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Having been a very keen MTB rider back in the day (I rode – and still own – an Enduro S-Works with the original 'brain' shock and did many weekends away, holidays abroad in the Alps, 24 hour racing etc), I found myself moving to road cycling which I do exclusively now (for about the last 8 years) . However, I was at Dalby yesterday with the kids doing the Go Ape course and saw loads of people on bikes which re-ignited my interest in dusting the MTB off again. I noticed, however, that the bikes these days are vastly different, especially with 29 inch wheels and the removal of front mechs (which I am sure must be a fantastic improvement). I also noticed that modern FS bikes seem to be much more compliant and 'bouncy' than mine is. Is this a bad set-up situation or os it simply that the frames allow for a springier ride without compromising energy wastage (which was a very important consideration 'back in the day').
I doubt I'll ever buy a new MTB but I am certainly very curious and the new bikes do look to be a much nicer place to be.
Yours, Curious Roadie
I haven’t read great things about ‘the brain’ generally, but I’m not aware of many other bikes hat use something similar (maybe Trek have something).
I had older fs bikes (Gt Lts / Kona U’hu / Univega Ram 990) and they were ok at the time, but things are a lot different now. Shock technology has come on as much as anything else so they bob less - especially if you use one with a pedal platform setting.
e.g I’m on a 170f/160r enduro bike and on Saturday I did 49km of riding with around 5300 feet of climbing involved. It was hard, but the downhills were epic as a result. On the long draggy climbs I flicked the pedal platform on the rear shock and just ground it out - on the technical climbs I just left the shock on full open and let the Bike scrabble it’s way up.
My bike has a 65 degree head angle, is long and slack yet it climbs pretty well considering. There are obviously lighter trail bikes out there that’ll climb better but even enduro bikes like mine will winch themselves up most stuff with a lot less drama ham older bikes.
I am certainly very curious and the new bikes do look to be a much nicer place to be.
Try riding one, it's really the only way to find out.
re: the brain shocks, from what I recall they were meant to keep the back end rigid until it received a big enough shock to move it but as Joebristol says, things have moved on and many shocks have a pedal platform setting that has a similar result.
It's a shame you didn't take advantage of being at Dalby and going for a ride - it might have rekindled something and pulled you back towards the light 😉
Just go ride one.
A lot has changed in ten years, give it a good go and see if you enjoy it.
I guess a series of bullet points ...
1) The bikes now are just way better.... even a £1000 hard tail (OK I'm sure Halfords sell some that aren't) but anything half decent today is leaps ahead in geometry... from when I started riding in the 1980's....
2) There are way more types of bikes... From DH at one end to XC at the other and trail/enduro and then alternates on those.. and a somewhat general All Mountain classification that seems to drift as to what it means.
3) Wheels are mainly bigger .. 26" is now pretty niche... MTBers tap about wheel sizes like the weather... in some cases the agility suffered but due to better geometries not so much
4) Most shocks on med travel (trail) bikes don't bob... I don't even use the lockout on my trail bike...
5) Stuff got so good some of us decided to go retro and call it cool... so I have a 26" wheeled hard tail... with Monster forks... Its fine for dirt jumps but it's best to remind me how much has changed for the better