Who Mountain Bikes?

[Califhuntn]

I started riding my Santa Cruz Superlight. It's a great XC bike but has outdated components. It's about 14 years old now. Don't want to spend the money on a new bike. I'll probably just upgrade all the components to what I want. I forgot how much I really enjoyed riding.

 

[Trr15]

I got back into mountain biking about 3 yrs ago after a 15 year hiatus. Picked up a Rockhopper(hard tail) At the local Specialized dealer here in town. It's a great way to stay in shape. One of the best decisions I've made in the past few years. I don't ride competitively, but I do ride a lot. Found lots of local trails to keep me busy.

 

[charvey9]

I got into it pretty heavy for a few years, and raced DH in the sport class for two seasons. We didn't have downhill mountain biking growing up in Michigan, and I never could catch up to the guys from the PNW that had a 15 year head start. Suffice to say...that was my excuse for being slow. lol. It was a lot of fun though, and I met a lot of good people. Unfortunately with work, running a business on the side, and my reborn passion for bow hunting I just did not have the time anymore. I have a bike haning in the garage that cost me more than all the gear I take into the woods combined, and it hasn't been ridden in over two years. Damn responsibility. Can't wait until I win the lottery and have time to enjoy all my hobbies.

This was a pic from my first ever race in Port Angeles, WA


This is a remote timed selfie at Blackrock in Oregon.

 

[JJHACK]

Initially I did not buy a suspension bike. Assumed it was just for high speed comfort and I was not racing.

I did however learn that the front suspension especially with the high center of gravity wearing a pack made the ride down hill much safer.

I also figured that disc brakes were only for high speed, but coming down hill pulling my little trailer in the drizzle quickly cured me of rim grabbers and I saw the light with disk brakes. They stop you regardless of moisture, ice, snow, mud, down hills high speeds. They just work like brakes should!

Anyone shopping should strongly consider at least front fork suspension and disk brakes in my opinion

 

[mAv]

My wife and I race (sometimes, most times I 'participate') triathlon- so definitely my share of road riding, but I find it very very boring, especially training rides.

I have a BMC TF01 (FS)- I LOVE trail riding, I'm not very good at it, especially extremely technical stuff, but it is far more enjoyable than riding on the road. A lot of idiots and people like others who have posted in this thread that make road riding alone fairly dangerous.

I'm pretty much the same with running, I will run on the roads/sidewalks/bike paths with my wife, but if I'm going alone - I'm hitting the trails. Trail running is far more enjoyable for me.

 

[trkyslr]

Mtn bike teches I have a question. When im riding and pedaling with some resistance as I am pushing, I am having an issue with “skipping”. It feels like the pedals/chain comes off for a split second where there is no resistance and then it catches again. Its frustrating me and quite honeslty doesn’t feel good on my knees when that happens. I took it into a bike shop and the owner said it was nothing to worry about and to tighten the cable on my rear axle. I have tightened it all the way and the skipping is still happening. It has also got worse where it will skip with no resistance for almost a full rotation of the pedals before it grabs back on the gears. I hope im making sense with my issue. I plan tmrw to take it back to the bike shop and express my disapproval. Any other advice of the problem?

 

[Vance in AK]

the adjustments for the derailleur need to be a little more exact than he described to you or you made. It's about the derailleur being in the precisely right spot to center the chain on the right sprocket when you have the shifter clicked into the selected gear choice. That cable moves the derailleur in or out when you change the adjustment & when you tighten it all the way you could be WAY off. Little adjustments are the key. I could do it for you in a minute if I were there, but it's tough to explain.
You might look on youtube for instructions. You also might want to find a different shop...

 

[boom]

I find most chain skips are from a worn out chain.

To adjust I make sure the upper and lower stops are perfect. You can eyeball the chain at each point and make due it is straight at the limits. Then do the adjustment. I pedal the bike on a stand and run thru the gears. Adjust that barrel nut at the cable until it hits each sprocket cleanly in both directions. Lube the chain.

 

[Tinbanger]

Your free hub is most likely out

 

[Arbutusbucks]

Just cleaned up my ride this will be year two on my Yelli Screamy 29er. Probably the best it will look all year...new tires and brake pads and we are good to go.

 

[Violent Hippie]

I live in an area were people are OBSESSED with MTN biking. I still MTN bike to cross train when the snow thaws. Pretty much ALL the guys I know ride FS BUT I ride a hard tail. If you are just out there on fire roads to get some exercise than you can get a dialed top of the line hard tail 29er for under 2 grand. If you plan to really get into it and hit alot of the single track that is around these days its worth it to get a FS due to the fact that the single track trails are WAY more rugged (boulder gardens etc) than they were 10 years ago (as a bye product of the new bikes being able to handle more rugged terrain). The new hard higher end FS bikes are lighter than the old top end hard tails but they will set u back 5 k. BTW pinkbike and craigslist in your area most likely have alot of nice bikes.

 

[Travis Bertrand]

I live in an area were people are OBSESSED with MTN biking. I still MTN bike to cross train when the snow thaws. Pretty much ALL the guys I know ride FS BUT I ride a hard tail. If you are just out there on fire roads to get some exercise than you can get a dialed top of the line hard tail 29er for under 2 grand. If you plan to really get into it and hit alot of the single track that is around these days its worth it to get a FS due to the fact that the single track trails are WAY more rugged (boulder gardens etc) than they were 10 years ago (as a bye product of the new bikes being able to handle more rugged terrain). The new hard higher end FS bikes are lighter than the old top end hard tails but they will set u back 5 k. BTW pinkbike and craigslist in your area most likely have alot of nice bikes.

Your not kidding on truckee being into bikes.

Bikes and granola, that's what truckee does!

 

[Violent Hippie]

HA , HA! Your right about that! I do actually have granola in my cupboard although there are WAY more pounds of deer and elk meat in my freezer than granola in the cupboard . Hope to keep it that way.

 

[Travis Bertrand]

HA , HA! Your right about that! I do actually have granola in my cupboard although there are WAY more pounds of deer and elk meat in my freezer than granola in the cupboard . Hope to keep it that way.

Atta boy. We eat granola too but shhhhh, don't tell anyone.

 

[trkyslr]

Mtn bike teches I have a question. When im riding and pedaling with some resistance as I am pushing, I am having an issue with “skipping”. It feels like the pedals/chain comes off for a split second where there is no resistance and then it catches again. Its frustrating me and quite honeslty doesn’t feel good on my knees when that happens. I took it into a bike shop and the owner said it was nothing to worry about and to tighten the cable on my rear axle. I have tightened it all the way and the skipping is still happening. It has also got worse where it will skip with no resistance for almost a full rotation of the pedals before it grabs back on the gears. I hope im making sense with my issue. I plan tmrw to take it back to the bike shop and express my disapproval. Any other advice of the problem?

Ended up being a bent chain link and adjustment on gears to fix the problem.