Right now I’m waiting for my kids to get old enough to ride adult sized bikes
Any mountain bikers out there 2.0
- Thread starter jbell
- Start date
I needed to do that. I got my 2020 Mach 4SL thinking more of my glory days in XC racing and not what I should be riding now. No plans on racing just getting out and enjoying trails. Things on the trails have become more about features than just XC riding. I should have gotten a trail bike instead. Since my bike cost a shit ton of money I'm keeping it. When my son goes to the Army I borrow his YT Izzo, lol.
Thats a good option to have!
Which bike will you grab more often than not?
Right now I tend to ride my Canfield Yelli Screamy HT the most. My son kicks my ass with his YT, so I'll probably ride that when he leaves. More than likely I'll get him a new MTB in the future.
I ride there time to time with my wife. The stuff in Bella Vista is pretty good, the last time we were there we did the Tunnel Vision & Back 40 loop. It's pretty sweet to have a 50 ish mile single track loop with minimal repeat. There are some fun trails out there. I like Hobbs as well but damn I'm destroying tires every trip. I am a weight weenie and cringe at tires that are over 700g. What tires are you having good luck with out there?
I am currently on a pair of Continental Dubnatols but I haven't been out there with them yet.
Have you ridden out in Jasper? I enjoy the Upper Buffalo Headwaters trail system and Rope Swing has put a lot of money into the trails at Horseshoe Canyon Ranch. They are pretty good.
I haven’t been to Jasper but have done all the Bella Vista trails at some point.
I have pretty much stopped XC riding in the past couple of years since my wife stopped riding. I spend a lot of time at the jump lines and flow trails now so I’m on tougher casing tires like the Maxxis DHR2.
Also about 2 years ago I swapped to an ebike which is terrific for this area and sessioning all the downhill lines.
Last edited:
Wow 700g tires are super light!
I’m running Maxxis Assagai 2.5 up front and DHR Exo+ 2.4 rear and they each come in around 1100g.
Our Rocky, ledge filled trails kill light tires pretty quick unless you’re real careful. I did notice a difference going to carbon wheels….that weight does make a difference.
Yeah I kinda figured you were probably on DHF / DHR even Double Down casing.
You should see some of the wheels I have ran over the years, sub 1200 grams taped and valved. I have issues...
I have a pair of BERD HAWK 30 wheels right now that have never had a tire mounted because they are too heavy for me at 1500g
Were going to make another trip to Bentonville probably next month. We were there a few weeks back, only got to ride a little bit the USA archery outdoor state match was in Bentonville. I want to go to Devils Den when it starts to cool off some.
Haha yeah 700g tires would be a challenge. Vittoria Maza front and the Aggarro or Maza rear are my normal choices. I'm running the light Tubolight inserts also. It's no where near as chunky sharp rock here as in Texas. My old local riding spot in Texas you had a 50% chance of killing an XC tire every ride .
I'm trying to talk the kid into going to Northwoods at hot springs this weekend
Haha yeah 700g tires would be a challenge. Vittoria Maza front and the Aggarro or Maza rear are my normal choices. I'm running the light Tubolight inserts also. It's no where near as chunky sharp rock here as in Texas. My old local riding spot in Texas you had a 50% chance of killing an XC tire every ride .
I'm trying to talk the kid into going to Northwoods at hot springs this weekend
During the covid days the only thing available was a 2.6 rear in a double down casing. Holy crap it felt like it was cement filled…..but I never did flat or cut that tire till I pryed it off, LOL
Pedal Harder!
I’m going to make “Pedal Harder” hats, it’s my new response for almost everything these days.
I'd settle for being able to pedal - work has forced a couple months off. I did have the forethought to use it as a reset and bike overhaul period - I sent my shock off for service and tuning, and I've got a new set of Radic brakes I just need to trim the rear hose on and bleed. Fun fact about my fox spring, it says 500# on the coil but it dyno'd out at 467!
I'm trying to introduce my riding partner to tires other than the maxxgrip DH Ass-guy/DHR combo that came on her e-bike. She runs mostly in boost mode so I think something lighter/faster would be appreciated but I fear what happens if I slide the scale too far from grip > speed. I got a couple sets of michelin wild/force combos on sale so we'll start there before I drop $100/per on maxxis again. I think a recon might be a good tire for the hard/loose over hard/sand we have here, but I also used to love the 2.3 DHF...
I really liked the schwalbe wicked will I had as a rear, but I cut the crap out of both front and rear supertrail casings. They didn't flat or leak, but they had cuts all over the treads between the knobs. It's not like we have sharp rocks here, I'd hate to see what would happen at trails like bentonville.
I'm trying to introduce my riding partner to tires other than the maxxgrip DH Ass-guy/DHR combo that came on her e-bike. She runs mostly in boost mode so I think something lighter/faster would be appreciated but I fear what happens if I slide the scale too far from grip > speed. I got a couple sets of michelin wild/force combos on sale so we'll start there before I drop $100/per on maxxis again. I think a recon might be a good tire for the hard/loose over hard/sand we have here, but I also used to love the 2.3 DHF...
I really liked the schwalbe wicked will I had as a rear, but I cut the crap out of both front and rear supertrail casings. They didn't flat or leak, but they had cuts all over the treads between the knobs. It's not like we have sharp rocks here, I'd hate to see what would happen at trails like bentonville.
Anyone using a Wahoo Kickr with Zwift??
I just got one with Cog and click and threw me hardtail Trek on it. Im loving it!
Its 95-100F and 95% humidity here this time of year and its been downpouring almost every day for a few hours so trails have been too muddy.
This thing is awesome and kicked my ass again today.
I just got one with Cog and click and threw me hardtail Trek on it. Im loving it!
Its 95-100F and 95% humidity here this time of year and its been downpouring almost every day for a few hours so trails have been too muddy.
This thing is awesome and kicked my ass again today.
No discount that I am aware of, but it is way cheaper than a coach. It is a good product, worth the money IMO
Well I have put 400 miles once since May 30th and I am down 20 lbs since this time last year. This may not be much for you hardcore riders but it is a great victory for me.
I am now looking at a Trek Gravel Bike. I am guessing it will be about half the weight of my full suspension GT and a hell of a lot more comfortable. I could do more miles in less time and enjoy it more. Since it is a 1x it would be a hell of a lot less shifting over my current 3x.
I am now looking at a Trek Gravel Bike. I am guessing it will be about half the weight of my full suspension GT and a hell of a lot more comfortable. I could do more miles in less time and enjoy it more. Since it is a 1x it would be a hell of a lot less shifting over my current 3x.
Full sus GT you say? Pics please. I love me some GT bike
Been using Trainer Road since 2017 and initially got it when I was recovering from a broken femur. Mount Vector 3 pedals coupled with an Edge 520 on a LeMond spin bike and works great. The information downloads to Garmin Connect and gives me all of my pedaling dynamics. Have a bunch of playlists that I listen to when indoor training.
What bike do you guys recommend for someone wanting to get back into it that doesn’t have a ton of gears? Im ok with like a 10 speed or less but some of the bikes now are crazy. I just want something basic and would like to have something that can do well on the trails and on the road.
I am no expert but the bike I posted above is a 10 speed “Gravel bike” . It is a non-suspension bike that will do road and some off road not requiring a full suspension. The front forks can be swapped out with suspension forks though.
I am back in the saddle since I got this ride, earlier this summer.
When I was between 15 to about 28 year old, or so, mountainbikes was a huge part of my life.
I rode every day, and worked in bike stores. But since then I have been more of a commuter and I work in health care for the last 10 years. Anyways, the bike is a Scott Genius 940 and it is a blast to ride.
Your not going to have a decent modern bike with a 10 speed drivetrain. Get something with SRAM eagle, or Shimano 12 speed. You can still get mechanical vs wireless electronic if you want, but modern drivetrains are no more complicated from an installation, setup, maintenance, and use than older drivetrains. They are just more durable, operate MUCH more reliable, have a wider gear range, and last longer. The only downside is they are more expensive.
What is your budget, where do you live, and what terrain will you be riding most?
And age, general health, remaining physicality, altitude, etc.
These and the fun factor lead this old guy to EMTB'S which was right near the top of the best life changing decisions I've made. Maybe even to the point of saving my life.
Thanks for the reply. Budget is probably $2,000-$3000 tops. Went to a local bike place and he was showing me a trek for $9000. Pretty sure I don’t need that. That’s a lot more than I planned on spending. Granted I used to love riding and want to get back into it but I don’t have a ton of time for such things these days. This is mainly to get out and more importantly get my kids out and ride with them. They have her to master how to even ride a bike.
As for terrain, I am in the SE US and I’m more of a trail/gravel/mountain bike type of guy than road bike. But I could see this thing being on the road at least 50% of the time. The main thing for me is I don’t want to break the bank, but I don’t want to have this thing fold in half on me on the first jump I come across either.
For what it’s worth I’m 45, in decent shape but could always be better, got some back issues but nothing to keep me from riding. And I’m roughly 600’ above sea level where I’m at currently. I would not discount getting into an EMTB either. My FIL law has two treks he wants to sell to try and get into EMTBs. Both of his treks are nice, not sure of the models but one is without a doubt a road bike with the curved handle bars and thin tires. That’s not my cup of tea but his other one is more of a MTB and I could probably get at a good deal. They are a slight bit tall for me tho as he is 6’5 and I’m roughly 6’. The seat is already dropped as much as it can be. Otherwise, I’d have already taken that one off his hands.
Now's the time of year, especially at higher altitude cities, when the rental bikes go on sale because winter is coming on, so might try those places.
But there's always PinkBike classifieds which is where I found one of my bikes when a guy was selling his about 15 minutes away but advertising on there.
But there's always PinkBike classifieds which is where I found one of my bikes when a guy was selling his about 15 minutes away but advertising on there.
So I decided to do so math on my current 24 speed vs the 10 speed I am looking at for road training.
I used online numbers and then online calculator for gear rations. Then with AI
guidance, calculated in the respective wheel sizes to get the effective ration or “gear inches”).IF I did this math correctly, the 10 speed has both lower and higher effective gear ratios. What is missing would be the smaller steps between gears. (Again IF I have done this correctly.
Bicycle gear ratio calculations:
GT (confirm)
Crankset Shimano Deore XT, 22/32/42 teeth
Rear Cogs 8-speed, 11 - 30 teeth
Low Gear Ratio: 1.36 x 26 = 35.36”Gear inches”
High Gear Ratio: 3.82 x 26 = 99.32 “Gear inches”
26" wheels
——————————————————————
Trek 10 speed
Bontrager Girona Pro, Tubeless Ready, GR puncture protection, aramid bead, 60 tpi, 700x42mm (27.6”)
Crank Size: M, ML
Shimano CUES FCU60301, 40T ring
Rear cassette Shimano CUES LG300, LINKGLIDE, 11-48, 10 speed
Low Gear Ratio: 0.83 x 27.6 = 22.91 “Gear inches”
High Gear Ratio: 3.64 x 27.6 = 100.46 “Gear inches”
Last edited:
You are correct a 2X or even a 3X has a better gearing overall (better spacing, and larger range), but what you don't have is as reliable drivetrain. Those older systems didn't have a clutched rear derailleur, narrow wide chain and chainrings that basically do not drop chains anymore. A 26" bike is going to have very poor geometry for handling rough technical terrain (my gravel bike today is more capable than my mountain bike from the 90's and even early 2000's that were running a front derailleur). But modern mountain bikes can't accept a front derailleur and still have the tire clearance they do, so your option is a 1X (which is truly a better functioning drivetrain than 3X or 2X).So I decided to do so math on my current 24 speed vs the 10 speed I am looking at for road training.
I used online numbers and and online calculator for gear rations. Then with AI
IF I did this math correctly, the 10 speed has both lower and higher effective gear ratios. What is missing would be the smaller steps between gears. (Again IF I have done this correctly.
Bicycle gear ratio calculations:
GT (confirm)
Crankset Shimano Deore XT, 22/32/42 teeth
Rear Cogs 8-speed, 11 - 30 teeth
Low Gear Ratio: 1.36 x 26 = 35.36”Gear inches”
High Gear Ratio: 3.82 x 26 = 99.32 “Gear inches”
26" wheels
——————————————————————
Trek 10 speed
Bontrager Girona Pro, Tubeless Ready, GR puncture protection, aramid bead, 60 tpi, 700x42mm (27.6”)
Crank Size: M, ML
Shimano CUES FCU60301, 40T ring
Rear cassette Shimano CUES LG300, LINKGLIDE, 11-48, 10 speed
Low Gear Ratio: 0.83 x 27.6 = 22.91 “Gear inches”
High Gear Ratio: 3.64 x 27.6 = 100.46 “Gear inches”
View attachment 8773035View attachment 8773036
The rental bike isn't a bad option. PinkBike and market place are great for finding deals. The bike market is very soft right now, do it's a good time to buy. I would recommend looking at a Lauf Seigla for a drop bar bike or maybe a hardtail that is a year or two old. The Seigla is a very good buy and a very versatile bike where it can take 29X2.2 mountain bike tires.
Can y’all explain to me why all modern day bikes seem to have these curved handlebars? I grew up racing BMX and this whole lowered curved handlebar thing is foreign to me.
Curved? What do you mean by curved? As in sweep (up or back), or rise?
You kinda need those 12 speeds for a MTB, plus you get used to the whole experience very quickly, and they work so well these days. The e shift systems buttons can be double or triple tapped if needed. Not used often but I've needed it on occasion.
Some mechanical shifting systems, when shifting down, you can choose one click for one gear or push the lever all the way through in one motion and get two gears down.
I don't even think about which gear I'm in anymore because I match the rpm I'm cranking to the ratio optimally matching.
Just buy whatever bar suits your fancy.
For example I've got a short torso, not long arms either, so I was bent over and leaned too far forward on all my bikes to begin with so I bought higher bars with more back sweep. You can also buy handlebar stems of many lengths, heights, etc, and spacers to change the bar position.
It turned out that the last couple years in the Downhill racing events that high bars became popular.
All the pics I see are if what I call the road bike handle bars that curve down and sweep back towards the rider. I’m used to handle bars that are much taller and simply are bars extended out left and right from center. Think BMX or freestyle bike.
As in flat bar:
Vs drop bar:
Flat bars provide much more control on rough terrain like trails, but are less aerodynamic. Drop bars are more aerodynamic and provide more hand positions. Some people are starting to use drop bars on mountain bikes for very specific conditions / races but it's certainly not the norm or offered by manufacturers.
They are gravel bikes. Road warriors have taken to gravel, so much so they have gravel races. Probably MTB'rs have also taken to gravel bikes as a way to train. Where I live it all seems dangerous because there are no bike lanes on country roads (paved) and when you get to gravel/dirt roads there are large breed guard dogs that will chase you and pickups driving a high rates of speed on the back roads.
This would be me. The road I ride on has a nice newly paved shoulder. My MTB full suspension is 37 lbs. The gravel I am looking at is 22 lbs and will be more comfortable for my 3x weekly 8 or 12 miles rides.
I carry a gun, for people and dogs who want to play. I have had no issues. Here in Wyoming as even the dogs know everyone carries…….
Similar threads
