I needed a desk for shooting gear review videos. Come see how I built a table from trash wood.

Check out these super easy DIYs. Minimal tools needed. 

Hello, fellow Basic MTBers!

My dog loves the snow. It's the ultimate toy - she can run in it, roll around in it, and even eat it! Best of all: it doesn't make a mess... Until it melts. 

We've all ridden in mud. After all, a bad ride is better than no ride, right? Mud slows us down, dwindles our traction, and loves to hitch hike on our bikes, clothes, and gear. Which reminds me, I need to make a rear mud guard, my back was more mud than shirt by the time I finished.

That brings us to the title of this post. Would I rather ride in 35F or 25F? Easy choice, 25. Either way, it's cold and I'm going to bundle up. The big difference is: at 25, all that slippery, energy-sucking mud is now frozen. You might as well be riding on packed dirt, or even (bumpy) pavement.

I've actually had some of my best/fastest rides in the mid 20s because of the hard ground. Unfortunately, today was not one of those days... My bike was spotless when I left the house. Would I do it again? Yep. 

Thanks for reading.

Welcome! I'll try to keep this short. 

Who am I?
I'm an ex-car mechanic, now working a typical 8-5 desk job.

By most standards I'm your basic trail rider - I don't send 30 ft gaps and my wheelie/manual skills need work... However, I do ride nearly everyday and have learned a lot about what gear is really needed and what you can skip. 

I enjoy working on my bike and car, and DIYing around the house. 

Why did you make this blog?
I'm regular guy with a regular budget; you won't see any expensive carbon bikes here. I understand that calling a $3,000 bike "entry level" is more than a bit ridiculous to most people, including myself. I'm here to prove you don't need to spend a lot to have fun. 

But are't there are tons of "bike hack" videos already?
Yup, and I enjoy them. This isn't a bike hack blog, although, I may share ones I find useful. I'm not claiming to be an expert on bike hacks, or even bikes in general. What I can provide is a realistic recommendations and expectations for basic MTBers, like me.

What are your plans?
I have a few ideas but suggestions are always appreciated. Here's what I'm thinking:

Realistic approach to cheap bikes: For many people, a department store bike is all they can afford, and that's ok. All that matters is that you get out and ride. There are plenty of videos where people buy cheap bikes and absolutely wreck them at downhill parks. Entertaining, yes, but not helpful if you actually want a cheap bike. 

The plan: I'd get cheap, department store bike, but actually take it seriously. I'll figure out what it takes to make it safe and ride it the way a basic MTBer like myself would. And of course, I'll post videos to YouTube (channel coming soon). 

Gear and tool reviews: As an ex-car mechanic, I like tools. I like using them, talking about them, customizing them, all of it. You have a cool tool? Tell me about it! A large part of my blog will be focused on tool reviews with the goal of helping you pick the right tool for your needs. 

If you want me to compare some (reasonably priced) tools, message me and I'll try my best. 

Mini Tool Kits: Many of us aren't lucky enough to have trails within riding distance of home. The goal here is to answer questions like: What should you bring in the car? How do you organize it so it's not a pile of loose tools in a grocery bag? What about first aid? 

Workshop Build: Join me while I build my home workshop with a focus on efficient use of space. Maybe you can get inspired to build your own custom tool and gear storage. If this gets interest, I might post detailed plans for the stuff I build. 

What won't you do?
Remember, I'm a basic MTBer. I don't have sponsors, and I work a full time job. ​It mostly comes down to budget and free time.

If you're looking for a comparison of the "Best trail/enduro/etc bikes," I don't have the money for that. Maybe try Pinkbike? 

Thanks for reading.

Seems I didn't do a very good job keeping this short...