The New New Mountain Bike Megathread: bars with eyes freak meowt

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > The Great Outdoors > The New New Mountain Bike Megathread: bars with eyes freak meowt

in a well actually: Jan 26, 2011; dude, you gotta end it on the rhyme

I�m looking at fat bikes; what�s the deal with this year�s fat tire bikes going 27.5�? It seems like you�re giving up some width; I�m hesitant as my spouse has a gravity bullseye monster and the 4� is brutally painful on loose snow. I�d like to run > 4.5� but I don�t really know if that�s a good idea.

I find that bike annoyingly heavy but it rides ok; but I don�t have a good feel if it matters for something that�s going to be used for casual midwestern trail rides; I don�t know if I�m going to be annoyed by that vs something like a kona w0 or surly ice cream truck or other name brand bikes. Also who knows what I can find; It�s the wrong season to be buying on top of rona.

I currently ride a 20 year old entry level aluminum specialized mtb during the not-winter, so it�ll be a change.

# ¿ Dec 24, 2020 23:18

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# ¿ Apr 25, 2024 23:56

in a well actually: Jan 26, 2011; dude, you gotta end it on the rhyme

Literally Lewis Hamilton posted:

poo poo, the markup on 90s Specialized rigid mtbs is unreal now. Everyone wants one.

Finally! Time to flip my 99 Hardrock.

# ¿ Apr 4, 2021 23:17

in a well actually: Jan 26, 2011; dude, you gotta end it on the rhyme

Railroad bulls have a long, bad history, but anything involving railroad RoW is super fucky.

# ¿ May 9, 2021 01:46

in a well actually: Jan 26, 2011; dude, you gotta end it on the rhyme

Nylon pedals for all Manitoba riders.

# ¿ May 14, 2021 15:36

in a well actually: Jan 26, 2011; dude, you gotta end it on the rhyme

Need a small bag for keys, multitool, etc; is a small seat bag the right choice or should I try to find a small under top bar frame mount bag?

# ¿ May 19, 2021 17:22

in a well actually: Jan 26, 2011; dude, you gotta end it on the rhyme

vikingstrike posted:

You have a few options depending on your set-up. Could use a small saddle bag to keep things. Another option is a frame bag like the one made by Wolf Tooth https://themtblab.com/2019/08/wolf-tooth-components-b-rad-mini-roll-top-bag-review.html or a small top tube bag. For top tube bags there are smaller ones that sit next to the seat post (https://www.ovejanegrabikepacking.com/collections/top-tube-bags/products/snack-pack-top-tube-bag-small) or one that goes near the stem (https://www.ovejanegrabikepacking.com/collections/top-tube-bags/products/snack-pack-top-tube-bags-large-xl). A final option might be a tool bottle that sits in your bottle holder if you're wearing water on your body (https://www.specialized.com/ca/en/keg-storage-vessel-16oz-with-tool-wrap/p/155355?size=16+oz&color=228943-155355).

Thanks; I think the Wolf Tooth is what I�m looking for. I saw a similar dakine product buy the reviews were terrible.

# ¿ May 20, 2021 01:58

in a well actually: Jan 26, 2011; dude, you gotta end it on the rhyme

Voodoofly posted:

Thanks. We have renters insurance so hopefully they don�t hassle us. It was an obvious break in and we have the police report.

I hope those pedals spike the rear end in the shins a few times trying to pedal that heavy rear end bike with no power getting it out of here

Try calling around to local pawn shops? Local Facebook sales, craigslist/kijijihijijiji or whatever

# ¿ Jun 17, 2021 17:38

in a well actually: Jan 26, 2011; dude, you gotta end it on the rhyme

It�s fat bike weather here, baby!

(Apparently two unnoticed thorns in my front tire were ok at 20 psi but instaflat at 10 psi; gonna expedite my tubeless conversion I guess)

# ¿ Nov 28, 2021 04:05

in a well actually: Jan 26, 2011; dude, you gotta end it on the rhyme

Build your own is a model that doesn�t really translate to bikes (until you really get into bikes.) Before covid you were unlikely to build your first mtb cheaper than a big brand bike. With everything hosed, it�s difficult to source parts, you don�t know what you like/need, and unless you�re a competent bike mechanic you�ll pay a lot for labor.

Dropper post is what you�re describing; it�s one of the few parts it can make sense to add on as they usually are higher trim bikes. A 1x xc hardtail is a good place to start.

The trek/specialized/giant stores around here have pretty decent stock right now compared to most of the pandemic; other shops in the area might be good.

There�s also some internet direct to consumer brands your guy might be able to assemble for you.

# ¿ Apr 9, 2022 01:40

in a well actually: Jan 26, 2011; dude, you gotta end it on the rhyme

So, I just did my first ride on pedals with pins and five tens and wow; feet were absolutely stuck to the petals, to the point where I�d normally slide my feet around to get them into the right position but had to pick them up to reposition.

# ¿ Jun 18, 2022 03:16

in a well actually: Jan 26, 2011; dude, you gotta end it on the rhyme

taqueso posted:

I thought this book was really good and it could help you with cornering. I got it after I had been mountain biking for years and felt like I knew what I was doing and still learned a lot of stuff about body position and weight distribution; and navigating corners, bumps, etc.

I�ve picked this up and have really been enjoying it even if the bike recs at the beginning are a bit dated (they�re really into 27.5 plus and the first result for that on google is �27.5 plus is dead� heh)

# ¿ Jul 3, 2022 19:22

in a well actually: Jan 26, 2011; dude, you gotta end it on the rhyme

I am just baffled at a bike snob recommending a Wal-Mart bike over a few year old Trek mtb. Even on Reddit I think you�d be laughed out of r/mtb with that recommendation.

Costco Intense 951 maybe but they tend to sell to a more affluent market.

# ¿ Sep 4, 2022 21:39

in a well actually: Jan 26, 2011; dude, you gotta end it on the rhyme

I bought a set of Jims for weight (to replace some heavy Vee tires) but they wouldn�t stay mounted tubeless to the cheap rims I was using; they were floppy and the rim wall was short.

They are fine otherwise but I�m not pushing them.

# ¿ Dec 21, 2022 14:10

in a well actually: Jan 26, 2011; dude, you gotta end it on the rhyme

Suburban Dad posted:

Saw on Reddit there's a bunch of stumpjumpers and a couple other spesh MTBs on sale on their website.

I'm salty because I've been eyeing the comp carbon which isn't on sale, but the next more expensive bike in the lineup is now cheaper than it.

50% off! https://www.specialized.com/us/en/hotwalk-carbon/p/200221?color=322068-200221

# ¿ Jan 21, 2023 20:40

in a well actually: Jan 26, 2011; dude, you gotta end it on the rhyme

spwrozek posted:

Go suffer on Gruber's grind.

Has its own wikipedia article. Hmm.

# ¿ Apr 5, 2023 21:46

in a well actually: Jan 26, 2011; dude, you gotta end it on the rhyme

oXDemosthenesXo posted:

Do mountain bike helmets come with removable visors these days?

My one helmet needs replacing and I'd like to use it for street riding and mountain too, but its realllllly nice to have an old school cyclist's cap on while on the street. The tight fit lets it block rain and sun (or both) depending on the season.

My ideal helmet would let me swap between the visor for offroad, and cap for on road. I did some cursory research but it doesn't seem like any helmets have that feature.

The Specialized MIPS one recommended by the VT Beam site does.

# ¿ Jul 23, 2023 00:36

in a well actually: Jan 26, 2011; dude, you gotta end it on the rhyme

Giant has a decent hardtail emtb under $3k, but I�d still hold out for the full suspension.

# ¿ Jul 25, 2023 05:49

in a well actually: Jan 26, 2011; dude, you gotta end it on the rhyme

On the other hand: if it feels good on your trails, it�s fine to put up to a few hundred in consumables and ride it before the jump to a modern geo 29er. But as soon as something expensive or labor intensive breaks its time to release it back to its natural environment (the curb. )

# ¿ Sep 18, 2023 21:00

in a well actually: Jan 26, 2011; dude, you gotta end it on the rhyme

I don�t know; setting off a bear tear gas grenade like an airbag when you crash is some solid negative reinforcement.

# ¿ Sep 23, 2023 14:52

in a well actually: Jan 26, 2011; dude, you gotta end it on the rhyme

Looking at the Fox droppers that are half price at Jenson. If I have my seat at at about 8.5� above the collar and a 10.5� insert depth on my bike, I�m looking at a 150mm dropper?

# ¿ Sep 28, 2023 23:54

in a well actually: Jan 26, 2011; dude, you gotta end it on the rhyme

taqueso posted:

Have you looked at this doc? https://www.ridefox.com/fox17/help.php?m=bike&id=1086

Yeah, I think the measurements I have line up for 150 mm there. I�m just looking for a sanity check; I think I could fit a 175 mm but it�d be pretty close.

# ¿ Sep 29, 2023 03:13

in a well actually: Jan 26, 2011; dude, you gotta end it on the rhyme

oXDemosthenesXo posted:

With winter aka rain season arriving in my part of the world, I could use some advice on how to ride through it.

First, what's the protocol for riding in the wet? Both when trails are wet or while its raining? I'm not planning on riding alot in driving rain but I'm sure I'll get caught out at some point.

Is there anything I can do to winterize my bike? I have little fenders already but is there anything else I can do? Wet conditions chain lube? Keep it clean as much as possible?

Any recommendations for pants? I doubt I need anything too heavy duty, it rarely gets below freezing here.

Likewise, what about gloves? My hands run cold so I'll need something medium weight at least.

Also thanks to the folks who recommended going tubeless. I finally around to doing it this week and it was hilariously easy to do.

Wet trail etiquette is wildly location dependent; check with locals. It can vary from �it rains here always so whatever� to �if it is soft enough o leave a visible track you shouldn�t be on the trail.�

Pogies/bar mitts are a popular choice depending on how cold it gets.

# ¿ Sep 29, 2023 04:37

in a well actually: Jan 26, 2011; dude, you gotta end it on the rhyme

taqueso posted:

8.5in is only a couple mm over the low end of the 175mm range in step 1. better be really sure about that measurement. for me that'd be too close for comfort

Yeah. 8.5� is a conservative measurement but seems like caution is a better choice.

# ¿ Sep 29, 2023 04:39

in a well actually: Jan 26, 2011; dude, you gotta end it on the rhyme

WHERE MY HAT IS AT posted:

I think a big part of it is just that old school technical climbs do not play nicely with modern long/low/slack geo. There are a few climbs like that in this area where the switchbacks are tight enough that you need to sort of hop your way around if you're on a long bike and the trees are narrow enough that you need to put your handlebars through one side at a time. Some absolute monsters can do it for sure, but it sucks all the fun out for me when I find my ride interrupted all the time.

Maybe they'd be more fun on an XC bike or an old school bike with a steep head angle and narrow bars.

I had a week off this week, so I went down to Fernie and conditions were incredible. Didn't see a single other person on the trails during my weekday rides.

My spouse went from a 620mm bar to 760mm on their new bike and all the narrow trees on older trails went from challenging to �lol, nope.�

# ¿ Oct 13, 2023 19:06

in a well actually: Jan 26, 2011; dude, you gotta end it on the rhyme

Oldsrocket_27 posted:

A guy I know is selling a Trek Marlin (a couple years old model, a 6 I think) in my size for $500. Barely ridden, deore 10spd 1x drivetrain, 29" wheels. Does that sound like a reasonable buy? I bought my road bike from the same person and know him personally, so I trust his evaluation of the condition/ mileage.

Reasonable, if a little high. $650-800 msrp depending on when he got it. OTOH, I can�t think of a better/cheaper option that�s as convenient.

# ¿ Oct 13, 2023 21:31

in a well actually: Jan 26, 2011; dude, you gotta end it on the rhyme

Not mentioned: his buddy and training partner Lance Armstrong had the lead.

# ¿ Dec 19, 2023 18:00

in a well actually: Jan 26, 2011; dude, you gotta end it on the rhyme

Yeah if you have or develop friends you want the 2�. The nice thing about the 1ups is they�re expandable; you can start with two and slap one or two more trays on. If your friends have the same model you can bolt them onto yours when driving together on trips.

# ¿ Dec 30, 2023 04:55

in a well actually: Jan 26, 2011; dude, you gotta end it on the rhyme

Uhaul is surprisingly cheap and generally competent at hitch installs.

# ¿ Dec 30, 2023 14:35

in a well actually: Jan 26, 2011; dude, you gotta end it on the rhyme

Looking at an open box Intense 951 XC; 120/120 and 28.5 lbs, $2700 w/discount. Any better deals for an equivalent bike out there now?

# ¿ Jan 5, 2024 17:11

in a well actually: Jan 26, 2011; dude, you gotta end it on the rhyme

Scrapez posted:

For a downcountry bike, this is a pretty solid deal.

https://www.incycle.com/products/sp...8hoCKJgQAvD_BwE

drat, that�s tempting. Didn�t Specialized go to the S1-S5 sizes, though?

Costco has the Intense 951 XC is available at $2800 (was down to $2300 in December.) Seems like a good price for a 28 lb bike, if you�re okay with spending thousands on and riding a Costco bike.

# ¿ Feb 9, 2024 17:13

in a well actually: Jan 26, 2011; dude, you gotta end it on the rhyme

Costco just dropped the price on the Intense 951 XC to $1800.

# ¿ Feb 27, 2024 02:13

in a well actually: Jan 26, 2011; dude, you gotta end it on the rhyme

I have seen that you can swap in the xx1 b-bolt kit on the nx and it improves quite a bit. That said, at my skill level and intensity, nx is fine.

# ¿ Feb 29, 2024 05:14

in a well actually: Jan 26, 2011; dude, you gotta end it on the rhyme

Scrapez posted:

Not at all.

Yeah; the XC'a dimensions are not too far off from a friend's Santa Cruz Tallboy, afaik.

# ¿ Mar 1, 2024 21:36

in a well actually: Jan 26, 2011; dude, you gotta end it on the rhyme

VelociBacon posted:

I think OP can do whatever he wants tbh, it's not our neck or face etc. 10 posts making GBS threads on someone for not wearing a helmet is probably just going to drive someone out of the thread.

If you break your spine on a bike it's because you didn't spend enough on it - go to your local Intense dealer today!

I went to my local Intense shop Costco and they hooked me up but I am pretty sure I did not pay enough for spine protection.

Anyway; unrelated question: 27.5/2.6 wheels/tires should fit on a bike that came with 29/2.4 assuming boost etc., right?

# ¿ Apr 16, 2024 23:26

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# ¿ Apr 25, 2024 23:56

in a well actually: Jan 26, 2011; dude, you gotta end it on the rhyme

Platystemon posted:

You have to appreciate the bosses on the underside of the downtube and the triples on the fork, but none on the seattube.

Wouldn't want to block the possibility of installing a dropper in there, obviously.

# ¿ Apr 19, 2024 22:04

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > The Great Outdoors > The New New Mountain Bike Megathread: bars with eyes freak meowt