Cogswell Ride, Southern California - September 1st 2019

[Marty Backe]

EDITED:

We are riding Cogswell this Sunday. This is the most remote trail riding that you will ever do, with gorgeous scenery all along the way. Today we will start on the southern flank of the mountains when it is coolest (8am) and return on the northern side, which includes an 8-mile paved tree lined/covered journey along side a flowing river.

Unfortunately Sunday looks to be the peak of our heat spell, so it's going to be a hot day. What this means is that we need to be rolling at 8am. I will be aiming to arrive by 7:30am at the parking lot located here  It will take you 30-minutes to drive to the parking lot from the 605 & 210 freeways. So please plan accordingly. Since this is Labor Day weekend there's a chance that the parking lot area will be congested. We've experienced this is in the past and can tell you that there are no issues finding parking, but you may have to wheel into the meetup spot.

There is zero cell phone coverage. Please be on time (geared up and ready to roll) because we will leave without you. Once we waited 45-minutes for someone that was coming but they never showed up. Due to today's weather we can't afford to wait.

To eliminate the possibility of getting a ticket you will need a National Forest Adventure Pass. I buy mine at Big Five Sporting Goods for $5. Message me if you can't locate a source, but they are readily available in Southern California.

Please bring sunscreen and most importantly, lots of water. I would bring some energy food in case you end up walking out. Once we start riding there will be zero services for 30+ miles. Pump up your tire so that you can't get a snake-bite flat (one rider had to walk 8-miles out of Cogswell because he was riding with too low of pressure and got a flat when he rode over a large rock). I'm not trying to scare you off, but want you to be prepared in case the unexpected happens.

If we all survive  we can eat lunch at the In-N-Out Burger at the bottom of the mountain

 

@enigma35 @HeavyGoing @Marvin Ong @Mushuukyou @Tjtripp @Sven @unowheel @Questor @Roll Model @Mike Hanna @Jon Sawa @serfy @swvision @Kimosabi @zentype @ndmcc @Mimir @Josh Morgan @Shawn Johnson @IRK @MikeV @Peter Q @Sketch @captainwells @NBC44 @Stan Onymous @Gizmo Dork @Alsayyad @Chairman S @who_the @Dave Frear  @roghaj @downtown @Yunicyle @Terenig @Dave U @Flying W @Heyzeus @NightRider @Mike Hanna @Klin @3euc @Unosolo @Williepimpin @Heyzeus @JomMas  @BlackOutEX @Freewheeler @TomM @tihoa @Ferreal@Austin @Ben Richards @noisycarlos @Tanabe @Dzlchef @Ando Melkonyan @YoshiSkySun @n2eus @maltocs @1Wheeler @Rama Douglas @Nick McCutcheon @mark chanya @Jrkline "Wheel Whisperer" @Yellowman @Kens @UpDownGo @John Wood @TedTheAtheist

Edited August 31, 2019 by Marty Backe

[TedTheAtheist]

If I can get there, perhaps.

[Kens]

I'm in! Sunday or Monday 

Edit: any Hooters in the dams?  (still got some gift card left)

Tagging some other Californians: @Jambo @Blueman @Rehab1

Edited August 27, 2019 by Kens

[TedTheAtheist]

I'll need an address to check out the meeting location for my maps.

[Dave U]

3 hours ago, Marty Backe said:

If there's interest than I can post further details of the ride.

Sunday will be the hotter day of all 3 weather wise. Can you post the ride or if you already have a video that would be much better? Are we talking Mount Wilson type of trails? I'm still trying to get the hang on my Nikola, sometimes she behaves and sometimes she doesn't! 

[Marty Backe]

Here is information from from @Jrkline "Wheel Whisperer" and myself last rode here

@Dave U: Regarding difficulty, it's much easier than Mt Wilson. It's just a lot longer with no cafe at the top. On the last ride I brought a sandwich to eat midway and of course plenty of water. The first 9-miles is a paved closed road that travels along a river. At Cogswell Dam we transition to a dirt/gravel type path that is great with our wheels. You and Brian would have no difficulties.

@Kens: No Hooters  This is pure nature - no roads, to people, no cell phone coverage, etc.

We would try and leave close to 8am so that most of the ride is complete before it gets very warm. Plus it's cooler at 5000-feet

Sunday or Monday. We'll wait for more input from others.

[Marty Backe]

I wanted to add that this is actually closer to a 30-mile ride, not 45. I forgot that when Jeff and I did this last we did a ~15-mile section that isn't part of this ride.

[Flying W]

This is why I need a 1600wh wheel! I'm having a baby in November (well my wife is anyway) so new wheels are out for the time being. 

[Dave U]

25 minutes ago, Marty Backe said:

I wanted to add that this is actually closer to a 30-mile ride, not 45. I forgot that when Jeff and I did this last we did a ~15-mile section that isn't part of this ride.

Brian and I are in for Saturday or Sunday. Just wondering what wheels to take now?

Would Brian make the ride on his 16S or should he take the 18L?

Would I make the ride on the 18L or should I take My Nikola?

Edited August 28, 2019 by Dave U
adding additional day

[Marty Backe]

2 minutes ago, Dave U said:

Brian and I are in for Saturday or Sunday. Just wondering what wheels to take now?

Would Brian make the ride on his 16S or should he take the 18L?

Would I make the ride on the 18L or should I take My Nikola?

For these kind of rides I prefer to be conservative and go with the bigger wheel. You for sure should stick with the Nikola. If Brian can comfortably get 40-miles on the 16S than he'll probably be OK, but if he's comfortable on the 18L take that.

[Dave U]

2 minutes ago, Marty Backe said:

For these kind of rides I prefer to be conservative and go with the bigger wheel. You for sure should stick with the Nikola. If Brian can comfortably get 40-miles on the 16S than he'll probably be OK, but if he's comfortable on the 18L take that.

Copy, Thanks Marty. By the way the Nikola has been Baptized already, Brian dropped the wheel trying to go in reverse/ backwards the first 5 minutes of riding it fresh out of the box .

It had 90% charge 

Tire pressure @ 22psi

2x Round GW stickers peeling off

Chrome Gotway Nikola stickers sharp as a razor blade and peeling

Silver/Grey Pedals, not black

But Pedals did come with Grip tape. 

Quiet Fan, you could hardly hear it or at least I could hardly hear it! 

Came with factory charger

Fast Charger arrived before my wheel.

[Marty Backe]

1 hour ago, Dave U said:

Copy, Thanks Marty. By the way the Nikola has been Baptized already, Brian dropped the wheel trying to go in reverse/ backwards the first 5 minutes of riding it fresh out of the box .

It had 90% charge 

Tire pressure @ 22psi

2x Round GW stickers peeling off

Chrome Gotway Nikola stickers sharp as a razor blade and peeling

Silver/Grey Pedals, not black

But Pedals did come with Grip tape. 

Quiet Fan, you could hardly hear it or at least I could hardly hear it! 

Came with factory charger

Fast Charger arrived before my wheel.

Yeah, it's inevitable that the wheel is going to get scratched up. Good that it's done with early 

Nice that you have a quiet fan. I have a feeling it depends on the fan that they pull out of the supply box when assemblying the wheel as to whether you get a loud one or not.

You finally have a wheel that can tackle any ride that you want 

[Jrkline "Wheel Whisperer"]

7 hours ago, Marty Backe said:

I'd like to do the full Cogswell ride this coming weekend. It's about a 45-mile trail ride with spectacular scenery, climbing ~4500-feet into the San Gabriel mountains. I've done this with a 1300wh wheel, so any 1600wh wheel will have no difficulty. Lots of regenerative charging on the way down.

So the question is, does anyone want to join me. Based on prior experience, we should meet at 8am for an early departure. We can do lunch afterwards.

Please let me know if you are firmly interested and which day you would prefer (Sat, Sun, or Mon). If there's interest than I can post further details of the ride.

@enigma35 @HeavyGoing @Marvin Ong @Mushuukyou @Tjtripp @Sven @unowheel @Questor @Roll Model @Mike Hanna @Jon Sawa @serfy @swvision @Kimosabi @zentype @ndmcc @Mimir @Josh Morgan @Shawn Johnson @IRK @MikeV @Peter Q @Sketch @captainwells @NBC44 @Stan Onymous @Gizmo Dork @Alsayyad @Chairman S @who_the @Dave Frear  @roghaj @downtown @Yunicyle @Terenig @Dave U @Flying W @Heyzeus @NightRider @Mike Hanna @Klin @3euc @Unosolo @Williepimpin @Heyzeus @JomMas  @BlackOutEX @Freewheeler @TomM @tihoa @Ferreal@Austin @Ben Richards @noisycarlos @Tanabe @Dzlchef @Ando Melkonyan @YoshiSkySun @n2eus @maltocs @1Wheeler @Rama Douglas @Nick McCutcheon @mark chanya @Jrkline "Wheel Whisperer" @Yellowman @Kens @UpDownGo @John Wood @TedTheAtheist

Let's do Sunday.Don't forget the $5 adventure pass.Fred Flintstone will be ready.

[Dzlchef]

Wish I could go but I only have off Monday and that will be spent putting my Nikola back in order.  I’m bummed! 

[Dave U]

7 minutes ago, Jrkline "Wheel Whisperer" said:

Fred Flintstone will be ready.

Bring the whole jar, we might need it if we get lost! 

[Marty Backe]

8 minutes ago, Jrkline "Wheel Whisperer" said:

Let's do Sunday.Don't forget the $5 adventure pass.Fred Flintstone will be ready.

Yeah, leaning towards Sunday too. Once I know who's coming I'll add the finer details for everyone.

[Kens]

43 minutes ago, Dzlchef said:

Wish I could go but I only have off Monday and that will be spent putting my Nikola back in order.  I’m bummed! 

What's happens to your Nikola?

[Yellowman]

14 hours ago, Marty Backe said:

I've done this with a 1300wh wheel, so any 1600wh wheel will have no difficulty. Lots of regenerative charging on the way down

The numbers you refer to are w.r.t. the motor power or battery?

Can the V10F handle this ride?

• Range: V10 43 miles max, V10F 55-62 miles max
• Motor Power: V10 1800W, V10F 2000W (sustained for long periods, can peak much higher)
• Battery: V10 8.8AH 650WH, V10F 12.8AH, 960WH

[Dzlchef]

8 hours ago, Kens said:

What's happens to your Nikola?

I received a new control board and LEDs as mine shorted a couple weeks ago from a loose wire.  I also received a new tire and installed everything last weekend.  Unfortunately I caused a rip in the tube, patched it, but it only held air for a day.  Too big for the slime to help.  I need to pull the wheel apart and install a new tube and put it all back together.  

[Kens]

45 minutes ago, Dzlchef said:

I received a new control board and LEDs as mine shorted a couple weeks ago from a loose wire.  I also received a new tire and installed everything last weekend.  Unfortunately I caused a rip in the tube, patched it, but it only held air for a day.  Too big for the slime to help.  I need to pull the wheel apart and install a new tube and put it all back together.  

Awww man sorry about that. If I have to change the inner tube I think I will bring it to tire shop. Too many horror stories about change it yourself. I hope you can get back wheeling again soon. 

[Marty Backe]

8 hours ago, Yellowman said:

The numbers you refer to are w.r.t. the motor power or battery?

Can the V10F handle this ride?

• Range: V10 43 miles max, V10F 55-62 miles max
• Motor Power: V10 1800W, V10F 2000W (sustained for long periods, can peak much higher)
• Battery: V10 8.8AH 650WH, V10F 12.8AH, 960WH

I'm referring to the battery.

You're quoting a bunch of Inmotion spec's which are meaningless (e.g., 55-62 miles). Everyone needs to know the practical range limits of the wheel that they ride. A 200-pound guy is going to get a lot less range than a 140-pound guy.

I've done this ride on a 1300wh wheel and had plenty of margin at the end of the ride. And that included 15-miles which we won't be doing. So I'm tempted to say that the V10F would work. Really depends on how adventurous you are. This is the kind of ride that if you end up getting too low on battery, you just turn around and go back - because there's a lot of regenerative charging.

When I first rode Cogswell I only rode the paved part which is a gorgeous scenic mountain ride on a tree covered road adjacent to a river. It's less than 20-miles round trip. So you could come and if nothing else, ride with us for a couple of hours and then return as we continue.

Edited August 28, 2019 by Marty Backe

[Dave U]

10 hours ago, Dzlchef said:

 I also received a new tire and installed everything last weekend.

Brian, I'm riding my Nikola for the first time on dirt trails this Sunday. We are about the same weight, what tire PSI do you like for off-roading? Thanks in advance.

[Marty Backe]

1 hour ago, Dave U said:

Brian, I'm riding my Nikola for the first time on dirt trails this Sunday. We are about the same weight, what tire PSI do you like for off-roading? Thanks in advance.

Keep this in mind - it's imperative not to get a "snake-bite" flat when you are 10-miles from the nearest road. So although running with lower tire pressures can make for a more comfortable and 'grippy' trail riding experience, it can raise your risk of getting a flat if you inadvertently ride over a large rock (think baseball size).

At my ~180-pounds I'll be topping off my Nikola at ~40psi.

Edited August 29, 2019 by Marty Backe

[Dzlchef]

1 hour ago, Dave U said:

Brian, I'm riding my Nikola for the first time on dirt trails this Sunday. We are about the same weight, what tire PSI do you like for off-roading? Thanks in advance.

I run at 35psi

[Dzlchef]

11 hours ago, Kens said:

Awww man sorry about that. If I have to change the inner tube I think I will bring it to tire shop. Too many horror stories about change it yourself. I hope you can get back wheeling again soon. 

I actually took the wheel to a couple different shops and nobody would touch it.  Hence me doing it myself and screwing it up!