Mountain biking is a pretty gear orientated sport. I guess most of us are guilty, at one time or another, of having thought that they could have ridden down that bit or cleaned that climb if only some part of their bike was different, be it tyres, suspension, lack of weight or maybe too much weight. Some people might say that there’s no point in constantly keeping up with trends and advances in bicycle technology but I reckon they’re wrong – that’s not just because my job depends on us all buying shiny new things though.
If you go back and ride an old set of suspension forks – the set of 1999 Bomber Z3s I have in my garage for example – back to back with the latest items – let’s say the 2011 Fox 36 Floats – there’s a gulf of difference – as you’d expect in 11 years (or 12 model years, the different time system used in the bike industry). The new forks are less bobby, have more travel, are lighter and can cope with more than one bump in a row before they go all vague. Same with tyres – you’d have to be either an attention seeking standout or just plain deluded to say that old tyres were better. Rubber that grips in the wet, sidewalls not made out of silver Rizlas, tread patterns that work in most conditions without being insanely draggy – all good things.
That said I’m naturally skeptical of claims that something is the next best thing – plenty of those have come and gone over the years but you honestly can say that there are a lot fewer rubbish bits of bike technology being released now. A lot of products that get slated on forums nowadays are still good, if not excellent, products by the standards of a few years ago – anyone complaining about service intervals on modern forks would do well to think back to how rubbish some early forks were – you filled them with grease to make them move, then they jammed solid because the elastomers ran out of space to squish when there was a bit of rain (because there weren’t any seals) and the the grease (regularly) needed to lubricate them attracted mud and grit like the Daily Mail attracts NIMBY nutcases. At least you get a fully functioning fork for a reasonable amount of time nowadays – and we’re still talking about the the not so good products, nevermind the stuff that everyone loves.
It’s also good to know that although most of us will never use our kit anywhere near limit, products are still designed to be used hard and in general they can deal with it. You might say that someone doesn’t need that big travel fork or that 140mm bike for ‘just’ riding trails, but can you honestly say to yourself that you’d like to go back to a 80mm fork and hardtail and that would be more fun? Pinch flats all the time, the sensation of broken wrists after rocky descents? It’s still fun, I’m not denying that. The question is more whether you can have more fun on a modern bike. I reckon so. There are arguments for hardtails still, for their joy and simplicity, but to say they’re actually better for riding proper, rough, off road is nonsense.
Kit is better and most of the advances in technology really are improvements – yeah, they cost a lot more but you can always wait for the inevitable trickle down of technology or for the front line of hardcore consumers to get bored with their new thing and buy the even newer thing. I like technology. I think that for the greater part (social consequences of globalisation, outsourced mass production in countries that might not have the same employee health and safety protection etc etc etc blithely ignored), it’s here to help and for the most part the people that design these things are trying very hard to make them work better or for it to be cheaper and more available.
That’s me at any rate.
On the flip side, there are also people like my other half, who refused to let me change the old tyres on her bike as the ones she had on were just fine, thankyouverymuch. She’s a firm believer in the fact that if she can’t ride up or down something then it’s not because her bike isn’t set up properly or the tyres are rubbish, it’s she’s not good enough, which as far as I’m concerned just isn’t on. She’s not a proper biker in this regard, her bag of excuses is lacking. She doesn’t even blame her fork compression settings for over-the-bars crashes. Pah. I blame her climbing background, where new gear is shiny and nice but very rarely makes the difference between getting up something and not*.
I am also a obsessive compulsive fettler and there is some history of me ‘fixing’ or ‘adjusting’ things to make them ‘better’ – usually with no discernible difference – so she is justified in telling me to bugger off when I come near her bike with a set of allen keys or something shiny, but this time I won and on the tyres went. You know what? They made a noticeable difference and made riding more enjoyable.
We all suffer from gear madness from time to time. It’s a fine line as to whether such things improve or ruin riding. The answer is probably a bit of both. Those new forks might make you faster – but some of that may well be down to the fact you think you’ll be faster with the new forks. Don’t get hung up on gear being the key to enjoyment and don’t scoff at technology that’ll help you go further, faster and be more comfortable. Keep it fun, which what it’s all about. Ride your bike, grin. Repeat, rinse – and sometimes – replace.
* or is that the same as biking? I’ve confused myself..
damn well said, that man.
i call troll!
We’re going to put this to the test in the 10 year anniversary issue – currently trying to find ten year old bikes we can head to head against modern ones… 😉
want me to see if i can find my old 1999 Heckler?
I descended a very minor hill yesterday (by 50 acre wood in Bris) on my retro off road bike with v skiny tyres at a speed that was a fraction of my fully suspended bike, but it felt alarmingly good, once I could see through the vibration and tears of laughter.
I cant afford a full suspension bike so just beefed up my hardtail last year with better forks, wheelset and tyres and its been brillant. I ride the same manmade trails as before (Scotland) but the upgrades have enabled me to tackle much more big country stuff.
You dont need the very lastest full susser or expensive kit you need ability, good line choices and mates to race with.
i’m running a 1997 kona with 2004 fox forx. i love it!
There’s an interesting philosophical point here though – because we ride because it’s fun/ enjoyable. With the exception of racers, that doesn’t have to mean faster – it’s like hardtail riders such as myself who know that a full-susser would probably make some descents and climbs *easier*, but are not entirely sure that that’s a worthwhile goal in itself.
The gear exists because we do the sport, to make us ‘better’ at it, but there is an argument that ‘better’ doesn’t always mean ‘more fun’. Where do you go next when you can cleanly finish every single drop off in your riding area without too much difficulty? Does it reduce the satisfaction knowing that you probably couldn’t do it on your bike of 10 years ago?
I don’t think this means new gear is bad, just an interesting counter-thought.
Ooh, you also missed the idea of getting spangly new bits as a catalyst for getting out on the bike again, but I’m guessing that’s partly because you ride pretty regularly year round. If you do find yourself losing your mojo, buying some nice forks/ tyres/ colour-matched parts can be just the prompt you need to get back out and rediscover the appeal.
I just remind myself of feeling like I had arthritis after a South Downs downhill on my rigid forked M2 Stumpjumper. Fitting Manitou 2s made a night and day difference with all of their 60mm of travel.
Progress is good.
My brothers got a Rotwild hardtail which must be 10 yr old. I’m sure he’d lend it the mag for the article if you like. He works in hebden so could even deliver!!
I can lay my hands on a 10yr old rockhopper if you want one
Mountain biking is a gear orientated sport because it’s mostly done by men with a hefty chunk of disposable income to spend on toys. Companies invest in R&D to increase market share, not to make things cheaper or more available. Things tend to get more expensive and exclusive, with ever changing standards to ensure redundancy in older kit. There’s no doubt bikes have improved greatly, and I like shiny things as much as anyone – but how many features of new models are driven by marketing rather than engineering? We are suckers.
“You dont need the very lastest full susser or expensive kit you need ability, good line choices and mates to race with”
Amen kitecris. Let’s have more investment in that.
It’s just a shame how tediously rational and joyless this article was. Almost as if we, as typical – emotionally stilted – STWers, have to make excuses for our whimsy.
We don’t. It’s a pointless recreational pastime. We ride around in circles on bicycles that cost more than (my car, at least). It’s silly, self-indulgent sport and I love it.
I love shiny things, cnc’d things, carbon and titanium things, bits that go boing, anodised bits that make you go faster and fly like the wind, honest.
I always will.
Interesting article, as a commited hardtail rider I recently tried a Giant Anthem, it was fantaistic what I could do on it, but when I got back on the old Genesis, lo and behold I found I could do all the things I could on the Anthem on the Genesis. I think it’s all in the mind, which is highy susceptible to new and shiney kit.
I think it’s a little like computers, where the costs have stayed roughly the same, or dropped slightly, but every year you get a huge amount more for your cash. Anyone remember wanting, or buying £900 steel frames in 1991? (puts hand up…) and £400 for cranks and £100 each end for brakes – only now those brakes will actually stop you…
As no-eyed-deer says, it’s a pointless pastime, which is great – and I’ve always said that the only real excuse for buying a titanium frame these days is ‘Because I want one!’ And that, in my book, is reason enough 🙂
I’ve often wondered what the point in having bigger and bigger full sussers is, you end up going over rougher bits cos the more tame stuff is too easy. The last couple of years I bought my first full susser, a racer spider XVP, and then a Nicolai Argon hardtail. I retired my y2k Zaskar to commuting duty, rigid forks and single speed. A few weeks ago I added another sprocket and chainring to the zaskar and took it to Swinley. Most fun I’ve had on a bike in ages!
I’d struggle taking it round somewhere more taxing (I’ve done loads, but you ache at the end of it!), but for the kind of riding and terrain in Swinley something simple and rigid made the experience a lot more pleasurable.
I also think bikes have got a lot more expensive, particularly DH rigs. Some are pushing 6k, five years ago I don’t think you could have bought anything above 3k, People buy them so they price them like that.
I see the for sale/wanted section as Shiny Shiny Anonymous. I’m on the (self adhesive) patch at the moment, haven’t bought anything in a while. I stem the urge by shopping for mates who know little about gear and gratefully take the advice. Scratches the itch!
Herman: I so do the same. Just built a Litespeed road bike for my mum. The advice on was free, but she paid for the parts…
God yeah buying for other people is ace, all the pleasure none of the finacial pain. I must admit to being a serial bling upgrader.
I was really into computers and spent a fortune on the 6 monthly new kit that was released but realised I was getting fat and skint and luckily had a mate who is into bikes. So now I am pondering if I should upgrade my QR Fox F 120mm’s to a 15mm Maxle set.
There really is no hope for me but at least I am fitter now!
Quite ironic this post.
I have just gone to back to real steel hard tail with a pair of pace rc 36 evo 3’s on.
None of them girly disks either.
Yes I do have 2011 xt throughout, but HT is a great deal of reliable low maintenance fun 🙂