Plus size mountain bike

CEBU, Philippines - There is battle that is going on today as to what wheel size is best from the original 26, 650B or 27.5, 29 diameter wheels and FAT bikes, which has enormous 4” width tires. But before one can decide which to purchase, a new set of wheel size has arrived. The plus size bike, 27.5 plus and 29 plus mountain bikes. I had the privileged to be able to test the Jamis Dragon Slayer 27.5 plus size bike, which is fitted with 3” monster tires and comes with Shimano mixed parts, a Slx dual front ring with 10 speed rear cassette and disc brake system. The front fork sports a Fox float 32, which is on top of the line in terms of shock absorber that literally makes you feel smooth on the rough road.

I have been able to test almost all kinds of bike already, from my original full suspension Tomac 26 bike up to my Jamis 27.5, the Niner 29 bike and the SALSA and Mongoose Fat bike. This plus size Jamis dragon slayer is a combination of all of the above, a bike you can never go wrong either going uphill, flat or downhill. Safety and control is what you instantly notice. The 3” wide tires make you more stable in any surface it attacks.

On the flat paved road, you may feel a bit sluggish because of the heavier tires. But don't get me wrong. As you pedal faster, the inertia kicks in and gives sort of a momentum which aids you in going faster. But make sure you just have the legs for a faster cadence but don’t expect it to hit 40 to 45kph. Like normal road bike, it is designed for the dirt, snow, sand and off road, which is the real purpose of this bike. Once you hit the dirt, it goes faster and faster maybe because the tires absorbs up all the small bumps, rocks which makes your pedaling more efficient, same feel you get on 650b and 29er but more stable.  On steep technical uphill, the plus size tires give you stability like the fat bike, where the tires literally stays in contact with the surface and gives the traction you need to climb up the more technical route. It is faster and further compared to other normal size tires. The small ring helps you up in the technical portion as well as in a smoother and easy cadence with the grip on the slippery and rocky portion keeps the momentum going. And as you reach the downhill section you would zoom pass all the ruts, rocks and mud. With the added stability, it will make a normal biker look like an elite downhiller. But don’t get confused with skills and guts. Know your limits. Wear your safety gears, the faster you go the harder you fall. So if you have not yet decided on which mountain bike to get, I suggest you go for the Jamis Dragon slayer bike 27.5 plus bike. It is one bike that is fun and is flexible you can even fit a 29er wheel set instead of the 27.5 plus wheel set.

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As predicted, the Cavs finally won a game in the finals series. In the first few minutes, it was evident that Cavs would win and they mean business when Cavs stormed to an early double-figure lead. They eventually came up with 120-90 win.

So what did the Cavs do to win Game 3?

Defense: Cavaliers played better defense by being more active and they communicated more, which resulted to a tighter passing lane. On offense, the Cavs move a lot and looks more fluid than the last 2 games. Setting hard screens like what Moscov did on Thompson, which for me was not dirty. Cavs must have the same intensity for 48 minutes. For me, James must be more aggressive even though Cavs won the game as he has the tendency to fall in love with dribbling and passing too much when we would want him to drive or post up more.  When James plays more inside, he would free up his team’s spot up shooters.

Positive Attitude: Believe it in and do it. Do not let the mouth do the talking. Like what MJ said before, "When you get something so easy, it sets bad work ethic because you would not have to work that hard."

Phil Jackson was interviewed that in order for Cavs to rebound from a 0-2 deficit. James had to play like Michael Jordan did in 1993 when the Bulls faced a 0-2 deficit heading into Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Knicks.

But instead of using this as a motivation, James told reporters that he is not MJ nor  Muhammad Ali or any of the other superstar athletes that people like Jackson try to compare him to.

“I think for me to go out and be who I am and play as true to the game and as hard as I can and try to lead this team, that’s who I am,” he said. “Not anybody else. I’m not Michael. I’m not Ali. I’m not nobody else that’s done so many great things for sport. I am who I am, and if I’m able to go out and put together a game like that, it wasn’t because I was possessed. It’s because I worked on my craft all season long and that’s the result of it.”LeBron added: “Phil’s a great coach.  Mike’s a great player. But I am who I am.”

I am no psychiatrist or doctor but this guy sounds very insecure. He could become one of the all-time greatest players but his attitude is like of a grade school kid. He should be more appreciative and take it as a compliment being compared to the greatest player of all time in Michael Jordan.

On the Warriors’ side, they just have to continue playing their game and don’t take it easy. During the start of Game 3,  the Warriors made sloppy passes and were not that patient in their offense. Early foul trouble by Curry and an injury to Klay makes matter worst for the Warriors. They celebrated too early yet. The Cavs and Lebron James still have something up their sleeves and want to prove the doubters wrong, but I am still sticking to my prediction that the series would end in five games with Warrior winning 2016 Finals with 4-1. But miracles do happen. Let’s just wait and see. (FREEMAN)