16 new kool aid bikes

We just received 16 new bikes from specialized today, got some cool ones. 2009 Tarmac pro, Dura-Ace: can't wait to get that built. Rockhopper Singlespeed 29er, sick bike awesome value: join the singlespeed army your stead awaits. We also have some 2009 epics added to our demo fleet, I raced one of them this past weekend incredible race bike, climbs like a snappy hardtail and descends like a trailbike, so sick. See ya on the trails.

12 Hours of Temecula Race Update

We brought the boom to 12hrs of Temecula this weekend, awesome race with perfect conditions the rain held out. Greg, Jim, and Steve did a three man team and pulled 13 laps putting them in 5th in the open 3 man category. I raced solo expert men, which was a very tight race, after the 12hrs of pain and 13 laps later I found myself in 2nd place. You can check the whole story at my blog www.scottmcclave.blogspot.com All in all it was an awesome day of racing, Jim's wife Shanie was out on course all day taking some awesome shots of the race. Once she gets them posted I'll throw the link up here. For the Tuesday Nighter tonight we're meeting up at Chumash (top of flanagan) at 6:30 and heading out from there, should be a more mellow pace since we all hammered hard this weekend.

See ya on the trails
Scott

Been a while

Hey, been a week two, just been busy I guess. So first things up nutrition night was a success we had 19 people show up so just want to say thanks to everyone who was a part of that. The riding out here has been crazy lately it feels like April and its January. Had an awesome 63.5 mile mountain bike ride in sycamore canyon yesterday, preparing for 12 hours of Temecula this weekend and testing out my new Ergon grips, thanks Jeff. BTW they are sweet and are going to keep my hands comfy for a solo 12hr race. So as you can tell I'm very excited about racing this weekend it should be awesome. Forecast says possibility of rain, I say bring it on. Pulled a funny prank on Ryan while he was showering after the simi ride. Tied a cable around the door handle and then to a workstand so he couldn't get out, it was funny, the best part was tying a bell to the cable so if would ring when he'd yank on the door (I'm not a mean person it was in good taste). Shinanigans will happen when its January in a bike shop.

Cheers
Scott

Later 2008 Hello 2009

Now that we're in the new year, just want to take a look back at this past year and its highlights, 2008 was a great year. If you've been by the shop at all this year you've probably noticed our expansion with the opening of the showroom for all the upper end mountain and road bikes. This was a huge leap forward for us and we appreciate all the support from the local community, it has been a fun journey filled with several late nights to pull it all together, but it was all worth it. I recall the night before we were going to open the doors, I don't think we left the shop til 2:30 am. It was a lot of fun and a lot of work expanding considering we did the whole build up and design on our own including putting in new tile (not bad for a bunch of bike shop guys). Aside from growing we had a blast at all of our shop demo days, if I recall correctly (considering it's late right now) we pulled off half a dozen. Thanks to everyone for coming out and testing bikes, its always a good time. We have a Specialized Demo Day coming up Feb 7th for those who missed out on the last one or just want to get excited about a new bike. James brought back Park Tool School this year, which has been very successful, if you're interested in a class contact the shop and we'll get you set up. At the corba Fat Tire Fest this year Victor almost won the bike limbo contest loosing to out Giant Rep, Jon. I failed early on in that contest trying to ride our shop scrapper bike with the hoop-d wheels (you'll have to see the bike in person or ride it to comprehend). We met a bunch of cool people at Interbike this year, Nikki Gudex, Trebone, Kabush, Hincape, Matt Hunter, and saw Lance race Cross Vegas. Racing was great this season, we had a very successful year at a lot of the endurance venues. Our four man 24hr team consisting of myself, Greg, Victor, and Ed dominated 24hrs of Vail Lake in April we took home 1st for Sport 4 man, while still managing to bring the wow by rocking guitar hero between laps in the RV. Victor took first at Elings Park in Santa Barbara this year while I came home with third, great race. I did very well at the solo 12hr races this season winning the Socal Endurance Series, undefeated with three consecutive wins, could not have been happier with that. So racing this year was a great success and I'm really looking forward to next season, my mind is set on soloing some 24hr races. I can't complain about getting to test out a $12000 hardtail for Mountain Bike Action, thanks again John and Jimmy. Our Tuesday night rides have been going strong, I'm so glad to see a dedicated group of riders week after week. All in all absolutely fantastic year lots of great memories, I hope 2009 will fill us with just as many good times and ridiculous tan lines.


Happy New Year
Scott

Bringing the WOW to Santa Cross

Victor "Elf" Robles

So this past Sunday Greg, Victor and I raced at the Santa Cross this past weekend. We brought the WOW with our phenomenal racing kits. The socal cross scene wasn't ready for the Christmas Cheer. It was a pretty fantastic morning, I was called many names in my greenman suit: green machine, green dude, elf, santa's helper, but my favorite was when someone called me a f**cking leprechaun as I was passing them.









Scott "Greenman" McClave

Cross racing is ridiculous amounts of fun, brutal too (especially when I've been racing endurance races the whole season), going full balls to the wall for 35 minutes hurts. My legs didn't cooperate I ended up with a frustrating 19th out of 47, not bad for a first time crosser and for not taking anything serious that day (how could I in a greenman suit). Victor on the other hand laid the smackdown and pulled off a 2nd place finish, great success. Greg forgot his inhaler so his lungs almost exploded on him. Cross racing is sweet I we're going to do more next season: rocking the ridiculousness loudly.

Greg "Ugly Xmas Sweater" Dolder


Merry Christmas
Scott

Big Kitty

So I was riding by myself on my friends cross bike today up in long canyon (1st time I've been on one, what a blast) so I can get a feel for it for Sunday's Santa Cross Race. Everything was going great, trails were nice and tacky due to the recent rain and it was cool out. It actually felt like cross season compared to the rather warm winter we've had up until this week. Came down the fire road that connects with Albertsons motorway and turned right heading towards Lang Ranch. I was rounding the left hand sweeper just before the fire road turns to singletrack and spooked what looked like a bobcat or some sort of medium sized feline. Thought it was pretty cool seeing one up close if only for a split second while it scurried into the bushes. I dove into the singletrack where it makes a right handed u-turn, and then I realized what I'd really spooked, an adolescent mountain lion and it was walking right beside its mother about 15ft in front of me. As soon as I saw her my brakes were on and the last thing I wanted to do was tick her off. My mind immediately kicked into overdrive and I was super alert and ready to fight if I had to, in a slit second I'd surveyed the scene and realized the disadvantaged situation I was in. Fortunately they were both walking away from me, down the trail I was planning on taking. Once I realized that she didn't hear me I turned around and started pedaling back the way I came. My head was turned around like an owl as I pedaled off making sure she wasn't setting up an ambush or chase attack. After pedaling out of there had a nice chance to reflect on how blessed I was that the situation didn't turn for the worse. Mountain Lions are absolutely awesome animals but they demand an incredible amount of respect, seeing one in the wild especially a mother and cub is a true blessing in disguise that most people will never experience, so I consider myself very fortunate for that. For me this was the second encounter I've had with a mountain lion about two and a half years ago while night climbing on the planet of the apes wall in Malibu Creek State Park, my friend Cristine and I were stalked by a full size adult, a very eerie experience. The mountain lion had just seemed to have gotten a kill and it wasn't happy that we were in its dining room and it let us know by letting out a huge roar at us. Then were in a fifteen minute bluffing match with this magnificent predator, staring each other down eye to eye. We were able to make it out okay after rigging up some makeshift weapons from our arsenal of climbing gear. Fortunately we didn't have to use them.

Cheers
Scott

Almost got taken out by a Tumbleweed

Today Cory and I were out riding in the cold (by socal standards) mid 30's at the start and mid 40's when we wrapped it up a little over three hours later. Just a nice cruise on the flats with some gusty winds, almost got blown over once. As we were cruising up Moorpark road this giant Texas size tumbleweed (had to be 5 or six feet in diameter no joke) decided to mess with us. The winds shifted and this thing starts barreling towards us. In my head I was thinking, crap this is not going to feel good as it was bouncing around the road towards us in a unpredictable manner. Right at the last moment we missed our run in with this thing and started cracking up. Good times despite the cold weather, nobody else was as crazy as us that morning, didn't see a single other rider out there.

Scott