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 Post subject: Palm Canyon Epic Advice
PostPosted: Fri Mar 17, 2017 3:57 pm 
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I plan on doing the Palm Canyon Epic in the near future, and it will be my first time. Two questions:

1) Is it absolutely positively necessary to run tubeless tires? and
2) Can a relatively fit rider do this ride on a singlespeed?

Thanks in advance.

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PostPosted: Fri Mar 17, 2017 5:24 pm 
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No and yes!

I didn't use tubeless the first bunch of times down, but you definitely want to run sealant in your tubes...and have sealant in your spare tubes. You may be ok without sealant, or you may end up with a ton of flats and have to walk out. I've had to put in as much as 2 tubes on one ride even using sealant.

Singlespeeding is no problem. There are a number of short steep climbs you'll have to hike, but a lot of people on geared bikes hike them too. The longest steeper climbs are up to the top of Hahn, and up to Wildhorse ridge. Those ones may hurt on SS.


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 17, 2017 6:32 pm 
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I would recommend a light pair of shin guards.

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PostPosted: Fri Mar 17, 2017 6:36 pm 
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evdog wrote:
No and yes!

I didn't use tubeless the first bunch of times down, but you definitely want to run sealant in your tubes...and have sealant in your spare tubes. You may be ok without sealant, or you may end up with a ton of flats and have to walk out. I've had to put in as much as 2 tubes on one ride even using sealant.

Singlespeeding is no problem. There are a number of short steep climbs you'll have to hike, but a lot of people on geared bikes hike them too. The longest steeper climbs are up to the top of Hahn, and up to Wildhorse ridge. Those ones may hurt on SS.



Okay, one more question:

3) Does anyone make 29" tubes with Presta valves and sealant?

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PostPosted: Fri Mar 17, 2017 7:02 pm 
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Hey Eric.

SS: I've not done it but would not hesitate to, having done it a few times geared. Yes there will be walking, and the sand wash may be really painful if it hasn't rained in a while.

Tubes: Agree with Evan, and will add: There are Youtubes on how to inject sealant into a presta tube. Here's one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nx_f1qfT_6A

Shin guards: great idea, I got a cheap (soccer) pair from Big 5. There's a MountainBikeBill story out there where a rider forgot his shin guards, so he tore 1/2" thick reams out of a phone book and stuffed them down his socks.

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PostPosted: Fri Mar 17, 2017 7:47 pm 
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Go sooner rather than later as it's going to start warming up.

Take more food & water than you think you'll need.

My friends rode out there last weekend and said it was the best conditions they've ever had. we generally ride it in November and then again in March.

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PostPosted: Sat Mar 18, 2017 12:02 am 
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Canaan wrote:
evdog wrote:
No and yes!

I didn't use tubeless the first bunch of times down, but you definitely want to run sealant in your tubes...and have sealant in your spare tubes. You may be ok without sealant, or you may end up with a ton of flats and have to walk out. I've had to put in as much as 2 tubes on one ride even using sealant.

Singlespeeding is no problem. There are a number of short steep climbs you'll have to hike, but a lot of people on geared bikes hike them too. The longest steeper climbs are up to the top of Hahn, and up to Wildhorse ridge. Those ones may hurt on SS.



Okay, one more question:

3) Does anyone make 29" tubes with Presta valves and sealant?

Sunlite brand tubes have a flat spot on the treaded valve stem where you can use needlenose pliers to unscrew and remove the valve core. Then just inject Stans into the tube, replace and tighten the valve core, inflate the tube/tire. Off you go.
Replace tubes and sealant every 4 months.

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PostPosted: Sat Mar 18, 2017 7:14 am 
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Slime tube probably makes them. I do like others mention and make my own by removing valve stem. Stans > slime is the main reason. You should be able to get tubes with removable core at any shop. Don't trust ordering them online, the descriptions of removable core often aren't accurate.

random walk wrote:
There's a MountainBikeBill story out there where a rider forgot his shin guards, so he tore 1/2" thick reams out of a phone book and stuffed them down his socks.


By this time of year the catclaw and cactus has been beat back enough you don't really need them. But if you try to night ride it in August you might need the phone book method, especially if you warn people all week to bring hard shell shin guards and then forget those yourself :oops:


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PostPosted: Tue Mar 21, 2017 1:08 pm 
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In the days before tubeless tires , the desert guys swore by Mr. Tuffy Tire Liners. And shin pads are a really, really, good idea. Bring food, it's an all day deal, that old cliff bar in your pack won't be enough.

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PostPosted: Tue Mar 21, 2017 7:17 pm 
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I do know that Roger at Bernie's Bike shop in OB stocks Presta valve Sunlite tubes
Just to make sure, if you live far away from OB especially, that he has them on the shelves. So if you don't wanna go all the way tubeless, they'll do. Just give him a call to make sure your size tube is in stock.
619 224 7084

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PostPosted: Tue Mar 21, 2017 8:55 pm 
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If the expected rain come son Saturday, Palm Canyon could be Epic on Sunday

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PostPosted: Wed Mar 22, 2017 8:26 am 
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Prior to tubeless and better 29" tires, I took an old tube cut it open and taped it inside the tire. That was for earlier season ride. Like Evdog said, trail should be cleaned off.

I have used slime tubes in 29, that is my spare in my pack. Seems like next best option to tubeless.

Watch when you set your bike down or go off trail. Every plant has thorns.

Have fun!

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PostPosted: Wed Mar 22, 2017 8:32 am 
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[quote="random ] There's a MountainBikeBill story out there where a rider forgot his shin guards, so he tore 1/2" thick reams out of a phone book and stuffed them down his socks.[/quote]

What kind of dork would do that? :-)

viewtopic.php?f=20&t=6819&start=0

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PostPosted: Thu Mar 23, 2017 12:47 pm 
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Thanks for all the good advice. I'll probably convert to tubeless eventually, but I ended installing some Bontrager self-sealing tubes last night because time to get ready was running short.

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PostPosted: Sun Mar 26, 2017 2:57 pm 
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Thanks for the all the good advice. I am happy to report that my first PCE is in the bag, and there were no punctures of the human or tire variety. Ride stats were 27.9 miles with 2,095' of elevation gain - the ride felt bigger than that and I was beat at the end. The wind was pretty intense (steady 10-20 mph, with gusts up to 40) and it made riding the exposed stuff at the beginning pretty hairy - on the plus side, the wind kept the temps down.

If you're thinking about doing this ride, do it soon - the super bloom was in full effect and there was water in creek beds for at least half of the ride. I'm sure photos will be posted if they have not been already.

If you don't want to hassle with a self-shuttle, check out Crazy Bear Bikes (http://www.crazybearbikes.com/shuttle/) - nice vehicles and helpful staff. They'll shuttle you from the Palm Springs Vons to the trail head up top for $25. After a long day in the saddle it was nice not to have retrieve a vehicle before heading home.

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