Hi, I'm Robb of Bicycle Warehouse. I'm one of the team leaders here. I've been with BW now for over 20 years. I love all kinds of bikes, but mountain bikes are really my passion. That's what gets me going every day to come in and go to work.
I'm going to give you a brief highlight of my two bikes this year.
This is my Trance Pro 29er. I got this one because I really wanted the most efficient pedaling bike I could get but still have fun on the downhills
This is my Reign SX, which is my downhill park bike but I can still climb if I have to.
I didnt plan on getting identically matching color bikes, but it works out well because my wife thinks they're the same bike...so don't tell her. She actually does, I didn't plan, but it just worked out that way.
Do you like riding 27.5" or 29ers better?
Honestly the 27.5" vs. the 29er question comes up a lot. I really like both of them. Obviously, I've got one of each definitely for different types of riding. To me, it depends more on the bike, but 29" is definitely the fast-rolling, efficient pedaling bike so generally for the guys who are concerned with their Strava times and going as fast as they can, but the 27.5", I think, is a little more playful, a little more agile. Really a fun bike to ride, I really enjoy that when I go to the bike park up at Snow Summit. It's a lot of fun to ride.
So Robb, I know you like bling on your bikes.
For one it's fun, it's customizing, one of the first things I change on every single bike I get is the saddle. I like a little more of a comfort saddle, not a huge one, but something a little more comfortable. I always doe a little bit of a higher rise handlebar on all of my bikes. I'm not a spring chicken anymore so I like being a little more upright on a bike, I feel like it's more comfortable, more fun to ride.
Of course it's always fun to change some stuff out and make it your bike I tend ot ride the stock stuff first and then once it wears out I like to upgrade, but sometimes small stuff like the headset spacers and that sort of stuff is fun to replace.
So what are some of your favorite trails here in San Diego, or Orange County, Riverside, wherever?
Well the bike park at Snow Summit is really, really ignited my passion for riding again. I love going up there and doing the party wave at snow summit, but around here there's a lot of good trails. I ride Mission Trails a lot, Black Mountain and even some easy trails like Tri Canyon in Clairemont is a really fun area. It's pretty close to my house, not a ton of climbing which makes it a fun, fast ride.
After your ride what's your favorite food?
I love getting some sushi. Sushi Deli 3 in Clairemont is my go-to spot.
What's one of your favorite tips for riding?
One of my big ones is just to keep your chain clean and lubricated. Clean is the important part, I see so many bikes that have tons of lube caked on and that just really accelerates the wear on the bike. Both of my bikes here look brand new and they're over a year old. I clean my trail bike every two or three rides, my park bike I clean pretty much every time after I get back from riding a day of downhill.
Why do you ride?
I ride just because it's fun to ride. I know it's great exercise, I don't enjoy the climbs, but I know it's good for me. I really enjoy the thrill of the downhill. Even the technically aspect of mountain biking, the sense of accomplishment, climbing a section that maybe I don't always make up every time when I can get by it, that's fun and exciting to me.
Did you ride your bike to school?
As a kid, yeah definitely, when I was a kid you pretty much had a bmx bike or a road bike, a 10 speed at that time. Yeah, that was a different day, but we used to ride our BMX bikes everywhere.
How many bikes have you had in your lifetime?
I can't even count that high. This morning before I came into work I had seven bikes in a bedroom at home. It's funny, I have a road bike I don't ride a lot, after the mountain bikes I probably ride my beach cruiser the most. My wife and I love to take our beach crusirs down to mission bay and ride around the bay - have breakfast and a beer, it's a great way to spend a morning.
