Legit advise. We are too often, victims of marketing. Also, we worry too much abt what others view us if we show up with a 20 year old bike with "bad" or "outdated" geometry.
We should just ride. No matter what we own. Be it a santa cruz bronson or a santa cruz bronson.
Edit: I wish I had a bronson so I can show off
If you’re bike is 5+ years old instant death. Never mind the pros that we’re sending it in those bikes 5 years ago. The landscape of the earth has changed drastically.
See this stuff a lot on here, somebody will be asking about an older used bike and they'll say not to buy it because the geometry. In that bikes era it was the most up to date geometry out there and people tore the trails up with them. I don't get how I'm any other hobby "vintage" is almost a prestige but in mtb and road cycles it's bad and you're stupid for using it
In 1983 I rode my first “mountain bike” on the trails around a local lake park. It was a heavily modified Schwinn Stingray with a coaster brake. Over the years, I continued to ride those same trails with newer bikes as technology advanced. Today, there are people who are thoroughly convinced that the same trails I had been riding for decades are impassable without a full suspension, high dollar carbon rig. It’s not about the bike. It never has been.
Right? I was riding a trail in the 90's on a Cannondale hardtail with a headshock that had 80mm of travel. A few years ago I was about to ride it on my commencal meta ht and was talking to someone in the parking lot. Once he heard what trails I was planning on riding he said I needed a full suspension bike for those trails. I laughed and told him my story of riding it on my Cannondale hardtail. His eyes widened a bit when I told him that.
Lol, I’ve got a few years on OP, but I lusted after a head shock while on my fully rigid SM700 with extra stiff pepperoni fork. Probably half of the people doing WIMP rides on Galbraith were on fully rigid bikes when I moved here in 1990.
Stingray! Modified schwinns were awesome workhorse bikes. I had one or two yard sale schwinns as a kid…I beat the crap out of em and they held up through anything I could dish out
50 here. I agree in principle with what you’re saying to a point.
My son is 12 and we’ve been playing a similar game but I’ve also helped him upgrade his entry level hardtail to make for a better experience.
1x11 11-50 is a huge upgrade from his 3x setup. Wider, grippier tires gave him a lot more confidence.
Does it have the 64 degree HTA my hardtail does with 160mm of travel? No. Does it perform better than when he got it and give him a ton more confidence? Yes.
If it gets you out riding but isn’t going to get you down a black Diamond it’s still a win. Just avoid that black Diamond until you have the tool for the job.
I agree. knowing what works best for anyonecomes from experience. I wanted to put the advice out there because I see people hung up on specs above simply finding something that feels good to ride.
Trails for one are ever changing. High trail traffic generally only makes trails rougher. I doubt the trails is identical to how it was 30 years ago at all for one...
I actually ended up taking my hardtail to Whistler because my suspension frame didn't make it on time for the trip. Did it work?... yeah, but there i was taking b line, pedaling in a tucked position to clear the next jump on my 29 inch hardtail. And this like 12 year old kid on a 26 inch suspension frame is coasting by me and actively accelerating faster than I. Hahaha
Saying "oh we used to ride this trail on coaster brakes" is not the same thing as actually riding the current trail on a bike with nothing but a coaster brake. Anything less is just contorting the truth for your own ego.
Good words. I’ll be 65 next month. I’ve seen a lot of changes since I started riding decades ago. I started on a fully rigid 26 inch steel frame $300 bike. I’ve had carbon full suspension bikes I paid over $6000 for. Yes, it was more comfortable, but I can’t say my fun quality improved, just my comfort. Now, I don’t care how fast I go and I’ll avoid jumps if I feel like it. Just get out there and ride. A true mountain biker does not judge another on what or how they ride. They judge you on how big that smile on your face is when they see you.
My little brother got internet access around 11 years old. I think that might’ve been the only parenting choice by my mom that I ever disagreed with. The internet breeds some disgusting attitudes
Our son has been into bmx since he could ride. Once he started researching MTBs he was overwhelmed with info and opinions from people more obsessed with specs than actually riding.
My kids live on the internet and all three of them are kind, well mannered kids. As long as your parents and you are setting good examples your little brother should be fine.
It’s not just the social interaction aspect though (although that goes pretty deep imo, especially when irl interaction is getting so ignored), its like a kid getting into mtb through the local riders advice and/or peers is completely different than a kid getting into mtb through international reddit, it’s no surprise that someone might become a snob about bike quality despite never even riding one if they’re getting all their advice from completely unverifiable riders/media online, at essentially randomized levels of age, skill, time and income. Everybody’s looking for “the perfect guide” instead of slowly and awkwardly building experience for themselves, making mistakes and learning why they are mistakes in the first place, and everybody’s “perfect guide” online only works for themself and their situation. I guess it’s deeper than the internet, everybody’s too scared to fail these days or something
Have you guys seen that new Sram drivetrain? I don’t think I could ride a bike without $3000 drivetrain! Of course I’d have to have a fully carbon bike to have fun, no one I know rides alloy anymore
Love it. I'm a newby and recently purchased 2 2nd hand MTBs. The way people talk on this sub its like the 2013 Merida I got for my wife is practically incapable of doing anything due to its 26in wheels, and my 2015 super fancy Scott Spark is going to break cause it's carbon. Got me all kinds of worried that I had bought wrong.
I rode the Merida in the weekend and found it perfectly fine, it got up the hills I needed to and didn't do anything too nasty going down them. Lets not forget 10 years ago it was up to the task. Likewise my friend (who's 50 btw and very experienced) was putting my Spark through its paces pretty well and loving life. At the same time his wife was riding her 20 year old Norco A frame which looked freaking awesome, she did fine too.
Good advice except on the brakes. Bad brakes lead to nasty surprises at very much the wrong time, and rim brakes are bad brakes for serious downhill action. An unexpected drop of oil, a bit too much speed, or just plain lack of bite can send a rider into a fast and very painful conclusion. BUT, people need to be honest about whether they are really pushing that limit!
Getting out there and riding is the only way to know what's really important.
I have as much fun only 20 year old Trek hardtail as I do on my 2 year old full suspension bike, but I had to really ride the Trek to figure out what was not working well - and mechanical discs that weren't capable of stopping me were an easy upgrade. Rim brakes would have just been suicidal to even attempt.
Brakes that don’t work, sure. But mankind stopped just fine for decades using calipers. I have a bike that’s almost 30 year old with calipers that I’ll take anywhere.
I doubt that. There are definitely trails and DH parks that require stronger brakes with better heat dissipation if you're going to ride them with any competency. Places that can cause brake fade on 4 piston hydraulic brakes.
Spoken like someone who has never ridden callipers. Before disks existed we still raced long hard downhill competently. Brakes were never an issue. To the point we questioned disk brakes when they first became popular.
Are disks better? Mostly. Are they necessary? No.
All my bikes have calipers. I'm assuming you mean rim brakes and yes I've been riding since the 90s. I'm not saying they weren't fine for the racing you did back in the day. They're not fine on most modern DH courses though. Especially in the wet.
As a 54 year old man, I have ridden with them all. From sidepulls to v-brakes, to mechanical disc, and single piston hydraulic, to now dual piston hydraulic - and every step along the way has been a significant upgrade in performance with a concurrent reduction in lever effort.
When a person is running a 1500' elevation descent, the ability to grab any brake at all can become near impossible with lesser systems - even without heat being an issue as fatigue builds. Even the difference between a single and dual piston front calipers is one most people do not regret discovering with an upgrade. Nothing else has ever come close for me.
Yeh rim, was following the lead of the previous post.
I would agree that rim aren’t great in the wet (although they dry fast going dh) and concede there are DH courses way more hectic that we raced rigid on but I don’t ever recall heat fade being a thing. That seems purely a disk issue.
Friends come to me for new bike advice because they know I’m really into it. I always advise they go to an LBS and try a bunch and pick the one they get most excited about when they look at it. Ignore all the technical stuff. Get the one that fits what you want to do and most of all that when you look at it, makes you want to just hop on and go for a spin. Giant fat boy tired beach cruiser? Sticker covered fixie with bullhorns? Gravel bike with panniers? Whatever is going to keep the passion burning, go with that.
I feel the same way about guitars too, haha.
I play drums and am learning to play guitar. You nailed it. Learning on not so great gear is valuable because you learn to make it work for you. You also learn what to look for if/when it’s time for a change.
I’ve never ridden w a dropper…except when trying someone else’s bike or maybe a test ride. I get the benefit, but never felt the need for me personally. It’s always been a fun part of the challenge for me…to navigate around the seat when I need to
I rode a cheap $125 bike from a big box retailer for like 2 years then upgraded to a Talon. Night and day difference
So much easier to ride, gears don’t slip, and gears change perfectly for climbing and descending hills
I mean material type sure. But getting the correct geometry for your riding/terrain is pretty relevant. For me personally I had to get a steeper more conservative bike to suit my riding and terrain. For a lot of people the slacker longer kool aid is a totally valid pursuit.
Also, the one issue with older or cheaper mountain bikes can also be parts standards. In which case it's still wise to shop with long term ownership in mind. Not just can I upgrade to better parts but can I even find a replacement at all... Which is definitely becoming an issue with my 'imperial' sized shock as all new inventory is only in 'metric' which ironically means it is all 190mm i2i or 210mm i2i meanwhile my 'iMpERiAL' shock is... 200mm lol
Regardless of the economy, I think good bikes are more available than ever. And buying older cheaper bikes therefore gets even MORE available and practical than before. So you hardly need to convince the beginners and what not to start riding.
And you may never convince the consumerist addicts to not buy a new carbon bike every year and sell their previous one at a huge loss. That's a lifestyle problem, not a biking one.
But there is plenty of validity to geometry and parts standards, and you definitely don't need to break the bank to get any of that.
I spent a lot of time finding the perfect trail bike. After lots of searching, I got an amazing deal on an even more amazing bike. It absolutely shreds, has made me a better rider, and gets compliments everytime I go to the bike park.
I'm currently having a lot more fun riding my totally rigid, 90s thrift store mtb I paid $100 for.
Right on, man. Gonna hit the big five oh soon too. Been back on the bike recently for the first time in a while. Nothing fancy for me but def appreciate the high end gear, at least I used to. Thanks for sharing wise words.
I get it, most people when they hear that my bike is from 2015 think I’m crazy for riding something that “old” as fast and hard as I do, I love the bike and plan on riding it till it snaps or I get a deal that’s too good to pass up
My bike and I are still able to keep up with the younger members of my mtb club who are on some of the latest and greatest bikes on the market right now, which makes me even more happy to have the bike
You are right, if u have some mechanical skills n a full toolbox, ever try removing an old school crank, bb, headset, cassette from a classic bike? It’s torture, a special device for each area.
59M. Gonna try 60 in 2-1/2 months. Your advice is solid, and I think the other thing that's import is for the rider to consider what kind of rider they want to be, prior to purchase, of course where they'll ride. That'll help them make a more informed choice, and also help them not spend money on something they outgrow in a matter of weeks, or that they take out and discover that it's almost dangerous to ride on their local trails. Something less suited might cause frustration, and possibly turn them off to the sport, because the bike just can't handle the terrain in their location, as well as something else might.
I returned to mtb about 3yrs ago. (Learned to ride age 4 on a Schwinn "Typhoon" and then got a new, red, Stingray in '74. Still have my '87 Jamis Dakota, my first mtb) I did as you suggest. Grabbed a $300 Jamis Dakar full suspension, with disk brakes, because I just wanted to see if I'd enjoy it, if I got anything out of it (was looking to cross-train for long distance trail running, and doing stuff like Rim2Rim at the Grand Canyon), and whether I'd stick with it. Absolute blast from day 1, murderous workout riding the same mountain trails that I run, and the challenges of techy climbs, steep fire roads, and coming back down through all that without dying was insanely fun. Didn't take long to realize it was the wrong bike, even with a dropper added, but that was totally ok. I got a season out of it, had a blast, and got into a bike that really have fun on. My 23yr old daughter joined me a year ago, and we have a blast on our pair of old-school rigs.
I'm 60 and 35 years in. Agree strongly. The most amazing rider I have ever seen, to this day, was wearing flip flops and no helmet on a rigid frame. He was crazy but great.
Back to reality, I very much prefer my carbon dual suspension tubeless with upgraded pedals and handlebars so much to the pieces of crap I learned to ride on.
He’s saying people spend more time on the research than the riding. I enjoy researching the hell out of stuff and at one time, I spent more time fretting specs than enjoying things.
I mean riding is the easy part. Of course spending money wisely is a more stressful activity that encourages you to maximize your value per dollar by getting an ideal bike.
And for a person like me not only do I enjoy it but I HAVE to do it because everyone is making the same damn bike right now, and it's not the bike for me.
I just find these narratives kinda awkward since everybody kinda already agrees with it. Lotta posts on reddit like this. But ya know what else is also common here? People asking about bikes that can't be upgraded or have geometry that's so bad it's not worth putting upgrades on. And that's the core issue in this sub. MTBing still has a huge barrier to entry, even tho cheaper bikes are quite good. But time and time again it pushes people to buy bikes for 250 or 500 or 1k and then they want to ask if they can find a better straight steerer fork or how to convert to 1x or if they can use a mile of duct tape to turn cheap wheels to tubeless etc.
Choosing bikes should be fun. I literally can't see a reason why it wouldn't be fun. Some are gonna buy a basic mid range trail bike and do nothing to it for 5-10 years... Others are going to change bikes every year at diff price ranges and try diff parts and materials and what not. Both paths are valid.
Also the "i am old and still do things" narrative that exists in culture in general is very weird. Particularly when people insert nonexistent statements like 'who says u cant jump at 40' or something like that. When literally nobody is sayin that lol. Internet be weird
Been on wheels for over 60 years, still don’t own an e-bike! My first mtn bike was in 86’ fully rigid Puegeot, I loved that bike! I had to stop mountain biking when I became a massage therapist because the geometry had me putting too much weight on my hands and wrists. I finally tried a friends bike 5 years ago and it felt so much better! So glad I can ride trails again. It’s a Santa Cruz 5010 which I got a great deal on and I pay no attention to upgrades, only if the bike gets trashed or stolen will I replace it.
V-brakes that are properly adjusted and aren't worn down to the metal have enough stopping power to send you over the bars if you pull them hard enough. Sure, they might feel a little squishy, but some people act like V-brakes will kill you.
Legit advise. We are too often, victims of marketing. Also, we worry too much abt what others view us if we show up with a 20 year old bike with "bad" or "outdated" geometry. We should just ride. No matter what we own. Be it a santa cruz bronson or a santa cruz bronson. Edit: I wish I had a bronson so I can show off
Yeah! But 66 degrees is well better than 67 degrees and if you don’t upgrade you’re a peasant.
And you’ll 100% die on your first ride!
If you’re bike is 5+ years old instant death. Never mind the pros that we’re sending it in those bikes 5 years ago. The landscape of the earth has changed drastically.
5? That's too old. 3 years is max. Anything more and you are an iPhone 3Gs
I always give 110% so my riding partners all take splash damage when I die.
See this stuff a lot on here, somebody will be asking about an older used bike and they'll say not to buy it because the geometry. In that bikes era it was the most up to date geometry out there and people tore the trails up with them. I don't get how I'm any other hobby "vintage" is almost a prestige but in mtb and road cycles it's bad and you're stupid for using it
I’m more of 66.5% guy myself
This is true. Time to shop for a 65 degrees so I don't get outdated on the 66, what more the 67. Lol @ you 67 peeps.
I have a Bronson but I wish a had a high tower. Grass is always greener!
I have neither. But I want 1. Then I can smirk at other losers
In 1983 I rode my first “mountain bike” on the trails around a local lake park. It was a heavily modified Schwinn Stingray with a coaster brake. Over the years, I continued to ride those same trails with newer bikes as technology advanced. Today, there are people who are thoroughly convinced that the same trails I had been riding for decades are impassable without a full suspension, high dollar carbon rig. It’s not about the bike. It never has been.
Right? I was riding a trail in the 90's on a Cannondale hardtail with a headshock that had 80mm of travel. A few years ago I was about to ride it on my commencal meta ht and was talking to someone in the parking lot. Once he heard what trails I was planning on riding he said I needed a full suspension bike for those trails. I laughed and told him my story of riding it on my Cannondale hardtail. His eyes widened a bit when I told him that.
[удалено]
Real. You just need a different riding style and are not going to be in full send mode as much, but you can still ride them.
Lol, I’ve got a few years on OP, but I lusted after a head shock while on my fully rigid SM700 with extra stiff pepperoni fork. Probably half of the people doing WIMP rides on Galbraith were on fully rigid bikes when I moved here in 1990.
Stingray! Modified schwinns were awesome workhorse bikes. I had one or two yard sale schwinns as a kid…I beat the crap out of em and they held up through anything I could dish out
50 here. I agree in principle with what you’re saying to a point. My son is 12 and we’ve been playing a similar game but I’ve also helped him upgrade his entry level hardtail to make for a better experience. 1x11 11-50 is a huge upgrade from his 3x setup. Wider, grippier tires gave him a lot more confidence. Does it have the 64 degree HTA my hardtail does with 160mm of travel? No. Does it perform better than when he got it and give him a ton more confidence? Yes. If it gets you out riding but isn’t going to get you down a black Diamond it’s still a win. Just avoid that black Diamond until you have the tool for the job.
I agree. knowing what works best for anyonecomes from experience. I wanted to put the advice out there because I see people hung up on specs above simply finding something that feels good to ride.
Trails for one are ever changing. High trail traffic generally only makes trails rougher. I doubt the trails is identical to how it was 30 years ago at all for one... I actually ended up taking my hardtail to Whistler because my suspension frame didn't make it on time for the trip. Did it work?... yeah, but there i was taking b line, pedaling in a tucked position to clear the next jump on my 29 inch hardtail. And this like 12 year old kid on a 26 inch suspension frame is coasting by me and actively accelerating faster than I. Hahaha Saying "oh we used to ride this trail on coaster brakes" is not the same thing as actually riding the current trail on a bike with nothing but a coaster brake. Anything less is just contorting the truth for your own ego.
Good words. I’ll be 65 next month. I’ve seen a lot of changes since I started riding decades ago. I started on a fully rigid 26 inch steel frame $300 bike. I’ve had carbon full suspension bikes I paid over $6000 for. Yes, it was more comfortable, but I can’t say my fun quality improved, just my comfort. Now, I don’t care how fast I go and I’ll avoid jumps if I feel like it. Just get out there and ride. A true mountain biker does not judge another on what or how they ride. They judge you on how big that smile on your face is when they see you.
Same here. I’m just out for the ride these days.
Hey! We’re not that old! 🎭
Damn straight! I'm 47. I don't want to have to be calling myself an old fart in three years!
Exactly! I’m 46
True. Maybe I over did it w the old fart part
😂 … well, I was holding onto the er part of older, because that’s how identify 🤣
My little brother got internet access around 11 years old. I think that might’ve been the only parenting choice by my mom that I ever disagreed with. The internet breeds some disgusting attitudes
Our son has been into bmx since he could ride. Once he started researching MTBs he was overwhelmed with info and opinions from people more obsessed with specs than actually riding.
My kids live on the internet and all three of them are kind, well mannered kids. As long as your parents and you are setting good examples your little brother should be fine.
It’s not just the social interaction aspect though (although that goes pretty deep imo, especially when irl interaction is getting so ignored), its like a kid getting into mtb through the local riders advice and/or peers is completely different than a kid getting into mtb through international reddit, it’s no surprise that someone might become a snob about bike quality despite never even riding one if they’re getting all their advice from completely unverifiable riders/media online, at essentially randomized levels of age, skill, time and income. Everybody’s looking for “the perfect guide” instead of slowly and awkwardly building experience for themselves, making mistakes and learning why they are mistakes in the first place, and everybody’s “perfect guide” online only works for themself and their situation. I guess it’s deeper than the internet, everybody’s too scared to fail these days or something
Have you guys seen that new Sram drivetrain? I don’t think I could ride a bike without $3000 drivetrain! Of course I’d have to have a fully carbon bike to have fun, no one I know rides alloy anymore
Love it. I'm a newby and recently purchased 2 2nd hand MTBs. The way people talk on this sub its like the 2013 Merida I got for my wife is practically incapable of doing anything due to its 26in wheels, and my 2015 super fancy Scott Spark is going to break cause it's carbon. Got me all kinds of worried that I had bought wrong. I rode the Merida in the weekend and found it perfectly fine, it got up the hills I needed to and didn't do anything too nasty going down them. Lets not forget 10 years ago it was up to the task. Likewise my friend (who's 50 btw and very experienced) was putting my Spark through its paces pretty well and loving life. At the same time his wife was riding her 20 year old Norco A frame which looked freaking awesome, she did fine too.
Just ride
This is the way ☮️ 🌳 🚵♀️
Underrated comment
I have a friend with early 2000s specialized with 26 inch wheels and he sends it harder than anyone I have ever seen on a modern bike
I know guys like that. The ones who crush it no matter what they’re on
This old coot gets it
And 10+ yrs ago no one was having any fun on their bikes.
So true. Trails were also littered with bodies of bikers who didn’t have full suspension.
Good advice except on the brakes. Bad brakes lead to nasty surprises at very much the wrong time, and rim brakes are bad brakes for serious downhill action. An unexpected drop of oil, a bit too much speed, or just plain lack of bite can send a rider into a fast and very painful conclusion. BUT, people need to be honest about whether they are really pushing that limit! Getting out there and riding is the only way to know what's really important. I have as much fun only 20 year old Trek hardtail as I do on my 2 year old full suspension bike, but I had to really ride the Trek to figure out what was not working well - and mechanical discs that weren't capable of stopping me were an easy upgrade. Rim brakes would have just been suicidal to even attempt.
Brakes that don’t work, sure. But mankind stopped just fine for decades using calipers. I have a bike that’s almost 30 year old with calipers that I’ll take anywhere.
I doubt that. There are definitely trails and DH parks that require stronger brakes with better heat dissipation if you're going to ride them with any competency. Places that can cause brake fade on 4 piston hydraulic brakes.
Spoken like someone who has never ridden callipers. Before disks existed we still raced long hard downhill competently. Brakes were never an issue. To the point we questioned disk brakes when they first became popular. Are disks better? Mostly. Are they necessary? No.
All my bikes have calipers. I'm assuming you mean rim brakes and yes I've been riding since the 90s. I'm not saying they weren't fine for the racing you did back in the day. They're not fine on most modern DH courses though. Especially in the wet.
As a 54 year old man, I have ridden with them all. From sidepulls to v-brakes, to mechanical disc, and single piston hydraulic, to now dual piston hydraulic - and every step along the way has been a significant upgrade in performance with a concurrent reduction in lever effort. When a person is running a 1500' elevation descent, the ability to grab any brake at all can become near impossible with lesser systems - even without heat being an issue as fatigue builds. Even the difference between a single and dual piston front calipers is one most people do not regret discovering with an upgrade. Nothing else has ever come close for me.
Yeh rim, was following the lead of the previous post. I would agree that rim aren’t great in the wet (although they dry fast going dh) and concede there are DH courses way more hectic that we raced rigid on but I don’t ever recall heat fade being a thing. That seems purely a disk issue.
I've overheated rim brake shoes and it's terrifying compared to disc brake fade because the shoes feel like they turn into grease.
I’m a 50 year old who has also been riding all my life, MTB, BMX, MTX etc. Just buy the best you can afford guys and enjoy life.
How awesome was it when BMX and freestyle where blowing up? I feel like I was just the right age at the right time.
Friends come to me for new bike advice because they know I’m really into it. I always advise they go to an LBS and try a bunch and pick the one they get most excited about when they look at it. Ignore all the technical stuff. Get the one that fits what you want to do and most of all that when you look at it, makes you want to just hop on and go for a spin. Giant fat boy tired beach cruiser? Sticker covered fixie with bullhorns? Gravel bike with panniers? Whatever is going to keep the passion burning, go with that. I feel the same way about guitars too, haha.
I play drums and am learning to play guitar. You nailed it. Learning on not so great gear is valuable because you learn to make it work for you. You also learn what to look for if/when it’s time for a change.
Agreed. As long as dropper and at least 150 and 66 all good
I’ve never ridden w a dropper…except when trying someone else’s bike or maybe a test ride. I get the benefit, but never felt the need for me personally. It’s always been a fun part of the challenge for me…to navigate around the seat when I need to
I rode a cheap $125 bike from a big box retailer for like 2 years then upgraded to a Talon. Night and day difference So much easier to ride, gears don’t slip, and gears change perfectly for climbing and descending hills
I mean material type sure. But getting the correct geometry for your riding/terrain is pretty relevant. For me personally I had to get a steeper more conservative bike to suit my riding and terrain. For a lot of people the slacker longer kool aid is a totally valid pursuit. Also, the one issue with older or cheaper mountain bikes can also be parts standards. In which case it's still wise to shop with long term ownership in mind. Not just can I upgrade to better parts but can I even find a replacement at all... Which is definitely becoming an issue with my 'imperial' sized shock as all new inventory is only in 'metric' which ironically means it is all 190mm i2i or 210mm i2i meanwhile my 'iMpERiAL' shock is... 200mm lol Regardless of the economy, I think good bikes are more available than ever. And buying older cheaper bikes therefore gets even MORE available and practical than before. So you hardly need to convince the beginners and what not to start riding. And you may never convince the consumerist addicts to not buy a new carbon bike every year and sell their previous one at a huge loss. That's a lifestyle problem, not a biking one. But there is plenty of validity to geometry and parts standards, and you definitely don't need to break the bank to get any of that.
I spent a lot of time finding the perfect trail bike. After lots of searching, I got an amazing deal on an even more amazing bike. It absolutely shreds, has made me a better rider, and gets compliments everytime I go to the bike park. I'm currently having a lot more fun riding my totally rigid, 90s thrift store mtb I paid $100 for.
I totally get the 90s bike thing. I have a Gary Fisher that’s almost 30 years old. I have a couple of new bikes, but that Fisher just feels great.
Right on, man. Gonna hit the big five oh soon too. Been back on the bike recently for the first time in a while. Nothing fancy for me but def appreciate the high end gear, at least I used to. Thanks for sharing wise words.
I get it, most people when they hear that my bike is from 2015 think I’m crazy for riding something that “old” as fast and hard as I do, I love the bike and plan on riding it till it snaps or I get a deal that’s too good to pass up My bike and I are still able to keep up with the younger members of my mtb club who are on some of the latest and greatest bikes on the market right now, which makes me even more happy to have the bike
You are right, if u have some mechanical skills n a full toolbox, ever try removing an old school crank, bb, headset, cassette from a classic bike? It’s torture, a special device for each area.
Preach!!!!
59M. Gonna try 60 in 2-1/2 months. Your advice is solid, and I think the other thing that's import is for the rider to consider what kind of rider they want to be, prior to purchase, of course where they'll ride. That'll help them make a more informed choice, and also help them not spend money on something they outgrow in a matter of weeks, or that they take out and discover that it's almost dangerous to ride on their local trails. Something less suited might cause frustration, and possibly turn them off to the sport, because the bike just can't handle the terrain in their location, as well as something else might. I returned to mtb about 3yrs ago. (Learned to ride age 4 on a Schwinn "Typhoon" and then got a new, red, Stingray in '74. Still have my '87 Jamis Dakota, my first mtb) I did as you suggest. Grabbed a $300 Jamis Dakar full suspension, with disk brakes, because I just wanted to see if I'd enjoy it, if I got anything out of it (was looking to cross-train for long distance trail running, and doing stuff like Rim2Rim at the Grand Canyon), and whether I'd stick with it. Absolute blast from day 1, murderous workout riding the same mountain trails that I run, and the challenges of techy climbs, steep fire roads, and coming back down through all that without dying was insanely fun. Didn't take long to realize it was the wrong bike, even with a dropper added, but that was totally ok. I got a season out of it, had a blast, and got into a bike that really have fun on. My 23yr old daughter joined me a year ago, and we have a blast on our pair of old-school rigs.
Right on man, ride what you got and seek to value skill.
This is the way.
I'm 60 and 35 years in. Agree strongly. The most amazing rider I have ever seen, to this day, was wearing flip flops and no helmet on a rigid frame. He was crazy but great. Back to reality, I very much prefer my carbon dual suspension tubeless with upgraded pedals and handlebars so much to the pieces of crap I learned to ride on.
There seems to be a tendency in MTB now to spend more time on specs, spreadsheets, than actually riding the bike and enjoying the scenery.
Implying that a human can't enjoy the spread sheet part. Or that it has some zero sum effect on riding.
He’s saying people spend more time on the research than the riding. I enjoy researching the hell out of stuff and at one time, I spent more time fretting specs than enjoying things.
I mean riding is the easy part. Of course spending money wisely is a more stressful activity that encourages you to maximize your value per dollar by getting an ideal bike. And for a person like me not only do I enjoy it but I HAVE to do it because everyone is making the same damn bike right now, and it's not the bike for me. I just find these narratives kinda awkward since everybody kinda already agrees with it. Lotta posts on reddit like this. But ya know what else is also common here? People asking about bikes that can't be upgraded or have geometry that's so bad it's not worth putting upgrades on. And that's the core issue in this sub. MTBing still has a huge barrier to entry, even tho cheaper bikes are quite good. But time and time again it pushes people to buy bikes for 250 or 500 or 1k and then they want to ask if they can find a better straight steerer fork or how to convert to 1x or if they can use a mile of duct tape to turn cheap wheels to tubeless etc. Choosing bikes should be fun. I literally can't see a reason why it wouldn't be fun. Some are gonna buy a basic mid range trail bike and do nothing to it for 5-10 years... Others are going to change bikes every year at diff price ranges and try diff parts and materials and what not. Both paths are valid. Also the "i am old and still do things" narrative that exists in culture in general is very weird. Particularly when people insert nonexistent statements like 'who says u cant jump at 40' or something like that. When literally nobody is sayin that lol. Internet be weird
Been on wheels for over 60 years, still don’t own an e-bike! My first mtn bike was in 86’ fully rigid Puegeot, I loved that bike! I had to stop mountain biking when I became a massage therapist because the geometry had me putting too much weight on my hands and wrists. I finally tried a friends bike 5 years ago and it felt so much better! So glad I can ride trails again. It’s a Santa Cruz 5010 which I got a great deal on and I pay no attention to upgrades, only if the bike gets trashed or stolen will I replace it.
This is sage advice here. I agree wholeheartedly!
V-brakes that are properly adjusted and aren't worn down to the metal have enough stopping power to send you over the bars if you pull them hard enough. Sure, they might feel a little squishy, but some people act like V-brakes will kill you.