That old guy at the trailhead changed how I ride

I was airing down my tires at the Cormier Pit parking lot near Sudbury last fall when this 70-plus-year-old guy on a beat-up 2005 Polaris rolled up and told me I was overpacking my rack for a day trip. He showed me how he carries just a tow strap, a first aid kit, and a single quart of oil strapped to his fender, and I realized I had been hauling 40 pounds of gear I never touched. Anyone else had an old timer make you rethink your whole setup with just a few words?

2 comments

2 Comments

diana_flores251mo ago

That minimalist approach just works better on the rough northern trails too.

skylerg171mo ago

Used to think you needed heavy gear for any trail riding but watching a buddy rip through the rocky sections upstate on a stripped down bike totally changed my mind. He was running just a basic hardtail with no suspension and was clearing stuff I was bouncing all over on my full squish. Made me realize all that extra weight and complexity was actually slowing me down, not helping. Now I'm looking at ditching half the crap on my own build.