Mtn Bike forums?

[makoti]

Can someone direct me to a similar forum for mtn bikes? I am thinking about getting a newer, decent mtn bike (my current one is a 1990-ish Gary Fisher Mt Tam that I bought because I could. Never got very deep into riding it) & I know squat-ola about them. Need someplace that I can ask stupid questions with a minimum of ridicule.

[Vientomas]

You could try these. I am sure there are more.

pinkbike.com

mtbr.com

[MattTuck]

All you need to know is 29er rigid.


or 27.5 hard tail.


or wait a few years and 26 might be back in style. :rolleyes:

Get a lefty fork. or don't. :help:


With road bikes, the two main decisions one has to make are material and components. Mountain biking has so many different form factors, it is crazy. plus they have even more component choices than road bikes, although bike companies are trying to change that by giving us new options in 650b and special gravel and cx bikes.

[buck-50]

Can someone direct me to a similar forum for mtn bikes? I am thinking about getting a newer, decent mtn bike (my current one is a 1990-ish Gary Fisher Mt Tam that I bought because I could. Never got very deep into riding it) & I know squat-ola about them. Need someplace that I can ask stupid questions with a minimum of ridicule.

If you mean, a similar forum as in, similar to paceline, populated with more thoughtful posters and less uber-gnar energy drink fans, good luck.

Closest I've found is the fatbike sub-forum on MTBR, mainly because it's a bunch of older guys who just want to ride bikes in the snow.

[Don49]

http://forums.mtbr.com/forum.php should be your first stop.

[josephr]

Need someplace that I can ask stupid questions with a minimum of ridicule.

sooooo.....you're saying we need to up our game a bit?

[p nut]

... Need someplace that I can ask stupid questions with a minimum of ridicule.

Edit your original post and change the title to "OT: Stupid MTB questions" and ask away. I think there are enough MTB people in here to tackle 99.9% of the questions.

[Anarchist]

North Shore Mountain Bike forums.

NSMB.com

Yes, it is BC centric (sort of) but the folks there know their bikes.

[bargainguy]

To answer the OP, MTB subforum of bikeforums.net:

http://www.bikeforums.net/mountain-biking/

...but you'd be surprised at the MTB knowledge possessed by our little Paceline group. We're a diverse bunch.

I second the suggestion to ask questions here without fear of reprisal.

[christian]

We already have a thread for stupid mtb questions:

Voila: http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=133848&highlight=slurpy+backpack

[unterhausen]

if there is a stupid question about mountain bikes, it has been asked on MTBR. I like it, but it's a big, non-exclusive forum so you get all kinds. vsalon has a mountain bike section that seems to be good. Not a huge amount of traffic

[dustyrider]

This place is the safest place to ask the dumb questions; i've learned from experience! I for one am dying to be asked your stupid MTB questions. I can't talk about custom tubing specs or campy!

[carlineng]

Can someone direct me to a similar forum for mtn bikes? I am thinking about getting a newer, decent mtn bike (my current one is a 1990-ish Gary Fisher Mt Tam that I bought because I could. Never got very deep into riding it) & I know squat-ola about them. Need someplace that I can ask stupid questions with a minimum of ridicule.

What kind of riding are you looking to do? What's the terrain in your area like? Are you attracted by the "extreme" nature of the sport (more gravity-oriented), or the scenic "adventure" aspect? A downhill bike and a rigid 29er are such different beasts, and which bike you choose has a lot to do with what you enjoy.

If you don't know, I'd direct you to something like a full-suspension XC bike like a Giant Anthem or Santa Cruz Tallboy -- good middle of the road bike that will serve you well in either direction until you figure out what you like.

[makoti]

All you need to know is 29er rigid.


or 27.5 hard tail.


or wait a few years and 26 might be back in style. :rolleyes:

Get a lefty fork. or don't. :help:


With road bikes, the two main decisions one has to make are material and components. Mountain biking has so many different form factors, it is crazy. plus they have even more component choices than road bikes, although bike companies are trying to change that by giving us new options in 650b and special gravel and cx bikes.

Ha! Thanks. Matt. That clears it up nicely. ;)

[BengeBoy]

Can someone direct me to a similar forum for mtn bikes? I am thinking about getting a newer, decent mtn bike (my current one is a 1990-ish Gary Fisher Mt Tam that I bought because I could. Never got very deep into riding it) & I know squat-ola about them. Need someplace that I can ask stupid questions with a minimum of ridicule.

I was in your same position 90 days ago, and finally bought a bike yesterday. Wow, it's a different world from road bikes.

I will say that the single most useful thing I did during the process was rent a reasonably high-end bike for a day. I was stuck at the step of wondering whether I wanted a hard-tail or full suspension bike and renting a bike for a day helped me make up my mind. The money I spend on the rental was definitely worth it -- I didn't end up buying that brand but it helped me settle on the type of bike I wanted.

[carlineng]

I was in your same position 90 days ago, and finally bought a bike yesterday. Wow, it's a different world from road bikes.

I will say that the single most useful thing I did during the process was rent a reasonably high-end bike for a day. I was stuck at the step of wondering whether I wanted a hard-tail or full suspension bike and renting a bike for a day helped me make up my mind. The money I spend on the rental was definitely worth it -- I didn't end up buying that brand but it helped me settle on the type of bike I wanted.

Oh yeah, this is excellent advice. Some shops will let you demo bikes for a day for a nominal fee.·If you live in an area with a high concentration of cyclists, a lot of brands will hold demo days where you can try out their bikes for free. Definitely worth it, since these toys tend to get pricey.

[Gummee]

Many, many choices:
HT? FS? Softtail? Rigid?

Material:
Steel? AL? Ti? Carbon?

Tire size:
26er? 27.5er/650b? 29er? (I've got a 27.5er and like it. IME its like a 26er that rolls better)

then:
Mechanical or hydraulic discs? (Hint: Hydros)

then:
tubeless or tubed? (hint: tubeless)

then:
1x? 2x? 3x?

then: how many gears in the back?
1? 9? 10? 11?

None of the above substitute for time in the woods learning how to ride all over again. Mtn biking takes LOTS more body english, LOTS more picking of lines, and LOTS more upper body strength.

Spent 2.5hrs around Lake Fairfax and down the CCT this PM. ...on my steel hardtail Ritchey P650B with 3x9 on it. Still rockin the barends (no, I'm NOT going to take them off!) and a Paul's Thumbie on the right with a D/A barcon for shifting duties.

HTH

M

[Mikej]

Hey, lots of us here are into mtb, why not ask here?

[christian]

You need 300 posts and a year on the forum to access the secret Paceline MTB forum.

[makoti]

I'll edit the title to avoid an additional thread, if someone can tell me how to do that.
I'm pretty much a pure roadie. I do have a mtn bike, but I wouldn't consider anything I've ever done to be true mtn bike riding.
I just returned from a week-long mtn bike tour in South Africa. While prepping for this, I rode my old Gary Fisher Mt Tam. Hardtail, front suspension. I started thinking that I should upgrade it if I was going to do more off-road stuff in the future (two run-in's with cars got me thinking it may be safer). While in SA, I rented a bike from the tour company, a GT Karakoma HT Front Sus. I doubt it was a very expensive bike, but it was a 29er.
The trails were (to me and others agreed) very technical. Loose rock, steep, tight switchbacks, singletrack.
So what I'm wondering now is: What is the advantage of a 29 over a 26 wheel? Is it just that you can cover more ground?
I rode a medium frame (I'm about 5'10") & it seemed very big at first. Does this sound like the right size?
Listening to the people I rode with (all of which seemed to ride a lot), it sounded like FS bike is better for downhill, but if you do a lot of climbing a HT is a better choice. Is that right?
It seemed to me that the 29er handled more sluggishly than my bike. Is that always the case or is it dependent on the make?
I've noticed a lot of videos with people riding with flat pedals. On the road, I can't imagine riding without cleats. What is the advantage of this?
I've noticed that some have three chainrings, others only have one. What's the advantage of just one (since they always look to be on more expensive bikes, I'll assume it's an advantage in some way).
Thanks for the info.

[carlineng]

All good questions. I'll attempt to answer some of them.

I'll edit the title to avoid an additional thread, if someone can tell me how to do that.
I'm pretty much a pure roadie. I do have a mtn bike, but I wouldn't consider anything I've ever done to be true mtn bike riding.
I just returned from a week-long mtn bike tour in South Africa. While prepping for this, I rode my old Gary Fisher Mt Tam. Hardtail, front suspension. I started thinking that I should upgrade it if I was going to do more off-road stuff in the future (two run-in's with cars got me thinking it may be safer).

Yeah, dirt is way safer :P

While in SA, I rented a bike from the tour company, a GT Karakoma HT Front Sus. I doubt it was a very expensive bike, but it was a 29er.
The trails were (to me and others agreed) very technical. Loose rock, steep, tight switchbacks, singletrack.
So what I'm wondering now is: What is the advantage of a 29 over a 26 wheel? Is it just that you can cover more ground?

The main advantage of 29ers is that they can roll over debris such as roots and rocks more easily. There's a lot of marketing mumbo-jumbo about how they "roll faster", but I never fully understood what that meant. There were plenty of time-trialists back in the day who rode on 650C wheels, and it's not like those bikes rolled "slower"...

I rode a medium frame (I'm about 5'10") & it seemed very big at first. Does this sound like the right size?

I'm about 5'6" and ride a medium frame. You could probably make either a medium or a large work.

Listening to the people I rode with (all of which seemed to ride a lot), it sounded like FS bike is better for downhill, but if you do a lot of climbing a HT is a better choice. Is that right?

This is generally true, but not the only consideration. For very technical climbs with lots of rocks and roots, rear suspension can help you with traction. If you see yourself riding mostly fire roads, and only occasionally dipping into the world of singletrack, I'd recommend the HT. But like others have mentioned in previous posts, its definitely worth demoing or renting rides from a shop before you commit to buying one or the other

It seemed to me that the 29er handled more sluggishly than my bike. Is that always the case or is it dependent on the make?

Usually the case, but there are exceptions. I've read that the Specialized Enduro 29er and the Ibis Ripley 29er are both pretty nimble. I don't have any personal experience with either of these bikes though.

I've noticed a lot of videos with people riding with flat pedals. On the road, I can't imagine riding without cleats. What is the advantage of this?

You don't have to worry about clipping out in an emergency. Some people who come from BMX or trials backgrounds are also simply used to flats. Some of the very best DH riders are on flats (Curtis Keene, for one)

I've noticed that some have three chainrings, others only have one. What's the advantage of just one (since they always look to be on more expensive bikes, I'll assume it's an advantage in some way).
Thanks for the info.

One advantage is cockpit simplicity. There can be a lot of controls up front. You can have brake levers, shift levers, remote fork lockout and a dropper post. It's a relatively new development, and I expect cheaper single chainring groupsets will soon be available from SRAM and/or Shimano.

[makoti]

Thanks, carlineng. That was great.

[kingpin75s]

Rather than tackle the points individually I will just say as a 5'10" 145lbs. rider with a 30" inseam I did feel "over biked" on my 18" Moots MootoX 29er. With that said the rollover is real and I had great experience with traction and control even in the worst wet and off camber conditions. I did not enjoy it for the steep technical climbing or for tight and twisty descents. It was very capable and I could get used to it or look for a more playful 29er like the mentioned Ibis Ripley but I think I will stick to 29ers for non suspension corrected rigid only applications.

I believe 650b is a great option for a little better rollover while staying playful at my size and strength. I expect my next mountain bike to be a steel or Ti 650b hard tail.

Your specific terrain riding would help as well as that can influence other things like gearing needed. I really like 2x and 1x setups for almost all purposes.

Run what you like for pedals. I have some mountain bikes with flats and some with cleats. I originally ran flats mostly to help teach me good form running rigid as it does not allow you to pull with the cleats, but now I just run whatever suits the bike and have a mix.

[Vientomas]

I'll edit the title to avoid an additional thread, if someone can tell me how to do that.
I'm pretty much a pure roadie. I do have a mtn bike, but I wouldn't consider anything I've ever done to be true mtn bike riding.
I just returned from a week-long mtn bike tour in South Africa. While prepping for this, I rode my old Gary Fisher Mt Tam. Hardtail, front suspension. I started thinking that I should upgrade it if I was going to do more off-road stuff in the future (two run-in's with cars got me thinking it may be safer). While in SA, I rented a bike from the tour company, a GT Karakoma HT Front Sus. I doubt it was a very expensive bike, but it was a 29er.
The trails were (to me and others agreed) very technical. Loose rock, steep, tight switchbacks, singletrack.
So what I'm wondering now is: What is the advantage of a 29 over a 26 wheel? Is it just that you can cover more ground?
I rode a medium frame (I'm about 5'10") & it seemed very big at first. Does this sound like the right size?
Listening to the people I rode with (all of which seemed to ride a lot), it sounded like FS bike is better for downhill, but if you do a lot of climbing a HT is a better choice. Is that right?
It seemed to me that the 29er handled more sluggishly than my bike. Is that always the case or is it dependent on the make?
I've noticed a lot of videos with people riding with flat pedals. On the road, I can't imagine riding without cleats. What is the advantage of this?
I've noticed that some have three chainrings, others only have one. What's the advantage of just one (since they always look to be on more expensive bikes, I'll assume it's an advantage in some way).
Thanks for the info.

I'll address one of your questions. If you go climb, you will descend. Therefore, you need a bike that does both well and matches your typical riding conditions.

I prefer to ride single track. Where I ride, there are a lot of roots and rocks on the trails. A typical ride is a sustained climb followed by a long descent. I am old. My carcass has been taking up space on the planet for over half a century. I prefer a full suspension bike. It offers greater control and traction on the descent and I don't feel beat up after a long ride over roots and rocks. My bike carries a few extra pounds on the ascent, but I am grinning the whole way down and don't hurt at the end of the ride.

Back in the day, before full suspension, I rode a fully rigid bike and a hard tail with no complaints. I would never go back to either unless I was riding fire roads and baby butt smooth trails.

[p nut]

Just like road bikes, "Medium" or "18 inch" frames can have very different fit. More XC type bikes will have a longer top tube (typically), ie Niner. AM/Trail bikes will have a shorter TT. So you should figure out what feels good to you and go from there.

The "roll faster" attribute for 29ers comes from people believing that bigger wheels will roll over stuff easier, resulting in faster speed overall. Not as big of a factor on road bikes, as the terrain is smoother, but rougher terrain can affect the rolling resistance depending on wheel size. Of course, you can offset that by bigger tires/lower pressure.

I ride a 29er, and feel it's just as flickable as my old 26" bikes. Many factors play into handling. Generally speaking, short CS (mine's 16.5"), short WB (just under 42"), translate into a great handling bike (for me). The new Ibis Tranny 29 would be the bike I'd get if I didn't have a custom. But I have ridden FS bikes with longer CS/WB that handled well, so you'll just have to try them out. Have fun.

[dustyrider]

You're getting great advice. Here's my two bits: flats vs. clips is a lot like the tire size debate; everyone has an opinion, and they're all right....now the chainring count makes sense for a few reasons: ground clearance, rear suspension design, chainline. I've been running 2x9 for over a decade over several full suspension frame designs with little issue other than intial setup tweaking.

Ride what makes sense for you and aligns with your trail choices. Of course that means riding. Most shops offer up demos and have shop rides which are great ways to check things out and to see what the locals prefer. Just look for the folks who have more into their bike than their car.

[Muffin Man]

How does fit work on a mtb? I can definitely feel changes as small as 2-3mm on my road bike, but does that carry over to mtb? Is fit a more flexible thing in the world of offroad?

[ofcounsel]

Echo'ing the thought of lots of great advice here. Over the years, I've switched from mostly road to mostly MTB.

If you get a chance, rent a couple of mid-to high end bikes from a shop that carries several brands of MTB's. Even better, try to attend a manufacturer or shop sponsored demo day.

This past weekend, I attended a demo day sponsored by one of our local shops, Incycle. Manufacturers in attendance included Intense, Pivot, GT, Niner, Specialized and Cannondale. I ended up trying out 6 different bikes out on the trails, each with their own personality. Gettign to ride each of the bikes back to back over the same trails really gave me a sense of the pros and cons of each.

I went in thinking I would certainly like one of them the most (Niner Jet 9 RDO), but ended up really digging the Pivot Mach 429 and Intense Spider 29C the most. I totally did not expect that.

Bikes I currently ride:
Niner Air 9 RDO: 29er Hardtail (Pure XC Race bike category). Carbon frame, 100mm front fork. Set up is 1x10 with a 30T front and an 11-42T rear. (21lbs with pedals) It's great for stuff like this:
http://www.mtbproject.com/trail/4266138/chino-hills-telegraph-canyon-via-south-ridge
Or this:
http://www.mtbproject.com/trail/4865267/turnbull-canyon

Trek Rumblefish: 29er full suspension (Aggressive XC/Light Trail Category): Aluminum frame, 120mm front fork and 110mm rear shock. Set up is 2x10 with a 26/39up front and an 11-36 in the rear. I use a dropper post on this bike (28lbs with dropper post and pedals). It works great for rides like this:

http://www.mtbproject.com/trail/916170/el-prieto-trail
Or
http://www.mtbproject.com/trail/5066649/whiting-the-luge
Or
http://www.mtbproject.com/trail/317035/grays-peak

Oh, and I'm 5'10" and ride a 54cm road bike. I tend to fit Medium size frames in most every brand of MTB bike. A few exceptions are Santa Cruz and Ibis, where Large frames are a better fit.

I ride with cleats: Shimano SPD, with the multi-release cleat and set to their loosest setting. I've never had a problem clipping out when I've needed to, and they always give me the feeling of being connected with the bike. I couldn't see riding any other way.

Right now, if I was thinking of only ONE MTB bike in my stable, it would be the Pivot Mach 429 Carbon. It climbs as good as any full suspension bike I've ever ridden and descends better than just about any bike in its class. The bike is super versatile. The Ibis Ripley would be a very, very close second out of the bikes I've tried.

[ofcounsel]

How does fit work on a mtb? I can definitely feel changes as small as 2-3mm on my road bike, but does that carry over to mtb? Is fit a more flexible thing in the world of offroad?

I can't say scientifically how it works. But yeah, fit matters. You would likely notice a few mm's of movement in saddle height or a few mm's one way or another in saddle position fore or aft. 10mm's of stem length one way or another makes a difference. Bar width also becomes a matter of preference.

One thing that is different is the amount of movement fore and aft you are making on the saddle between flats, steep climbs and descents. Another thing that's different is keeping track of cadence becomes fairly irrelevant (at least for us non-pros), as it changes so much depending on the terrain and elevation gain.

Another thing that folks find to be a bit different coming from road is tire pressures. Most roadies first getting on MTB's tend to want to run higher pressures, 15-20 psi more than most MTB guys would run. Higher pressures end up resulting in super harsh rides and a lot less traction on climbs and downhill cornering.

[SlowPokePete]

Many, many choices:
HT? FS? Softtail? Rigid?

Material:
Steel? AL? Ti? Carbon?

Tire size:
26er? 27.5er/650b? 29er? (I've got a 27.5er and like it. IME its like a 26er that rolls better)

then:
Mechanical or hydraulic discs? (Hint: Hydros)

then:
tubeless or tubed? (hint: tubeless)

then:
1x? 2x? 3x?

then: how many gears in the back?
1? 9? 10? 11?



and then there's geometry ...

SPP

[oldpotatoe]

Can someone direct me to a similar forum for mtn bikes? I am thinking about getting a newer, decent mtn bike (my current one is a 1990-ish Gary Fisher Mt Tam that I bought because I could. Never got very deep into riding it) & I know squat-ola about them. Need someplace that I can ask stupid questions with a minimum of ridicule.

What is this thing you mention, 'mtn bike'??

[pcxmbfj]

There is a lot of good advice already given and as someone who went primarily mtb in the 90's I say you're making a good start on a hardtail.

Ride flats to learn better skills, ride clipins for better power.

Find people to ride with because they will make you better!

When you get ready to upgrade you can be assured the new bike you get will be better regardless of wheel size.

[Gummee]

I can't say scientifically how it works. But yeah, fit matters. You would likely notice a few mm's of movement in saddle height or a few mm's one way or another in saddle position fore or aft. 10mm's of stem length one way or another makes a difference. Bar width also becomes a matter of preference. You're standing, sitting, on the nose of the saddle, body englishing things one way or another, popping the front wheel off the ground then pulling the rear wheel up and over things so much that the 'exact fit' from road riding isn't quite as relevant off-road. You're standing. You're sitting. You're in the middle.

Add to that crankarm lengths being different and close enough is close enough.

One thing that is different is the amount of movement fore and aft you are making on the saddle between flats, steep climbs and descents. Another thing that's different is keeping track of cadence becomes fairly irrelevant (at least for us non-pros), as it changes so much depending on the terrain and elevation gain.This too. There's LOTS more input needed on a mtn bike (going mtn biking) than on your road bike.

Another thing that folks find to be a bit different coming from road is tire pressures. Most roadies first getting on MTB's tend to want to run higher pressures, 15-20 psi more than most MTB guys would run. Higher pressures end up resulting in super harsh rides and a lot less traction on climbs and downhill cornering.If I was smart, I'd check my tire pressure from yesterday's ride. It was *maybe* a titch to the soft side of perfect. Great feel. Great traction. Probably running mid-20s in my tubeless setup. Yeah, I know some folks can run lower, but that's what feels good to me. It doesn't roll over in the corners and I don't bottom out (too hard) on the tree roots.

For your first 'real' mtn bike, I'd recommend no lower than Deore components. SLX would be better than that. Geometry has stabilized a bit over the last few years, making getting 'last year's bike' an attractive solution to 'more bike for the $$.' Ditto with CL, ebay, etc. There's lots of garage queens out there. Guys that think the latest and greatest is going to be the 'fix' to their riding problems. ...when all they really need is more time in the saddle.

HTH

M

[douglas]

A lot of your questions have already been answered quite well but here's my experience. I'm old (older than the other guy who said he was old). I started on a hard tail and when I bought my first full suspension (Rocky Mtn ETSX 26'er) the hard tail got hung on the wall. Then my husband decided to try a 29'er and rented one a couple of times, liked it and bought it. I then rented the same bike and liked it too. I bought a Santa Cruz Tallboy in size large (i'm 5' 10" tall and ride a 56 cm road bike). The medium in that bike was way small--I knew it immediately when I got on it. I hung the Rocky Mtn on the wall next to the hard tail. I need the comfort of the suspension and also all the help I can get in riding over the roots and rocks that we ride. My bike came with a triple and I use my lowest gear all the time when climbing. The 29'er wheels roll over lots of stuff, so for me, the not so skilled rider, I can ride tougher terrain than I could on the 26'er. The 2 bikes handle differently but both are fine for me. I use clipless pedals set so they are easy to get out of--I bounce off of flats. See if you can rent a few bikes and try them.

[makoti]

Thanks to everyone. Tons of good stuff here.
Another question: stem length. The bike I rode had what I consider a super short stem. Looked like a third of the 100 I ride on my rode bike and way shorter than what's on my Fisher. I felt like I was sitting straight up. I was chalking up handling issues to that until I looked at the stems on the bikes of the people who brought their own. All very short. Is this to keep your weight back, over the rear wheel? Does this matter in handling as much as on the road?

[bargainguy]

You reduce the length of the cockpit by shortening the stem, generally increasing handling. Especially helpful on descents to keep your weight back. You're going to be honking the bars a lot, so it helps for them to be closer in.

[ofcounsel]

Thanks to everyone. Tons of good stuff here.
Another question: stem length. The bike I rode had what I consider a super short stem. Looked like a third of the 100 I ride on my rode bike and way shorter than what's on my Fisher. I felt like I was sitting straight up. I was chalking up handling issues to that until I looked at the stems on the bikes of the people who brought their own. All very short. Is this to keep your weight back, over the rear wheel? Does this matter in handling as much as on the road?

Probably more so than on the road. And it depends on the style of bike. The trend these over the last few years is for to use shorter stems (50-80mm) in particular on more "trail" to "all mountain" oriented bikes. The thought is to combine shorter stem with using less head tube angle on the bike geometry (say, instead of a 71 degree head tube, using a 68.5 degree head angle). The end result is a bike that's playful and quick turning, and giving a smooth, confident "I can clear that jump and those rocks" feeling going downhill. This comes at the expense of less efficiency and tougher climbing when stuff gets really steep. You'll need to use more body english to get up those short, steep 20 percent grades.

On XC oriented bikes, and racier hard tails in particular, still tend to use slighlty longer stems (90-100mm) and steeper head angles (71-71.5 degrees). These bikes also tend to have slightly longer top tubes as well. They stretch you out a bit more for more efficient hammering and more effortless uphill climbing. This is at the expense of feeling a bit twitchy and rough on the downhill with a little more effort and attention needed, say to plant the bike in the correct position when heading down a small rock garden.

[josephr]

Thanks to everyone. Tons of good stuff here.
Another question: stem length. The bike I rode had what I consider a super short stem. Looked like a third of the 100 I ride on my rode bike and way shorter than what's on my Fisher. I felt like I was sitting straight up. I was chalking up handling issues to that until I looked at the stems on the bikes of the people who brought their own. All very short. Is this to keep your weight back, over the rear wheel? Does this matter in handling as much as on the road?

keeping your weight back is the idea especially when descending over rougher terrain --- as you never know when a babyhead-sized rock is going to jump out and force an endo. The dropper post is a recent development which facilitate quicker changes to the butt-over-rear-tire position. Again, if you're just talking about basic trails and fire roads, a dropper post is probably overkill.

the trend now is shorter stems and longer bars to promote leverage of the bars and responsiveness.

I'd recommended finding a used 29er HT or a FS 26er...both can be found pretty easily and they make great starting points....anything beyond is over-analyzing.

[Repack Rider]

I started mountain biking before there were websites, and before anyone called the equipment "mountain bikes," so I had to learn about it by getting on a bike. How weird is that?

What is there to know about mountain biking that isn't pretty obvious? The round parts with the rubber on them go on the bottom. Don't try to set a record on your first ride. More money spent on a bike will get you a better bike, used bikes cost less than new bikes.

[ofcounsel]

I agree regarding purchasing used to avoid sinking a lot of money in a bike that might not be your style. A hard tail 29er is a good starting point. With a Full Suspension 26er, try not to go with anything more than, say 120-130mm of suspension. Most folks tend to go way way overboard with suspension their first time, thinking they're going to be doing a lot of "jumps" and downhill freestyle stuff. The reality is you'll likely be doing fire roads or single track with some roots and smaller rocks... You'll likely walk down or avoid the really steep stuff that you need the big suspension for. And the bigger suspension comes with slacker head tube and seat tube angles that make for less efficient pedaling.

You'ed be surprised how long a 15 mile ride can feel in an over sprung, over slacked MTB.

[p nut]

...The dropper post is a recent development which facilitate quicker changes to the butt-over-rear-tire position...

In trying to stay "pure," I have avoided using a dropper on my rigid 29er SS. But after trying out a Thomson and having bought one this past season, I can't imagine riding without it. Highly recommended, especially if you ride in techy terrain.

[ofcounsel]

For your first 'real' mtn bike, I'd recommend no lower than Deore components. SLX would be better than that. Geometry has stabilized a bit over the last few years, making getting 'last year's bike' an attractive solution to 'more bike for the $$.' Ditto with CL, ebay, etc. There's lots of garage queens out there. Guys that think the latest and greatest is going to be the 'fix' to their riding problems. ...when all they really need is more time in the saddle.

HTH

M

Truth!

[p nut]

I started mountain biking before there were websites, and before anyone called the equipment "mountain bikes," so I had to learn about it by getting on a bike. How weird is that?

What is there to know about mountain biking that isn't pretty obvious? The round parts with the rubber on them go on the bottom. Don't try to set a record on your first ride. More money spent on a bike will get you a better bike, used bikes cost less than new bikes.

Well put.

[marsh]

I didn't see where you stated what was wrong with your old Fisher?
Maybe start blasting trails on that until something breaks, or you figure out what you don't like about it? A few years ago
I put together a 29er and hated it compared to my old GT Zaskar.
Going to try 650b's on it after winter just to switch it up, but really
it's early 2000's build is all I need.

[p nut]

I put together a 29er and hated it compared to my old GT Zaskar...

Sorry, but that's like saying "I put together a bike and it sucked, so I hate bikes." Do all 700c road bikes handle the same? ;)

That said, the old Zaskar's were pretty sweet.

[Gummee]

I brought home my Ritchey P650B for the first time in ages yesterday. It normally lives at the shop... S'where the mtn biking is. I live where the roads are.

For the last little bit, I've been wandering around MTBR and saw that lots of guys have 'converted' their 26ers to 650B. So I tried out the rear wheel on my Sette Reken ($100 AL HT) frame to see if it'd fit.

It does.

Now the decision is 'do I keep with the monstercross lite' build I had in mind or do I stick mtn parts on there and call it a 'racing HT?' The Ritchey's a bit portly... Or do I order up an FN 'Dirty' 650b frame and call it good? Choices choices

M

[JAGI410]

That said, the old Zaskar's were pretty sweet.

The new ones are too! The 2015 Zaskar LE 27.5 is pretty well spec'd for the money

[marsh]

This was the main point of my post:
"Maybe start blasting trails on that until something breaks, or you figure out what you don't like about it? "

Ya, I have demo'd a few awesome 29ers, but nothing that to was enough
of an upgrade to justify dropping the cash, especially for trails near me
(Palos IL, Kettle Morraine WI), and not being a racer.

Sorry, but that's like saying "I put together a bike and it sucked, so I hate bikes." Do all 700c road bikes handle the same? ;)

That said, the old Zaskar's were pretty sweet.