Back in the Fall, I posted pics of my '04 Spec Epic, 'mulletized' to 27.5/26... liked it so much I decided to get a 'new' bike... Bought a Marin Riftzone 3 - 29r and rode that for a few weeks, but found 29 to be just too much of a handfull to manage on the tight trails I again started to enjoy...
A few months back I decide to look for a 27.5, since I like the Mullet, but wanted something 'newer' school...
Found this 2016 Spec Stumpy Expert 27.5 - all upper level stuff, 1x - got it for a great deal.
Have done a bunch of rides since, some tight and twisty, some very Hot as well... There's nothing much 'flat' out in these parts, at least not for mtb in the Los Padres...
Been 4+ years since I've ridden Romero Cyn (the 'road', not the trail...) - health issues these past years had limited me greatly. But things are lookin up...
Romero Cyn leads up the Santa Barbara Los Padres 'front country' to Camino CIelo - the top of the Santa Ynez Coastal Range. The 'road' is rideable up, and many ride the 'trail' down - if they want serious tech DH. I ride the road up and down, hard and crazy enough for me... 7 mi up to 4000 ft , starts at about 600 ft above sea level.
The Spec Stumpy 27.5 is perfect! A real match for me!
Spec 2016 Stumpy Expert FSR 27.5 - Romero Cyn at 1000 ft above sea level.
A great view of the Santa Barbara Coast westward, from Montecito, Santa Barbara Waterfront and town in the distance, view further to Goleta.
We have 2 seasons - 'Green' and 'Brown' - it's coming to the tail end of 'Green', a bit earlier than usual... the new normal...
The Los Padres Front Country is Steep!
Actually the back country is also steep - and hot and completely wild. Awesome!
It's always up, never ending, and sometimes not super steep, loose or chunky - but not for long...
wearing protective gear is a good thing, if you expect to 'flow' down.
Romero Canyon Road - it 'was' a fire 'road', many years back...
Many rain deluges have eroded the road down to gnarly, steep single track for most of its length. The most recent heavy rains, 3 yrs ago, brough down rock and boulders 20 to 25 ft in diameter, eroded the canyon creek some 20 to 25 ft further, and tore away homes and areas in Montecito, all the way to the coast, CA 101, killing 22 people.
Romero Canyon road is rideable UP, the Trail is mostly not, unless you want to push and carry for most of the length.
Romero Canyon at 2700 ft above the Santa Barbara Channel
I ran out of steam short of Camino Cielo. Too small Breakfast... Finally stopped for late lunch at this nice overlook of Romero Canyon. The road and trail follow the 'left'/eastern side of the canyon up.
It was an awesome afternoon, and next time I'll make sure I'm well fueled for the ride to the top.
The downhill ? What can I say... not boring, total rip ! Woo Hoo!
Ride on Dirty
Yuri