was an ABC News anchorman who himself suffered a near-fatal traumatic brain injury in January 2006 when a roadside bomb struck his vehicle while he was on assignment in Iraq. While recovering from his injuries, Woodruff and family members founded the Bob Woodruff Family Foundation to assist others by funding advances in prevention, diagnosis, treatment, support, and resources for injured service people.

The Lake Tahoe Crossing will start at 7 a.m. on 11 August 2008 from a location to be determined on Lake Tahoe’s West shore area. The lead group is expected to complete the 22 mile trek roughly five hours later and end up at Lake Tahoe’s East or South Shore areas, depending on wind direction and water conditions. 

To learn more about the Tahoe Stand-Up Paddle Board Crossing 2008 and how you or your firm can support this worthy cause, please contact Dr. Robb Gaffney, 530-412-1325, robbgaffney@hotmail.com, or Rob Howard, 510-773-4701, rhoward@bikeskills.com.

Skiskills.com, a division of Epic Way Sports, is a private startup company founded in 2007 that connects world-class athletes with skiers around the world through no-cost downloadable instructional and inspiration video content, as well as conducting clinics and special events. Skiskills.com is dedicated to establishing an inclusive community that promotes learning, health, and active lifestyles.

World Champion Greg Minnaar. World Class in Every Way.

 First of all, I have to say that working with World Champion Greg Minnaar was really fun. His skills are world class of course, but so were his attitude, work ethic, and awareness of what mountain biking is all about (fun) and who it’s all about: the recreational rider. We couldn’t have asked for more in our Descending video star instructor! Can’t wait to see the video? Then click on Greg’s image! 

So What Did Greg Do For Mountain Biking’s Mainstream?

Good question. Better answer: Greg worked with the Bikeskills instructional team to come up with a video that can and will help anyone become a more capable and confident mountain biker when the trail points down. Greg made it real clear to us that he really wanted to help. And he did. Here are a couple of things you’re going to get from watching the video (again and again!)

• Descending is a lot of fun. But it’s also challenging: develop the skills to ensure the thrills and minimize the spills!
• When Gravity takes over, rapid, fluid body movements are crucial: know when and how to make the right moves!
• Know your limits! The faster you are going, the more rapidly you will need to recognize what you can and can not do.
• Combine skills. The trail pointing down is just one challenge presented with most downhill sections. Many if not most also include rock gardens, ruts and turns of all shapes and varieties.

Want to check the video out in full-on, full-tilt, HD (that’s High Definition) format?  You can play it full screen on your computer, TV, or even your bike shop’s big-screen projector! Go ahead and click on this link for the big picture: 

http://www.dailymotion.com/bikeskills/video/x5szvc_bikeskillscom-downhill-with-minnaar_sport

Here are a few shots taken from the video:

Finally, The Video That Tells The Story!

We apologize for this taking so long, but you know what they say: good things come to those who wait.  It was really great to see what Bikeskills videographer, Jeremy Teman came up with. Jeremy is a professional in every way, but I think that he’d be the first to admit that it was nice having something like the Ridezone to work with. Given that there was so much fun taking place in the Ridezone, creating a video that looked fun was a lot easier than it would been had we sent him to a debate between Hillary and Barack.

So check this video out (by clicking on it) and send the YouTube link to anyone that you know who: likes to have fun,  enjoys any time of cycling, might be in a postion to show it to someone that would be interested in getting a Ridezone built, etc.  If you have any questions about building or Ridezone, contact us at info@bikeskills.com