Generally I agree with this. But in the case of this trail, I give it a pass. Clearly this trail has been beaten up pretty bad from rain run off. And these types of trails get worse and worse over the years if not maintained because of it. Given that the previous KOM was from 2018, if there has been little to know trail maintenance I’d wager to bet it was actually in better shape back then, than after he did a little modification with his shovel.
Repairing and modifying are two different things. This is a crappy fire road no one cares for. A single track that’s cared for and built with uphill features shouldn’t be modified.
Best video you’ve done in a while Phil. 👍 These old school KoM videos are why I started watching your channel. Very motivating 😃 Great use of the mix between drone / on bike footage and chapeau on the MtB KoM 👑 Thanks for the continued great content.
I loved the format of this KOM attempt: breathing hard overlaid with your comments/ drone footage and the data…awesome. On a side note, would love to see a video of the top 5-10 climbs in the Santa Monica Mountains. Love the stages road climb BTW.
I actually laugh out loud every time I see that clip of you falling to the tape at Mount Washington thank you for your service in making me laugh! Premium intro material
The truly crazy thing is his recovery at the top. It may have been a bit longer than what's on camera, but probably not by much. To be able to pronounce Calabassas like that, after that climb, in that time, is mind blowing. Cool KOM Filipe.
I'm a local and do this trail from time to time. I hate this video. This is a BRUTAL climb. I always walk my gravel bike up that one section where Phil was fixing with a shovel. In all my years, I've never seen a mountain biker climb that section either. I hate this video because it hurts to see someone do it so easily in 7 minutes while I, and most others, absolutely struggle. I think my time is in the 30-45 minute range for that section. I hate you Phil!!!
@@raf_rides Believe me, the video doesn't depict how steep it is in that part he's shoveling. I highly doubt anyone can do that on a gravel bike gearing ratio (with a 42 tooth chainring). Personally, my bike is a 1:1 ratio (42 chainring with 11-42 cassette). Most seasoned mountain bikers can't go up that with a 32T ring and a 50T on the back.
Epic vid!! Just a view at the top and how you took it all in, I was actually exhausted, listening to the breathing all the way up…I love the crossover videos..keep them coming!!
Living on the coastal plain, where every road KOM is set on a group ride or during a gale force wind event, I don't bother chasing them anymore. So my attention has been offroad, but even there every KOM has been set during optimal trail conditions usually after maintenance. So I have no problem with a bit of pre-blitz trail work. Kudos!
Equivalent to saying you won a crit bc you sprinted harder than the winner but got boxed in. Being able to navigate through a peloton is part of riding. Just like finding the best line and having the skills to ride it is part of mtb
Theres an event in the Virginia Appalachians called the Pantani Ride that reminds me of this. The climbs are mostly dirt roads and it gets so steep I have to go anaerobic to stay upright. Talking up to like 25% incline lol.
Nice Dude! I’ve seen you and another cyclist headin thru my neighborhood by calabash elementary . I’ve hiked that hill dozens of times , I personally have never thought about a KOM on a bike . Lol Fun video .thanx
dude, awesome drone shots!! Really nice seeing you trying the mtb too :) and that breathing throughout the video really passes the amount of effort it took! It would be nice to see your HR too on the tracker, I imagine it was topping from beginning to end lol
Of all the crazy ass stints you have pulled off this one reigns Supreme. I don't know if my jaw dropped more because of the gradients and the fact that you were on a mountain bike or because of the views. This may have been the best effort yet which means you are at your worsT at retirement yet
mountain biking is inherently technically difficult. Work a little less on fitness and a little more on skill and you could probably still get the KOM once you learn to clear the obstacle
I would say just run up it, but this is more entertaining. Cant wait till you start hiring contractors to fill in potholes for road koms. in fact, pave the top of mauna kea and get that back!
Well, your “Trail Work” would have been removed by the next rain anyway. It would have been easier to hook up with the locals to have it done right and last beyond the next rain.
I think you're making fun of my breathing, right? This is eerie because Emily's dad is fixing a shelf here with a handsaw and I was doing my VO around that
Agreed! Play the ball where it lies....unless you're building a new trail, the shovel is cheating. But I say that gently, love Phil's videos and content.
Modifying the trail to make it easier is generally frowned upon when there is a trail builder or community that cares for the trail. This isn’t the case here. This is a crappy fire road that nobody cares for and the county might come through once a decade to bulldoze / resurface.
That was my first reaction too. But that road is constantly eroding. It's not like some road grader is up there on a regular basis (or ever) keeping it the same. Looks like the previous KOM holder did it 6 years ago when the road was almost certainly in better shape, more rideable. Rock erodes over eons, not in a rain storm. I don't consider chipping rock at all the same as this. But, yes, chipping rock is unconscionably bad.
Love your channel but can't see needing to modify the trail to climb that section....at least a few years ago (at 67 its not as easy as it used to be).
New series and taking KOMing to the next level. Totally unrelated but how long does it usually take for an item from your shop to ship to the UK? Ordered something recently that's all. thanks
Nicely done Phil! That breathing indicated a whole hearted effort. ✅ What are your thoughts on Strava recorded on a phone versus a gps computer? I feel like most top 10’s on mountain trails are full of phone users and the data seems a little bit shifty 🤔
In golf, that's a no no. They call it "improving the lie." I reckon it's the same for mountain biking. Ride it like you find it! Or else it doesn't count. Cheers
this is fireroad, not a trail. no one cares how technical it is, because it's not. at some point, the city is going to come though with some machinery and fix it anyway, because they have a mandate to have it accessible by truck.
@@ananthar80 And that’s fine, let it happen (authorities re-grade it). There is and always has been an unwritten ‘rule’ not to ‘fix’ the dirt. If you can’t ride it, try harder or walk it. Cuz someone else can clean it and loves the challenge. Don’t mess with their flow.
@@mmmolchan IDK, maybe a week ago 100 people were "flowing" up that ROAD, then the atmospheric river gouged out gorges that won't be repaired for quite awhile...whose "flow" was messed with then? 🤔
Was in Cali a couple months ago and hiked this with my wife. Was wondering the whole time if people cared to ride it with that horribly chossy section. Did you end up walking up a little further past the end of the segment, to the summit part with that weird military-grade cache box? We couldn't get it open, but wondered what was inside.
If you plan a trip to Europe for a bit of MTB, I have a nice 600m elevation gain with 17% avg for you. (Which contains a shallower bottom part and some downhill, when it goes up it is always above 20% and goes up to 35%)
Its bad enough altering a trail but to then undo your work is terrible. Getting a kom is about skill and fitness not changing the goalposts. Whats next doping ok? Ebike?
I'm curious how a Gravel Bike would've fared for this KOM attempt over a full-fledged MTB: -lighter -no suspension eating at your watts -aerodynamic position -hard packed so it looks like you could get away with regular gravel tires over knobby MTB ones. -No rootballs to contend with that requires beefier suspension/handling.
Modifying a trail so yoy can ride it is no bueno. I have never ever once done this, and ive been riding dirt since ‘87. If you cant clean it then run it, or keep trying to clean it. Just my two cents, but keep it up. Dig your attitude
1:05 There is still a chance. You just need some technical coaching. We know several locals that can help you there. If I wasnt so antisocial, I'd offer 😂 See you at Rim Nordic?
No modifying the trail! Bad phil giamon!
he fixed it back afterwards!
relax it's dumping rain right now that whole hillside is probably gone
Generally I agree with this. But in the case of this trail, I give it a pass. Clearly this trail has been beaten up pretty bad from rain run off. And these types of trails get worse and worse over the years if not maintained because of it. Given that the previous KOM was from 2018, if there has been little to know trail maintenance I’d wager to bet it was actually in better shape back then, than after he did a little modification with his shovel.
Repairing and modifying are two different things. This is a crappy fire road no one cares for. A single track that’s cared for and built with uphill features shouldn’t be modified.
@calispeedboi my thoughts exactly
Of course, you returned the trail to its native state.
Like a true KOM holder, “I’d dynamite it if I could.”
The pettiness of restoring it after your KOM i just cant :D :D :D
Best video you’ve done in a while Phil. 👍 These old school KoM videos are why I started watching your channel. Very motivating 😃 Great use of the mix between drone / on bike footage and chapeau on the MtB KoM 👑 Thanks for the continued great content.
I loved the format of this KOM attempt: breathing hard overlaid with your comments/ drone footage and the data…awesome.
On a side note, would love to see a video of the top 5-10 climbs in the Santa Monica Mountains. Love the stages road climb BTW.
I actually laugh out loud every time I see that clip of you falling to the tape at Mount Washington thank you for your service in making me laugh! Premium intro material
I love that clip so much
I never fails to crack me up too!
Infernal Kevlar victory tape !
I am sure you speak for all channel subscribers. Love that part.
Thanks for the long shots it’s beautiful to see the hills again always ……great effortAnd soundtrack
The truly crazy thing is his recovery at the top. It may have been a bit longer than what's on camera, but probably not by much. To be able to pronounce Calabassas like that, after that climb, in that time, is mind blowing. Cool KOM Filipe.
lol I know I was thinking I’d be teetering on the line of heart failure at that point
I'm a local and do this trail from time to time. I hate this video. This is a BRUTAL climb. I always walk my gravel bike up that one section where Phil was fixing with a shovel. In all my years, I've never seen a mountain biker climb that section either. I hate this video because it hurts to see someone do it so easily in 7 minutes while I, and most others, absolutely struggle. I think my time is in the 30-45 minute range for that section. I hate you Phil!!!
hateful howard in the building
@@Conrad_52 It's all in jest!
That section looks intimidating but very doable on gravel or mtb with a little practice. But yea, nobody is plowing thru that climb with watts like PG
Mtb would be waaaay easier than gravel here! Love you!
@@raf_rides Believe me, the video doesn't depict how steep it is in that part he's shoveling. I highly doubt anyone can do that on a gravel bike gearing ratio (with a 42 tooth chainring). Personally, my bike is a 1:1 ratio (42 chainring with 11-42 cassette). Most seasoned mountain bikers can't go up that with a 32T ring and a 50T on the back.
Dishoveled = a roadie digging in the dirt with a shovel wearing matching bike shoes and lycra kit
Epic vid!! Just a view at the top and how you took it all in, I was actually exhausted, listening to the breathing all the way up…I love the crossover videos..keep them coming!!
One of my all time favorite Phil videos. The "super long selfie stick" shot was gorgeous. As a terrible mountain biker... I feel seen.
Sharks and snakes at the top! 😂
LOVE the selfie stick views. Amazing
I only descend this and climb in from the other side and it's still difficult ! impressive Phil !
Phil, you totally brightened my day! I love your channel. You are a lovable goofball.
xo
Thank you Phil for filming this and showing everything about the climb so absolutely never have to go see it for myself 🤣
Very impressive! You probably could have made that tricky part if you had someone coaching you, thanks for restoring the dirt!
Your new kit colours remind of Mercatone Uno and those old Bianchi's that Pantani rode.
Living on the coastal plain, where every road KOM is set on a group ride or during a gale force wind event, I don't bother chasing them anymore. So my attention has been offroad, but even there every KOM has been set during optimal trail conditions usually after maintenance. So I have no problem with a bit of pre-blitz trail work. Kudos!
Equivalent to saying you won a crit bc you sprinted harder than the winner but got boxed in. Being able to navigate through a peloton is part of riding. Just like finding the best line and having the skills to ride it is part of mtb
Nicely Nuts. You get a lot of fun out of insanely difficult climbs .. and so do we. Great vid.
Dude ... This one KILLED US ALL !!! LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL !!!!!!
I did this climb last summer. It was like 98 degrees with no shade. Not super duper fun, but hey the view from the top was pretty cool
Theres an event in the Virginia Appalachians called the Pantani Ride that reminds me of this. The climbs are mostly dirt roads and it gets so steep I have to go anaerobic to stay upright. Talking up to like 25% incline lol.
Nice Dude! I’ve seen you and another cyclist headin thru my neighborhood by calabash elementary . I’ve hiked that hill dozens of times , I personally have never thought about a KOM on a bike . Lol Fun video .thanx
love seeing the cross-discipline action! :)
dude, awesome drone shots!! Really nice seeing you trying the mtb too :)
and that breathing throughout the video really passes the amount of effort it took! It would be nice to see your HR too on the tracker, I imagine it was topping from beginning to end lol
My wife asked me what I was watching. I said. Bike videos……
I’m a little on the fence about the trail work but I love the content. I’ve discovered a few trails from the car
Don't worry, with the amount of rain that's been falling this week, it's likely all gone and severely rutted out,.
Of all the crazy ass stints you have pulled off this one reigns Supreme. I don't know if my jaw dropped more because of the gradients and the fact that you were on a mountain bike or because of the views. This may have been the best effort yet which means you are at your worsT at retirement yet
I’m expecting someone to file a police report for vandalism… 🤣🤣🤣🤣😂😂😂😂🍻
mountain biking is inherently technically difficult. Work a little less on fitness and a little more on skill and you could probably still get the KOM once you learn to clear the obstacle
Could you have brought a bigger shovel? hilariously nice work. If I know Steers, he's working on taking it back already. :)
the previous kom with 506 watts for 7minutes is simply insane 🤯
MTB trails are always changing. We call that trail work!
That was a great watch!
hiked this during gravelangeles and i was convinced that section was unrideable. then I watched some one nail it on a gravel bike
The Former KOM holders texts haha 😂
Burying bodies! 😂
I was going to go for a ride today but now I’m exhausted.
Looking forward to more of these of the off-road variety!
I would say just run up it, but this is more entertaining. Cant wait till you start hiring contractors to fill in potholes for road koms. in fact, pave the top of mauna kea and get that back!
This is better filming/ data ..then the Santos Tour Down Under had.😂😂
Well, your “Trail Work” would have been removed by the next rain anyway. It would have been easier to hook up with the locals to have it done right and last beyond the next rain.
Is that road still even there after the rains the past couple of days? Your KOM may live forever.
Excellent effort, Phil. And nice video...have a cookie 🍪
No way could i be bothered to push myself that hard anymore. Well done Phil.
We need a HR monitor! Glad to hear the breathing actually, sounds like me riding a bike.
Not sure about KOMing on an MTB and what is within the "rules", but wouldn't a short dismount be a faster option?
Favorite video Phil!
Why did you add the audio of somebody using a handsaw over the KOM part??? :)
I think you're making fun of my breathing, right? This is eerie because Emily's dad is fixing a shelf here with a handsaw and I was doing my VO around that
@@worstretirementever Yes, just joke. The VO sounded great. Sorry for the paranoia.
Nice one, missed me a good Phil KOM vid!
Modifying trails to match your skills vs improving skills…smh, your KOM is void! Such a roadie thing to do! /s cool video and great drone shots!
Agreed! Play the ball where it lies....unless you're building a new trail, the shovel is cheating. But I say that gently, love Phil's videos and content.
@@Calispeedboi”/s” = sarcasm…welcome to the internet
long selfie stick shots*
Sense of humor 10/10
Was the ascent or descent faster?
Modifying the trail to make it easier is generally frowned upon when there is a trail builder or community that cares for the trail. This isn’t the case here. This is a crappy fire road that nobody cares for and the county might come through once a decade to bulldoze / resurface.
Phil - a fun SoCal challenge for you might be ‘The Bump and Grind’ in Palm Desert.
okay I just paused it at 2:20 and it's hilariously on point
but I have to agree that modifying the trail is problematic
Incredible effort!
BOOOOOO DIRT DOPING! like chipping holds on a climbing route to dumb it down to your level.
That was my first reaction too. But that road is constantly eroding. It's not like some road grader is up there on a regular basis (or ever) keeping it the same. Looks like the previous KOM holder did it 6 years ago when the road was almost certainly in better shape, more rideable. Rock erodes over eons, not in a rain storm. I don't consider chipping rock at all the same as this. But, yes, chipping rock is unconscionably bad.
@@petesharp3640 it's a slippery slope.
Love your channel but can't see needing to modify the trail to climb that section....at least a few years ago (at 67 its not as easy as it used to be).
LoL… going back to mess the trail back up..”Defense” 😂😂😂😂😂
Love your videos Phil but this KOM shouldn't count if you have to modify the trail to get it.
New series and taking KOMing to the next level.
Totally unrelated but how long does it usually take for an item from your shop to ship to the UK? Ordered something recently that's all. thanks
That kit is horrendous Fred.
I see no shovel sponsor. Leaving money on the table, dude.
You are really getting this whole youtube thing down. It was a great presentation with needed content.
Wondering how possible…faster or slower that could be on a (dare I say it) GRAVEL BIKE? Lets gooooo
Can I PLEASE GET A LINK TO THAT STICK! At 3:50 minutes
Oh god, here we go..
Zwift volcano KOM vibes from the last climb at the top.
Phil rides up with a shovel, down, then rides again. I ride up a hill, once, and feel like I’m toast for a day or two.
Nicely done Phil! That breathing indicated a whole hearted effort. ✅
What are your thoughts on Strava recorded on a phone versus a gps computer?
I feel like most top 10’s on mountain trails are full of phone users and the data seems a little bit shifty 🤔
Fire roads hurt so bad!
Mountain Biking: Gravity = The Force = Must be With You. This Uphill Shit [CAPS] is for Road. Or, e-MTB. Or, Chairlifts. Keep it real Phil! 🤣
Oh crap, road cycling has infiltrated my TH-cam algorithm.
haha
In golf, that's a no no. They call it "improving the lie."
I reckon it's the same for mountain biking. Ride it like you find it! Or else it doesn't count.
Cheers
Love it Phil !
Great one!
Be safe in the rain 🌧️
That amount of climbing in that time 😵💫😵💫😵💫😵💫😵💫
rule #1 of offroad riding is don't dumb down the trail to match your (lack of) skill. Sorry to inform you, but Fail, Phil.
this is fireroad, not a trail. no one cares how technical it is, because it's not. at some point, the city is going to come though with some machinery and fix it anyway, because they have a mandate to have it accessible by truck.
@@ananthar80 And that’s fine, let it happen (authorities re-grade it). There is and always has been an unwritten ‘rule’ not to ‘fix’ the dirt. If you can’t ride it, try harder or walk it. Cuz someone else can clean it and loves the challenge. Don’t mess with their flow.
@@mmmolchan IDK, maybe a week ago 100 people were "flowing" up that ROAD, then the atmospheric river gouged out gorges that won't be repaired for quite awhile...whose "flow" was messed with then? 🤔
500 watts average is crazy for something that technical.
wow!! damn. good job
Was in Cali a couple months ago and hiked this with my wife.
Was wondering the whole time if people cared to ride it with that horribly chossy section.
Did you end up walking up a little further past the end of the segment, to the summit part with that weird military-grade cache box? We couldn't get it open, but wondered what was inside.
Anyone else annoyed the KOM didnt go uo that final bump at the end?
Is that a silver dropper post? What is it?
If you plan a trip to Europe for a bit of MTB, I have a nice 600m elevation gain with 17% avg for you. (Which contains a shallower bottom part and some downhill, when it goes up it is always above 20% and goes up to 35%)
Not sure about the shovel edict, but mtb is supposed to post downhill runs I think.
Would love to see your HR data too
Won't lie, I love WRE MTB.
In the end, this little bit of shoveling had more of a placebo effect than being an actual modification of the trail. 😉😉
Its bad enough altering a trail but to then undo your work is terrible. Getting a kom is about skill and fitness not changing the goalposts. Whats next doping ok? Ebike?
I'm curious how a Gravel Bike would've fared for this KOM attempt over a full-fledged MTB:
-lighter
-no suspension eating at your watts
-aerodynamic position
-hard packed so it looks like you could get away with regular gravel tires over knobby MTB ones.
-No rootballs to contend with that requires beefier suspension/handling.
with the steepness and the rockiness, suspension would win all day long.
1. Aero dosen’t matter much on a solo under 10mph climb
2.Knobby wider mtb tires grip sooo good on steep dirt
I’m curious too though
Hopefully the spirits of the Chumash elders were not disturbed by the digging
Modifying a trail so yoy can ride it is no bueno. I have never ever once done this, and ive been riding dirt since ‘87. If you cant clean it then run it, or keep trying to clean it. Just my two cents, but keep it up. Dig your attitude
Don’t panic bro, but at the start of the video there was an eagle who was seriously wondering if it could lift you…
1:05
There is still a chance. You just need some technical coaching. We know several locals that can help you there. If I wasnt so antisocial, I'd offer 😂
See you at Rim Nordic?
Congrats!
Phil,I love your content!!