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Have a question about anything you've read on this page?
Just Email JF at JF@Gords.com and he'll get back to you
pronto.
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Gord's Ski & Bike
2 Locations to serve you better!
[L1]
2 Donald St
Winnipeg, Manitoba
CANADA | 204.284.2952
[L2]
1765 Kenaston Blvd
Winnipeg, Manitoba
CANADA | 204.269.2952
info@Gords.com
1.877.GORDS.61
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of course it's 100% Photoshop : Photo JT
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JF'S COMMENCAL
Where to begin? How about at the very beginning. With my first bike from Gord's. A Rocky Mountain Hammer Race. A Hardtail. My last hardtail. What followed were two Specialized Stump Jumper FSR's (nice XC bike, way too fragile for Ingolf and the idiot (me) riding them there)... What followed them was my least favorite bike ever: My Specialized Enduro (my last Specialized bike) I hated the thing... made me a worse rider and made everything that wasn't pointing down more difficult and less fun than it had the right to be.
Then came my first true love, the bike that turned me into an avid mountain-biker. The bike that allowed me to do stuff a guy like me shouldn't be able to do: My 2003 Jamis Dakar XLT 2.0. Whoa, what a bike. Following that bike I got myself an equally amazing Jamis XLT 3.0 (Karla is still riding that very bike) That XLT was the high water mark... Probably still my favorite.
It's nice that I get to see it on Epic Rides when Karla joins us.
What followed was the reign of the exotics: First came the very sexy Ellsworth Moment followed by the stupid cool Intense 6.6 in the uber-hot unpainted "raw" finish ... Both were excellent in their own ways, neither were perfect for my body type or riding style (or lack thereof)
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My good buddies Matt (Moment) and Scott S. (6.6) still ride them and from what they tell me, they simply loves the things.
For 2008 the
plan was to ride two bikes. a DH/Freeride rig and a more XC, more WNR suitable ride. So I set the plan in motion to represent the two new kids on the block, Scott and Commencal. Two brands we had just picked up. I settled on the commencal for the burly bike and Scott for the trail bike.
The dilemma was now what Commencal to get. After testing a Meta 5.5 and a Meta 6 at Interbike I was convinced that something like the Meta 6 or even a bit more DH-ish like the six-inch Super Team Mini DH was the way to go.
I have to admit it, the thing that bugged the crap out of me was the unfortunate name of the bike... "Mini DH"??? What the ____? Who names a bike "mini" anything?
Guys in Andorra, that's who.
So the dichotomy began and a flurry of emails ensued between Peter (the head dude at Commencal Canada) and myself... on what bike I should get. After much back and forth on the topic we settled on the Mini DH frame. I would strip the parts off the Intense 6.6 and slap them onto the Commencal.
Please check back periodically as I add to this thing.
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THE LONG TRAVEL HOLY GRAIL
What we look for most in a full-suspension bike is intuitiveness. When a bike simply does its job, no fuss no muss. Rare is the ride you just jump on and go. Rob and I share that appreciation for that particular underrated characteristic. Many 4" travel bikes deliver that "comfortable hardtail" feel, I'm no expert but I kinda believe that the drama free suspension experience of 4" bikes has something to do with the fact that, well... quite simply, there's less suspension travel... so it's more "buttoned down". Examples of solid, intuitive 4" designs are many including the Jamis Dakar and the timeless Rocky Mountain Element family of bikes.
 Getting bikes with more than 4 inches of travel to behave in that efficient, solid, yet lively way is not that easy it seems. Very few "5 inch and up" bikes that we've tested over the years managed to deliver the feel of a 4 inch bike with one or two more inches of travel. Once you get up there it seems that many bikes get wobbly knees or either get heavy in order to counter that long-travel challenge... The less-than-perfect examples simply become "squishy"
When we find that rare combination of balance, poise, comfort and efficiency it's usually very subtle. These bikes rarely jump up and shout "HEY LOOK AT ME! I DO MY JOB INTUITIVELY!" When we find a bike that blows us away we usually quietly look at each other and go "pssst! I like this bike" and ride for a bit longer until we add "hey, I think you should try this bike out, I'd like your thoughts"... all the while smiling and simply enjoying the ride.
 To say that 2007 and 2008 have been very good full-suspension test seasons would be an understatement. With 3 sweet new bikes recently inducted into Gord's Long-Travel MTB Hall-of Fame. The Jamis BAM, the Scott Genius and the very bling Commencal Meta 5.5... Joining such superlative squishy icons such as the stalwart Jamis XLT, the Ellsworth Epiphany, the Rocky Mountain SXC and the much loved Jamis XAM.
Life is pretty sweet at Gord's. How fortunate are we to have some of the very best long travel bikes that don't act like big fat spongy marshmallows. Long travel bikes that make you wonder why anyone would ride less.
 Listen, if you ride any trail, flat as it may be or steep as you can find... If you're over 19 years old and you want to keep on riding into your sixties and beyond... if you're still riding that hardtail WAKE UP! Give your head a shake. Do yourself, your body and your ass a favor, get with the times. INJECT SOME FUN in your moribund life, get a full suspension bike and join the ranks of those who do more than just ride, join the ranks of those who are having the time of their lives on their bikes, join the ranks of the living. LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO RIDE A HARDTAIL. (We should make a T-shirt!) Check out our full-suspension page HERE |
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TIME FOR A NEW
KIDS BIKE?
Often an afterthought for some bike shops, kids bikes (and kids in general) are a very big deal to us. We're no dummies, we know who our future customers are and since we plan on being around for a long, long time, it makes perfect sense for us to make sure we take care of our younger customers the right way. Visit our kids bike page where we'll explain to you what to look for in a kids bike in order to get the best bang for the buck...  |
WHAT DO
YOU GET
Nothing sucks more than buying a bike and being left all alone, trying to figure out what to do next from a maintenance point of view.
When you buy a new bike From Gord's Ski and Bike, here's what you get don't just get a bike, you also get nothing less than 44 years of experience and an entire team devoted to making sure your bike rides just right. Relax, enjoy the process and smile: Gord's New Bike service plan has you covered, wheel to wheel. |
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JOIN US!
We've said it before: It's all about the ride. The ride to Seven Eleven, the ride to your buddies house, the ride we call Ingolf, the ride at Panorama, Fernie, The Seine River, the ride through the monkey trails at Assiniboine Park, the ride with your 30 favorite buddies or the ride with your daughter.
Yes the bike is important. But more important than the bike is the smile on your face. So get off your butt, dust off your bike, throw on your helmet and come riding with us next season! For more information on how we can help get you out, click on the following link:
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Attention all bike lovers! Gord's is very proud to announce that we'll be offering