Mountain bike help - suggestions

[weaponsgrade]

I visit So Cal at least once a year. There's some good riding down there where you could definitely make good use of a FS. I can also appreciate the simplicity of a hard tail. Big fat tires, say 2.5s or higher, paired with wide rims, and the right psi can soak up lots of bumps. My suggestion would be a trail type FS 29er or hardtail with clearance for at least 2.5s, dropper, and 1x.

[54ny77]

I think I answered my own question after watching this video. Full suspension is what I need. Here's a trail I used to ride years ago with a hard tail (well, technically, all of us did, since suspension hadn't come out yet). It's mind-blowing how fast he hits sections of this trail!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJUMzTCnle0

[Jeckel30]

I would definitely choose a full suspension. After riding a hard tail for 10 years, I finally changed and it has been a revelation. I recently picked up a Rocky Mountain Altitude and have really been loving it. It probably has way more travel than I need but it is nice to know that it is there. It climbs very well also.

[Jaybee]

I love hardtails, specifically steel 29" hardtails. But a modern 29 short to mid travel FS at the price point we're discussing is just a more capable machine, and a lot of the drawbacks of FS of yore - wallowy pedaling, poor chain growth management, vague suspension feel - just don't happen in any bike over $2500. Ride a few different platforms and geometries, see what feels good to you, try some 2.5 or 2.6 rubber on wide rims and enjoy. There's been a lot of good candidates mentioned already, but one I haven't seen is the Santa Cruz Tallboy. The current gen3 is a little limited on tire clearance in the back, but rumor has it that gen4 is coming sometime this summer.

[Tony]

Originally Posted by 54ny77

I think I answered my own question after watching this video. Full suspension is what I need. Here's a trail I used to ride years ago with a hard tail (well, technically, all of us did, since suspension hadn't come out yet). It's mind-blowing how fast he hits sections of this trail!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJUMzTCnle0

If this is the kind of riding you like I would also recommend a long travel 27.5.
Depending on the bike many like me find the 27.5 more playful, lively.

[spiderman]

Ride all the bikes you can by visiting
Your forum friends with hard tail
And FS MBs...I wouldn’t let you leave
My place without a FS bike with 1x50
Wide, flat bars and short stem...
Can’t wait for you to tell me
Sometime soon how I need to get with the
Program and have a dropper post as well!
You’re going to love it!
It’s like riding through a wormhole!
Seriously, if you’re out in South Dakota
By some chance let me know
And you can give the Spearfish salsa
And hardtail firefly a go

[54ny77]

Tony: I presume "long travel" means length of suspension travel (up front and/or in rear)?

I'm going to check out a Giant "Trance" locally that is a 27.5. Fork travel was advertised as 140.

[wooly]

I’m in Orange County so can relate with the trail riding you’ll enjoy around here. I’ve also had a gazillion mountain bikes of most genres from xc hardtails, long and slack more enduro geo hardtails, full suspension trail bikes to full suspension all mountain / enduro bikes. It really all depends on what you want. I’ve got the new Ibis Ripley currently and love it. Like the roadie world there are the big box manufacturers and boutique manufacturers. The range of cost can be big too. My favorite shop in Pro Bike Supply on Newport. They rep a lot of different brands that span the spectrum of cost. PM me and I can share more. Good luck. We are fortunate to live in an area blessed with awesome trail systems with a lot of varied riding.

My current rig:

[Tony]

Originally Posted by 54ny77

Tony: I presume "long travel" means length of suspension travel (up front and/or in rear)?

I'm going to check out a Giant "Trance" locally that is a 27.5. Fork travel was advertised as 140.

Yes, length of suspension. Here's a very good comparison of long travel 27.5 (Giant Trance) vs 29
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvEMoHNqsBs&t=219s

[macaroon]

Originally Posted by Tony

Yes, length of suspension. Here's a very good comparison of long travel 27.5 (Giant Trance) vs 29
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvEMoHNqsBs&t=219s

ATGNI. Reviews a 150mm travel 29er that would eat downhill bikes of 8 or 9 years ago for breakfast, then proceeds to post a video of himself riding slowly down a a smooth piece of singletrack. Pick the right tool for the job. 150mm of travel and 29er wheels, absolutely no point unless you're riding very quickly.

[PeregrineA1]

Another OC mountain biker here. And another vote for The Path. Follow them on IG or FB and watch for manufacturers demo days. Then ride as many as you can on familiar trails.

If you are riding Telonics you need a full suspension bike.....


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[Gummee]

Originally Posted by Jeckel30

I would definitely choose a full suspension. After riding a hard tail for 10 years, I finally changed and it has been a revelation. I recently picked up a Rocky Mountain Altitude and have really been loving it. It probably has way more travel than I need but it is nice to know that it is there. It climbs very well also.

I have a Ritchey P650b w a 100mm fork, a rigid Superfly AL, and a Top Fuel. Unless I'm going to one specific trail system (Fountainhead, Black loop) I usually reach for the rigid Superfly.

YMMV as with all things

M

[Tony]

Originally Posted by Jeckel30

I would definitely choose a full suspension. After riding a hard tail for 10 years, I finally changed and it has been a revelation. I recently picked up a Rocky Mountain Altitude and have really been loving it. It probably has way more travel than I need but it is nice to know that it is there. It climbs very well also.

I currently have a YT Jeffsy 27 cf pro race with 160mm of travel front and rear. I have never felt like I wish I had less travel on any trail!
I had the impression flow trails would be boring with 160mm travel, wrong.

[colker]

Originally Posted by wooly

I’m in Orange County so can relate with the trail riding you’ll enjoy around here. I’ve also had a gazillion mountain bikes of most genres from xc hardtails, long and slack more enduro geo hardtails, full suspension trail bikes to full suspension all mountain / enduro bikes. It really all depends on what you want. I’ve got the new Ibis Ripley currently and love it. Like the roadie world there are the big box manufacturers and boutique manufacturers. The range of cost can be big too. My favorite shop in Pro Bike Supply on Newport. They rep a lot of different brands that span the spectrum of cost. PM me and I can share more. Good luck. We are fortunate to live in an area blessed with awesome trail systems with a lot of varied riding.

My current rig:

That´s where i would spend my money on.. Ibis Ripley.

[dgauthier]

Originally Posted by 54ny77

(...) Not least of which, what kind of clothing does one wear riding offroad, for practicality as well as not looking like a total dork? (...)

All your road gear will work fine, with the exception of shoes. Assuming you will definitely use mountain pedals, you will definitely need mountain bike shoes to work with the cleats. You might want to consider using mountain bike jerseys as many have zippered rear pockets. (I've never seen zippered pockets on a road jersey - surely they exist?) Considering the simple trail riding you allude to, you won't need any purpose-built mountain bike clothes whatsoever.