Mountain Biking general thread

[dinny_g]

Well the forum convention is : "Re-mortgage your house and by an electric full suspension bike"

But in truth, depends on a few factors. If you're pootling around with your daughter, forest runs, Green Ways and the occasional bike park visits the a hard tail would probably suffice. You'll get a much higher quality of components for your money.

If you're more adventurous or perhaps, <cough> erm... a larger chap then a full suspension bike is the way to go.

[Jobbo]

I don't think a full-suspension bike is necessarily the childish fun choice; it's comfier and heavier, so a hard-tail would probably be more fun to throw about unless you need the suspension. Being an old fart I like the suspension now but I like riding my other bikes without suspension too.

[Rich B]

Depends on budget and what you want to do. Though to be brutally honest, I'm not a fan of hardtails in any situation really.

When riding XC, I find hard tails knock the breath out of you over rough terrain and having even a bit of rear sus makes it easier.

When riding DH or bike parks full sus is obviously better, though I don't know how to ride a hardtail any more and can't even get one off the ground on a jump for some reason.

For me, it's full sus all the way... Then add a motor and you've got the perfect bike!

[ZedLeg]

I don't know how to ride a hardtail any more and can't even get one off the ground on a jump for some reason.

It'll be because you're expecting some suspension preload to help you out as you go up.

[Rich B]

I don't know how to ride a hardtail any more and can't even get one off the ground on a jump for some reason.

It'll be because you're expecting some suspension preload to help you out as you go up.

yeah, every time I try a hard tail (I even have one) it’s just hilarious how bad i am in it. I’ve ridden FS for the last 20 years though to be fair.

[McSwede]

Depends on budget and what you want to do. Though to be brutally honest, I'm not a fan of hardtails in any situation really.

When riding XC, I find hard tails knock the breath out of you over rough terrain and having even a bit of rear sus makes it easier.

When riding DH or bike parks full sus is obviously better, though I don't know how to ride a hardtail any more and can't even get one off the ground on a jump for some reason.

For me, it's full sus all the way... Then add a motor and you've got the perfect bike!

Thanks Rich.

[Ascender]

Has anything changed in the last 10+ years or so when it comes to bike carriers for the roof of a car? Or should I just go and buy whatever bars and carriers Thule are doing? I'd rather not have to take the front wheel off and I know it will take a hit on mpg, but still probably the cleanest and easiest way to do it.

[Rich B]

Nope, only the weight of e-bikes making them not suitable. can't go wrong with Thule though.

[Ascender]

Nope, only the weight of e-bikes making them not suitable. can't go wrong with Thule though.

Thanks @Rich B.

[McSwede]

I've just bought and assembled a Forme Kinder 24 for my daughters Crimbo pressie and it's a cracking little thing. Only just over 9kg.

Hopefully something she'll enjoy riding on some trails. I'm going to get myself a new mtb as my Orbea is ancient (and heavy), the front forks are buggered and I've been looking at mtb's a lot and I really want to buy one I'll also use it to be out with my daughter which is the main thing.

What type should I buy? Hardtail or full suspension (which the inner child is desperate to buy). In the new year I'll try both by hiring when we go for a ride. I'm pretty much sure that everyone will say hardtail.

The floor is yours.

Still pondering a new mtb for spring and have spent an awful lot of time looking and almost falling victim to evonomics or use of the timculator. Then yesterday it dawned on me that as I have a couple of BMW's is it the correct convention to only look at buying a specialized?

[mik]

Blinky flip.

[John]

I've been wanting to buy a cheapish mountain bike to keep in our motorhome as it was a pain taking my bike to and from the motorhome now that I don't have a van, yeah first world problems.

I wasn't bothered about full suspension but I did want an air fork, thru axles front and rear and 29" wheels, plus I didn't want to spend too much. Bikes are expensive now and I was struggling to find much below 1k but Wiggle came up trumps with the Vitus Rapide in their sale.

Took it for a spin earlier today. The colour is difficult to see but it's a dark metallic blue which fades into black at the rear triangle, looks lovely in the sun.

[dinny_g]

Nice looking bike John…

[Jobbo]

That’s nice John. Need an RRP Proguard at the front though

[Rich B]

That’s nice John. Need an RRP Proguard at the front though

what an oddly specific comment?

[Jobbo]

That’s nice John. Need an RRP Proguard at the front though

what an oddly specific comment?

The folded plastic ziptied to the fork looks bad and bends; the best front guard I’ve found is the RRP Proguard. I am not on commission; if you use a front guard have a look at them.

[Rich B]

That’s nice John. Need an RRP Proguard at the front though

what an oddly specific comment?

The folded plastic ziptied to the fork looks bad and bends; the best front guard I’ve found is the RRP Proguard. I am not on commission; if you use a front guard have a look at them.

I use the genuine fox one, it bolts into the 4 proper mounting points on the 38 fork rather than crappy zip ties. Presumably the rrp ones use the same bolts?

[Rich B]

I've finally got round to getting roof bars for the M2, as I wanted to stick my bike on the roof so I can take more than one bike on/in the car. Mainly prompted by a mate whose car was in the garage the other week so he couldn't come out riding. I couldn't go get him because I can only fit my bike in the m2.

The next issue was finding roof bars suitably for a 24kg ebike (most racks are 18-20kg max) with a half open carbon frame (so clamps on the down tube won't work).

I found a Pendle rack that could do 23kg (easily achievable without the front wheel) and have bought a blank battery panel so I can remove the battery (another 3kg saving) and not have it open to the elements.

I fitted the rack today, and whilst it's a bit fiddly still, I'm more comfortable putting that on top rather than risking it with an overloaded system. It'll be interesting to see how it goes! the continuing battle of having very cumbersome hobby equipment and never wanting to grow up and buy a practical car.

[mik]

the continuing battle of having very cumbersome hobby equipment and never wanting to grow up and buy a practical car.

You don’t need my validation, but I support this wholeheartedly. We have so many options available today that people are less willing to accept compromise - having a fiddly non-optimal bike transportation system for the <1% of the time you need your car to do this in return for having a focussed performance car the other 99+% of the time is not an option the majority of people would accept nowadays.

[Rich B]

Absolutely. I often think stuff on the lines of "wouldn't it be easier if I was the sort of person that would be happy driving a nice economical Qashqai with a tow bar to mount a bike rack"....

...but I clearly couldn't!