DREW’S DIRTY DOZEN

12 STANDOUTS FROM 2023

This was a whirlwind of a year with trips, projects, a full-gas production schedule and more! As a business we survived a rather unpredictable year and hope the industry and larger economy stabilizes in the future. Still, amidst the madness and craziness of it all, I was lucky enough to have some moments of clarity and get out for some fun rides that reminded me why we’re doing this silly thing in the first place!

TEACHING MY DAUGHTER TO RIDE

This was likely one of the two biggest things that reminded me of why I love bicycles so much. Seeing my daughter’s face light up as she coasted down hills, rounded corners and that look of fear and shock as she saved herself from a speed wobble brought me back to the moments in my life where being on a bike offered an escape from the world, I was living in. Being able to pass on what I hope becomes a lifelong passion for fun, fitness and exploration has been incredibly fulfilling and I can’t wait until she’s bigger and can start pedaling her own bike down the trail with me.

ZION MOUNTAIN RANCH

I travel at least once a month for work, and while I do get to hit a trail or two during those trips, they’re usually mostly around filming or “work” instead of riding for fun. Even though our trip to Zion Mountain Ranch was for both of those reasons, as it was part of our eMTB Destination Tour, I found myself loving the solitude of being out in the desert and riding insanely fun trails with a crew of passionate trail builders.

The ranch, cabins, and riding at ZMR had our crew stoked for the next visit and I can’t wait to get back. It’s at places and on trails like these where I have those moments that remind me, I do still love riding bikes as the flow, speed and camaraderie reignite the passion many of us in the bike industry tend to lose as we work and talk about bikes a lot more than we get to ride them.

SHIMANO LINKGLIDE

Shimano’s LinkGlide drivetrain stood out to me this year as it does two things very against the grain of its competitors. The goal of the LinkGlide system is to offer a longer-lasting and more robust component set that also costs less! This entire drivetrain can be purchased for less than the cost of an XX1 AXS derailleur. As costs of living have increased while compensation lags behind for our generation, seeing a brand focusing on a reliable product that performs well and has an eye on the price tag is commendable and I’m hopeful that more brands will offer competitive products at lower prices.

ONEUP COMPONENTS E-BAR

I’ve struggled with hand fatigue and finger cramping for quite a while and I’m stoked to finally have a handlebar that helps alleviate those issues. The Carbon and Alloy E-Bar from OneUp Components are my new favorites and if you look closely, you’ll see them on all my personal bikes.

I’ve struggled with hand fatigue and finger cramping for quite a while and I’m stoked to finally have a handlebar that helps alleviate those issues. The Carbon and Alloy E-Bar from OneUp Components are my new favorites and if you look closely, you’ll see them on all my personal bikes.

PIVOT SHUTTLE LT

Speaking of personal bikes, the Pivot Shuttle LT has been the closest thing to “my” bike I’ve had for quite a while. This bike has been all around with me, is incredibly fun, versatile and I haven’t found anything that I don’t like about it yet. Whether I’m hitting big jumps and shuttling downhill trails, or having fun on a trail ride, this eMTB stands out amidst the pack in very special way. It just suits me well.

XTRATUF BOOTS

Being a SoCal transplant it took me a few years of making fun of these PNW folks and their “rubber ducky” boots. During our eMTB Shootout that took place on the Oregon Coast last April, we were in a constant deluge of rain and puddles were everywhere. We went into a hardware store to buy duct tape to cover our shoes and anything else that may help us stay dry. In the back corner of the store, I saw a pile of XtraTuf boots. I grabbed this pair of 6-inch Leather Ankle boots and have loved them ever since. They are warm, quick and easy to get on or off and have been complimented many times. These are my go-to shoes for winter months as I can slide them on and off at the trailhead before and after a ride and don’t have to worry about getting my feet wet while I hose off a bike, or stand in puddles in the parking lot as we load up.

IN OFFICE WORKOUTS!

With our busy work schedule and a 2 year old at home, my trail and free time as a whole has been greatly reduced. I decided to get a little “Office Gym” setup and found this pretty affordable option that doesn’t take up a lot of space and would let me hit the major groups. Whether I’m zoning out at the desk, feeling frustrated or generally lethargic, I find that walking by this little weight and bench set makes it easy for me to just do a couple 2-5 minute workouts throughout the day and keeps my mind right and blood flowing. The Bowflex adjustable dumbbells go from 5lbs up to 52.5 lbs and while they’re not as great as going to the gym, it’s way better than doing nothing!

Adjustable Bench: Check Price
Bowflex Dumbbells: Check Price

aMTBer PRODUCTS WAX-BASED LUBE PRODUCT LINE

Last time I was back home visiting Thousand Oaks I got a random message from a guy named John pitching his aMTBer chain lube product line. I haven’t been a wax lube guy and had never heard of aMTBer, but I was intrigued. John is a serial-inventor, old-school BMX racer, and all around solid dude who is genuinely passionate about chain lubrication. I heard him talk about it for at least thirty minutes! Which is years less than the amount of time he’s spent honing in the mixture for his chain wax.

Without removing the chain from my dusty test bike, he applied his chain prep mixture, cleaned the chain with his tricky triple-toothbrush “tool.” After a wipe down, the old grease and gunk was gone and then it was time for the first of two applications of his DarkMatter lube. The first application is designed to flush out any old grease, lube or contaminants so his wax can leave your chain clean, smooth and deathly silent!

While I fancy myself an open-minded individual, I’ve also got a healthy dose of skepticism, especially from all the big claims out there. That said, I immediately noticed the smooth, silence from my chain that I can’t say I’ve ever experienced before. I felt nothing through the pedals, the shifts were smooth and I enjoyed my first few rides so much I passed it off to some friends. One of our testers took a day trip with four guys to Oakridge, Oregon for muddy shuttle days. Two bikes were treated and 2 had normal bike lube applied. The aMTBer bikes, had clean, dry chains that looked like they weren’t even riding the same trails compared to the other two bikes. I received a few texts from him that day echoing my initial impressions. I will say, the one caveat to this product is, you need to apply it regularly and stay on top of the pre-ride lubing. A bottle goes a long way though, so we’re happy to bust it out before every other ride to keep this level of smoothness going.

FIRST ANNUAL LOAM CUP

Despite sucking at golf and looking nothing like the stereotypical golfer, I decided the Wednesday before the Sea Otter Classic would be a great day to host a golf tournament for goof offs! It was a total success, our motley crew of golfers ranged the spectrum from pro athletes who’d never played a round before to aces who clearly spend more time golfing than they do working…Now I know why we get so many out of office replies!

We had a great time wrapped up with a group dinner in the club house and I look forward to the 2024 Loam Cup and making it an even more fun and wild time! You’re all invited, just send an email and get signed up.

AUDIOBOOKS

As someone who’s been a lifelong sufferer of ADHD, and not just in the “Oh yeah me too,” kinda way, I’ve never been able to finish or retain books or written words. However, with all the windshield time I had this year, I found myself growing tired of the same old songs and wanted to educate myself on new topics. Whether it was business growth and strategies to mental-training, I found myself listening to audiobooks for the first time and really enjoying it. If you’ve been living under an audiobook rock like I have, I suggest you give it a try. The things I’ve learned and refreshed mentality have been well worth it.