[Closed] Isn’t bike riding awesome

Yes it's bloody marvellous

‘Tis epic.

Been a while, not sure I remember.

It's great. Glad you are enjoying it. What made you come back. The lockdown and good weather was it.

Bikes how generally have longer reach are slacker in the head angle and are lower although not all of them are.29inch is very popular with 27.5 next.axles are now boost.never ridden a modern bike as I am still on 26inch and happy. Some people say new bikes climb and descent better but are a bit boring on more tame trails so does not sound like your bike is bad at all

Bike riding is marvellous.
A good bike from 10 years ago is still a good bike.
Newer bikes may, or in fact, may not, be better.
Everything you might know about standards (H/S, BB, HUB/Axle sizes) is probably out of date.
Getting out on a nice day is still fantastic.

Bikes have changed loads. The geometry is now pretty different and far more well sorted in my opinion. Of course you don't need to go silly long and slack, but even XC bikes handle much better than they used to.

New bikes are awesome and 'better' but not always better if that makes sense. Like I sold my 2009 orange 5 and I've never been quite as happy with my newer bikes as I was with that 5, which fit me like a glove and I learned to ride on.

Yes riding is fabulous!

Yeah, it alright I suppose....

The growth of drop barred, fatter tyred bikes is worth mentioning too.
A bike thatll happily do all day on the road, and equally happily wizz around some smoother trails, that you can commute on during the week is a wondrous thing. Anywhere is entertaining if you go fast enough!

Riding bikes is epic, just ask the 10 y.o. and 8 y.o. girls next door who have just discovered the freedom that your own transport brings and riding without a parent supervising.

It's awesome!

Mix it up. I love MTB first and foremost. But (whisper it quietly), the odd road ride on my old Boardman is awesome too.

New bikes are better, or at least easier to ride hard. Generally heavier I think too i.e. more substantial e.g. frames and forks in particular.

But, I've got a 10 year old hardtail that recently I've been out on loads and loving it. It's slower on the downs and probably even the ups, but no less fun.

Have swapped to the FS now that the trails are rock hard in all this sun. My backside deserved a break!

Bottom line is that if you love biking, like you do, the bikes are only a tiny part of that. The tinkering, fettling and actual cycling are the main ingredients of such a brilliant hobby / sport.

All that said, the feeling on new bike day is hard to beat 😉

Just ordered a set of spd’s from wiggle. Shimano m520 clip in for £21.99 and free delivery. Back in stock as of today as seem a good price so thought I’d let you know.

I basically built up the NRS from a frame on the cheap (net spend £100 - one of my 4 ever threads) but with decent enough parts (2007-2011 XT bits, SLX discs, new bearings etc). I finished it last July but then had another health (asthma) issue before I even rode it and ended up in hospital by September. Since April this year though I’ve made it out on the road bike 3 times and 4 on the mtb and feel great - I now have the correct inhaler and it’s all good. Long story.

Yesterday I was fettling a little more and got the right pressures in the rear sus. I’ve now got it set for zero sag instead of the half inch I had (it’s designed for zero sag but I figured half an inch seemed a good idea) and now it climbs like a hard tail but descends with 3.5” travel. I thought it might be a bit like a hard tail but it genuinely is solid on the ups. Even these early maestro systems are better than anything I remember riding up hill. Tweaked the gear inners a little as they’re starting to stretch, and stuck the spds from my road bike on and felt so much more comfortable than on flats.

Bit of a creak from the BB and the rear brake is still not quite there (contaminated the pads so still burning off the brake fluid) but they get better every 5 Minutes. Tweaking, improving, fixing and then feeling those improvements is almost as much fun as riding (well it’s not, but it’s fun). Forks are shit but still ok for now, so will likely not do too much more with it until I find its limits which I’m not skilled enough to yet.

Yesterday’s ride was 863ft elevation gain, 552ft max elevation, 8 miles all off-road; basically up a big hill then back down. Stopped 4 times on the up - don’t have the lungs yet but legs feel fine today so there’s hope for training to sort it out. Next time I’ll try for 2 strategic stops, then one etc etc. I’m luck to live in a great area for riding (Kings Somborne near Winchester) so am surrounded by fields, single track, bridal ways and hills. Lots of hills.

Yeah, basically, bikes are cool. Love it. I’ll stop now. Wooo bikes.

I love riding too, except the bit where I fall off and have to sit at home recuperating (like yesterday ☹)

Cherish your enthusiasm OP. I still have mine after 30-something years of mtbing!

Just got back from 32km of mostly offroad on the gravel bike, it was glorious, utterly glorious.

Bikes.... they're ace.

i have seen more people riding around on bikes today than i ever have before.

so youre not alone on rediscovering the pleasures of a simple leisure ride 🙂

There was a good thread on modern geometry.

It said that the old bikes are great. But less so if you've ridden a newer one

I have just replaced a 11 year old bike. The new one is not a very radical design. It's just better. I thought there would be compromises like low speed handling. But so far just better. Although I'm still learning to ride it.

But yes bikes rides are great. Enjoy

Bikes are bloody brilliant.

Bike rides are great! Old bikes are great until you ride newer bikes on gnarlier trails and then get scared when back on your much smaller old bike - so ignorance is bliss!

I was thinking that earlier. When should I replace the old bike? When it’s holding me back from progressing. When will that be? When I’m racing in the future, or if I get riding buddies. When I can’t keep up and it’s not due to fitness, I’ll get a new one. A year at least then I think.

I’m assuming that bike trails places are still very much do-able on an old bike with old geometry? I seem to recall 3” travel was always enough as a do it all bike back in the day. Ims thinking Queen Elizabeth country park in 2001ish, Gorrick events, cheddar challenge etc

So, for a while at least it’s here to stay and ignorance is indeed bliss. Just need to avoid temptation of shiny new toys...

Yep, bikes are great. Up early today for a ride and then a wee trundle with the kids PM.

“I’m assuming that bike trails places are still very much do-able on an old bike with old geometry?”

Very much so! The new bikes are just quicker downhill, which means that when you do inevitably crash it hurts more. I’ve been riding my 27.5” hardtail since lockdown because it’s slower than my 29” 150mm full-sus for the same reason.

At this time of year with weather as it is, absolutely bloody ****ing brilliant.

After ride late evenings in the myriad of wonderful peak district pubs would make it perfect!

Never ride much since last November due to doing up daughters house, been furloughed since early April so went out on my 11 year old hard tail just round the country lanes, ended up buying a gravel bike which I have been on nearly every day since and living it but now thinking about getting back on my full suss bike when we’re allowed to travel, it’s all brilliant

Love it!

Edit - links not working. Maybe this will?

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/phjugyt6qx3g2zs/AAC3eJ_Zc5fEQbj-71_UBaYMa?dl=0

Managed to steal another hour today and planned a little route. Bit of everything; Road to the tracks in uphill but road so decent warm up. Then easy bridalways up to the top, through the woods on some flat single track, then down for 2.5 miles of flowing single track full of roots, rocks, fences waaay to close both sideS at times and pretty much back to my door.

I was on the way up and spotted little trail off to the side...

And...it had a little jump!

And then I fell off

Useful fall as my stem was loose (note the whee position compared to bars) so glad I fell on easy stuff - note to self: the bike isn’t well tested since build, and I’m shit. Got back on, much better second time.

Got to the top and then single track all the way home.

Useful insights today

1) I got a stitch! This is awesome because it means my breathing is better - usually my breathing fails me (asthma) so this is great news.

2) don’t watch red bull rampage then go riding. My bike feels way less capable now having watched those unbelievably talented nutters.

3) rear shock rebound needs looking at. Was great climbing but now I’ve shown it some downs it was like being on a pogo stick.

4) back break needs a bleed. I thought it was just pads but it’s barely there most of the time and the lever has play in it and is spongy.

5) getting behind the seat is way further back than I remembered. Need a dropper.

Love it. Bikes!

I know this comment will go down like a fart in a lift in this place, but while acknowledging that your old bike is better than no bike at all, and probably a lot better than a full sus from the mid 90's, a decent full suss from the last few years will be light years better than that old bike.

The reason you're pogoing is because you have no sag, its just not going to be very good with no sag, having said that even if you set it up with a degree of sag, it will be crap compared with a decent full sus from the last few years.

The problem is that a decent full sus from the last few years is going to cost at least a grand, but thats just the way it is.

Thanks Julian.

I know you’re right. I’m polishing a turd. For me right now though that’s ok. Even if it remains a turd it serves two purposes; fun, and to prove that I can adjust my work/life balance to facilitate commitment to riding. I usually work in London several days a week often until late, I have my kids 50/50 and they are very demanding, my health has been atrocious and I’m lazy. When the lockdown is over I’ll really get to test my commitment to riding. And, if I stick at it and enjoy it as much as I am now then I’ll happily drop £1500-2k on a proper bike. More than that seems unnecessary for now as I’ll still be fairly crap I’d have thought. This was a £100 test so if it sits and rots, who cares.

I’ve done a bit of googling re old/new geometry and everything says a new geo £700 bike will be 20%+ quicker ok both ups and downs than a 15 year old £3k bike. So, for now, I’ll make the most if it and when I’m convinced I’m committed enough I’ll get a proper bike. Posting on here gives me a reference to keep committed - I said I’d post an update so now I have to go and ride. That sort of thing.

Even though it’s a turd, there’s nothing quite like looking down a hill, shitting yourself, falling off then talking yourself into hitting it faster. Forgot how much I miss adrenaline (yes, it’s a tiny little manual drop off but to me it was a hoot).

Latest update - broke my face.

Went out on Thursday night and got it all kinds of wrong. Won’t bore with the details but my face met a fence post at 25mph and the result was 7 stitches in my bottom lip, 3 in my top gum (first time for gum stitches; wouldn’t recommend for a fun night out) and superglue a puncture in my neck.

I can’t work out how to upload pics but it looks like you’d imagine it would.

On the plus side, whilst trying to get back to civilisation and call an ambulance I met a DH rider out training on his gravel bike. He sorted the ambulance for me and took my bike back with him, gave me his jacket as I was in tee shirt and shorts and called my missus to tell her I was ok and not to panic. Legend! Bike riders are awesome people.

He’s been texting to make sure I’m ok and had a look at my shock. Said the shock is blown out and as good as dead. That’s why it pogos so much and bucked me off (couples with my lack of ability I’m sure).

Where are we now? I’ve decided I’m not as agile and don’t roll as well as I did when I was 16. I’ve decided getting hurt hurts more than I remembered. I’ve decided that down hill madness carries too much risk for me and I’ve got too much to lose (kids, senior job, responsibilities/mortgage etc). So the purpose was to build a cheap bike and see if I can a) commit to riding and b) decided what style of riding I like. I think that’s now been decided and I’m a roady/XC guy.

Mr DH dropped my bike off today and showed the missus my bouncy back end and she now hates that cheap bike and insists if I’m going to keep riding I need a suitable capable rig. All in all I’ve bust my face for a week or two but learned a lot about what I want from a bike, and now am being told to buy a proper bike by the missus. Not a bad result at all!

Helmet broke too, cracked the outer skin and clean break through the polystyrene. A stark reminder than no mater how gently you think you’re taking it, a helmet is without doubt essential.

Interesting few weeks. Got to wait a while until I bring it up with her indoors as it’s still a touchy subject (she cried every time she looked at me until this morning and it happened Thursday) so I’ll be a turbo trainer/road rider until June/July, then start Hardtail all mountain shopping.

So there you go. Bike are awesome, bike riders are awesome, falling off sucks, I’m not brave enough for scary trails and I’m getting a new bike.

Ps They’ve set up hospitals really well to cater for COVID19 too so don’t worry too much if you guys get it wrong. Separated the hospital in two (red side and blue side) and essentially treat them as separate buildings to prevent contamination. Worked really well and clearly they’ve reduced bed pressure as I was well looked after and didn’t spend too long in a corridor. Got a taxi home as didn’t want to take up too much of the NHS’s precious time - I’m a idiot for burdening them whilst the world is as it is right now. Offered the whole ward staff a pizza run but they politely declined so I just got them a Costa each.

It’s the best. I went out yesterday after a week off. I couldn’t believe how good it was!

Bikes are ace.

Also, I broke my face riding bikes. Twice. Stitches one time and a fracture of my cheekbone the other (that’s road racing for you). Looks terrible for a while but you have a great blood supply to your face and it tends to heal pretty well.

It’s pretty weird as a woman to have a temporary disfigurement (OMG the scabs were insane) but actually good for reflecting on how much store we set by our faces. Now, only I know the difference between the lines that are age-related and those caused by crashes. I’m kind of fond of the ‘scars’ - I’ve had a lot of fun riding bikes and they’re reminders.

Definitely a useful reminder that I’m not invincible. And that I need to prioritise fun (risk) vs impact (imagine if I was off work, or disabled etc).

I keep forgetting how I look - obviously it constantly aches and I’m continuously aware of it but it looks awful and I forget that. Poor kids are not coping well with daddy looking mutilated. Still, I heal pretty well and my bones are solid (they rarely break) so I’ll only be a couple of weeks until I look normal again.

Definitely accept I’m going to be a leisure rider now and will therefore buy one, inexpensive do-it-all bike rather than a race machine. A worthwhile fall if nothing else. Saved me spending 3k on an xtr 160mm monster which I would never full utilise. Just need a capable 27.5 140mm hardtail and my road bike. Looking for a silver lining; just saved (avoided) £2k costs if I get a 1k instead of 3k bike.

Cool story still and sexy pics to show off down the pub lol