The Official DMF Bicycle Thread

[triangleforge]

Really looking forward to this riding season. 

Me too; I signed up for our town's big MTB race - the Whiskey Off Road - which is going to kick my ass. And my grand plans to start training again this weekend were derailed by a stomach bug that leveled our whole household for the last three days.

But it's going to be fun - if anyone's looking for a challenging, big fun MTB weekend, no one's spoken for our guest room just yet...

[Le Pirate]

this video makes me want to drag my bike out of the storage room:

[cokey]

Awesome camera work..  1:56, would have hurt had he clipped that tree... good save..  watching shit like this gets me amped...

[Fresh Pants]

Howdy folks.

I like 29ers.

[kopfjäger]

Howdy folks.

I like 29ers.

Nice 9er. Is that a "One"?

[Fresh Pants]

Nice 9er. Is that a "One"?

Thanks, yep. It's an On One Inbred 29er, with the swap-out drop outs as a single speed right now.
Bought it with the XT 3x10 speed kit, with intentions of running it as a 1x10 or a 1x1 whenever I feel like changing it up.

So far so good. I have to say, 29er+rigid carbon fork+SS is pretty sweet.

[kopfjäger]

Thanks, yep. It's an On One Inbred 29er, with the swap-out drop outs as a single speed right now.
Bought it with the XT 3x10 speed kit, with intentions of running it as a 1x10 or a 1x1 whenever I feel like changing it up.

So far so good. I have to say, 29er+rigid carbon fork+SS is pretty sweet.

 

[Le Pirate]

I need some DMFer advice...

Last year, my MTB developed some "issues." I put it away for the winter, but I drug it out over the weekend to start getting ready for riding again (we've had a spring like winter, no reason to wait, right?). Well, I took it to a trusted bike shop in Ft. Worth, to have them look Squeaker (the name my wife has bestowed on my bike, do to it's horrible bottom bracket squeal) over. The mechanic started adding things up, and quickly told me to junk it and start over.  :'(

I mean, it is a 10 year old Specialized hardrock, that I payed $250 for new. I've slowly upgraded parts over the years, but at it's core...it's a cheapo bike. I should of expected this eventually.


which leads to the problem:

I need a new bike.

I spent about half the day, yesterday, driving to different bike shops, and seeing what they had in my range. I wasn't really planning on buying anything new right now, so I'm probably only going to be able to spend 1000-1500 bucks. Somewhere around there. On top of that, I have no idea what I want or need from a new bike

I'm thinking 29er, but I'm not sold...judging by some I road yesterday. They seem really spongy to me, and I'm not sure if I like that. Can anyone tell me the pros/cons of a 29er vs. a 26? I'm digging through every bike magazine my wife has to see what I can find out.

If you go 29", do you want suspension or no? I'm sticking with hardtail (for price reasons, and familiarity), but I see a lot of rigid front ends on 29ers.

The only thing I'm sure of at this point is that I want Hydraulic brakes...because I love them (and they're pretty common).

Here are a couple bikes I looked at yesterday:

http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/SBCProduct.jsp?spid=62242&scid=1100&scname=Mountain
http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-us/bikes/model/xtc.29er.2/9031/48896/

I also tried out a few Treks....but I didn't like any of them. Felt like I was riding a yoga ball...just bouncing all over the place 

Most of the shops I looked at, only carry the big name brands, so I'm not sure what else is out there. Thanks for your help 

[fastwin]

Drug my Trek 8000 hardtail out of mothballs last weekend. Junior had to get in a 15 mile group bike ride yesterday to complete a camping merit badge for Boy Scouts. He wanted to do it on my road bikes (Colnago C-50 and Trek 5.9 Madone SL) but I told him that either of those bikes are worth more than he is!

The 8000 really needed a shorter stem for him but we cheated by running the seat forward about 1.5" and dropping the seat post about an inch. Worked good enough! Put some Shimano 324 pedals on it since he was wearing tennis shoes. Slapped on fresh tubes all around. He's getting big enough to wear my gear so he was basically good to go.

The ride went fine for him but the act of getting the bike all clean and fresh really made me want to start riding again. Maybe after the knee replacement. I miss riding a lot.

[kopfjäger]

I'm thinking 29er, but I'm not sold...judging by some I road yesterday. They seem really spongy to me, and I'm not sure if I like that. Can anyone tell me the pros/cons of a 29er vs. a 26? I'm digging through every bike magazine my wife has to see what I can find out.

If you go 29", do you want suspension or no? I'm sticking with hardtail (for price reasons, and familiarity), but I see a lot of rigid front ends on 29ers.

I went to a 29er SS after many years on the 26. The pros of the 29er is it rolls faster and can crawl over logs that a 26 would bottom out on. The con would be that it doesn't spin up as quick. I would run suspension.

I split the difference and went with 650B when I built my IF.

[eltristo]

I actually like my 29 with no suspension.  I would never do that on 26", but the 29 just rolls sooo nicely over small to medium obstacles, and with no suspension, holds the line perfectly. 

Like Cupcake said, though, quick spin-up is not the name of the game.  If you have a lot of steeps, it may not be the right choice.

[triangleforge]

I don't know whether to be more jealous of their astounding skills or of the apparent fact that they've got sets of CF wheels to burn...

[Le Pirate]

I actually like my 29 with no suspension.  I would never do that on 26", but the 29 just rolls sooo nicely over small to medium obstacles, and with no suspension, holds the line perfectly. 

Like Cupcake said, though, quick spin-up is not the name of the game.  If you have a lot of steeps, it may not be the right choice.

...I doooo have a lot of steeps...or "really steeps, but not super longs...oh and rocky" 

hrm....

in other news:

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2012/02/alberto-contador-doping-tour-de-france-2010-stripped.html

[stateprez]

I've gone from front suspension to rigid on my 29er.  I really like it- every trail rides different than with suspension.  I take mine to Pisgah and ride creek bed downhills, rock gardens, roots, etc. with no problems.  You just have to take your time....and this baby helps (=<25 PSI for the mountains, ride around 30-35 in the foothills):


Speaking of Contador, apparently the federal case against Lancey got dropped Friday afternoon...as in Friday afternoon before the Super Bowl.  Convenient.

[fastwin]

Yeah, I heard that about Lance. Now they can go back to concentrating on MLB players.