So... Mountain Bikes (and NMBD).

octatonic

Continuing on from the road bike thread- anyone riding mountain bikes?

I have been riding an old GT Aggressor since 2000- decent bike for a 3x7 gear set in the budget end.

Have a weekend up in Norfolk in a few weeks going trail riding and wanted to get something fun and not as serious as the Specialized.

After a couple of weeks of deliberation and test rides I ended up getting a Whyte 629 29er.

Massively different to the road bike of course but man alive this thing is fast and not just for a mountain bike.

Just rode it the 20km from the bike shop to here and I was flying past commuters and a fair few of the serious cyclists on their 26" road wheels.

It is clown shoes funny in person- it just looks mad and ridiculous but very, very comfortable and amazingly quick and stable down hill.

I admire the Specialized road bike as a good piece of engineering and enjoy it but this is a bike that you really love to ride and slightly fall in love with.

Cannot wait to take it properly off road.

Silly as a bum full of smarties.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpf1/t31.0-8/10562671_548966871899765_6774947165874747595_o.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpa1/t31.0-8/10498492_548966678566451_8670431936098336246_o.jpg

https://scontent-a-lhr.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpa1/t31.0-8/1795448_548966701899782_5031344632275886215_o.jpg

https://scontent-a-lhr.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfa1/t31.0-8/10428139_548966741899778_500875313125292518_o.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpf1/t31.0-8/10572071_548966765233109_6471017370688048691_o.jpg

Sambostar

I got a 2013 Scott Aspect 910 recently, also a 29er.  Also goes like a rocket and the hydraulic brakes stop on the button, so much so I keep falling off when I am idling.  Probably very similar spec to that.

It does look nice that bike, but so does mine eh.

Do you notice any difference when you click your RockShox uphill?

Only thing I notice is you can't do 50mph, because of the lack of a large chain ring.

octatonic

The RockShox seems to lock pretty well- I mostly had it locked off on the ride home, except when I bombed across Hyde Park.

I looked at Scott- the Scale 960 was the ones I was thinking of but I couldn't find a deal on it and the Whyte was 20% off.

I like the SRAM shifters/groupset - pretty different to Shimano that I have on previous bikes.

The 'click' is reassuring.

littlegreenman

Practice hard young man, and one day this could be you!

littlegreenman

octatonic said:

Continuing on from the road bike thread- anyone riding mountain bikes?

I have been riding an old GT Aggressor since 2000- decent bike for a 3x7 gear set in the budget end.

Have a weekend up in Norfolk in a few weeks going trail riding and wanted to get something fun and not as serious as the Specialized.

After a couple of weeks of deliberation and test rides I ended up getting a Whyte 629 29er.

Massively different to the road bike of course but man alive this thing is fast and not just for a mountain bike.

Just rode it the 20km from the bike shop to here and I was flying past commuters and a fair few of the serious cyclists on their 26" road wheels.

It is clown shoes funny in person- it just looks mad and ridiculous but very, very comfortable and amazingly quick and stable down hill.

I admire the Specialized road bike as a good piece of engineering and enjoy it but this is a bike that you really love to ride and slightly fall in love with.

Cannot wait to take it properly off road.

Silly as a bum full of smarties.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpf1/t31.0-8/10562671_548966871899765_6774947165874747595_o.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpf1/t31.0-8/10572071_548966765233109_6471017370688048691_o.jpg

Very nice, but I feel the need to repeat the "reflectors and dork disc" sentiment from the road bike thread

octatonic

I took them off earlier, pretty much straight after I took the pics.

Although if I use this for commuting I need to put at least the rear reflector on for injury insurance reasons.

hubobulous

I was out in the Surrey Hills on Tue evening on my Marin Rock Springs. I used to mountain bike a lot round there in my early 20s, but the friend I went with moved away so I stopped. Its something I started doing again when I met my now wife, and have fallen back in love with both mountain biking and Box Hill/Leith Hill/Pitch Hill/Holmbury Hill.

It really is a stunning area for biking. Everything from singletrack downhills, to good climbs to beautiful cross country.

This weather just makes being outdoors in that environment such a treat.

beed84

littlegreenman said:

Practice hard young man, and one day this could be you!

I was gutted I couldn't make it for the shoot that day. Unfortunately for me, they had to get another guy in. He's alright. Also, I'm confused as to why he left the mansion so early in the day...

On a more serious note, I have a retro Orange P7 which I acquired a few months ago.  I love it and it rides like a dream. I'd really like to get it out on a trail or something.

guitargeek62

Necro-bump - thought I’d skip making a new thread and just work off this one, albeit it’s a bit small and outdated!

I used to ride MTBs a lot for fun as a sprog back in Cornwall, but gave it up around 14 years ago as life got in the way. I’ve decided I’m far too sedentry though, and don’t like most team sports or road cycling, so I’ve filed the paperwork with HR and applied for my ride-to-work certificate to get my mitts on a shiny new 2021 Trek X-Caliber 7 next month once it lands in the UK! I’m also doing a ride up in the Lake District with my two older brothers, they’re going to thoroughly put me to shame, but it’ll be a blast nonetheless.


Who else is an MTBer then?

Strangefan

Oh yes ridden most of my life, Inc commuting on a mountain bike, last year got an Ebike and honestly its fantastic, still get the exercise but can go alot further,

Fishboy7

I am thinking about a gravel bike actually - I'm used to road bikes but want to do a bit more exploring 

SRich

@octatonic ;;
Your images are not loading Oct....well, on Safari and IOS anyway...... OH bollocks never mind - the thread was necrobumped 

Strangefan

SRich said:

@octatonic ;
Your images are not loading Oct....well, on Safari and IOS anyway

Probably because its a 6 year old thread  

SRich

Strangefan said:

SRich said:

@octatonic ;;
Your images are not loading Oct....well, on Safari and IOS anyway

Probably because its a 6 year old thread  

Hence my: OH bollocks never mind - the thread was necrobumped !!!!!................

duotone

Looks like a cracking bike @Strangefan ;

Strangefan

duotone said:

Looks like a cracking bike @Strangefan ;

Thanks! It's pretty groovy 

Johnnyseven

I'm also an MTBer. I ressurected my 2005 Kona Kikapu Deluxe full suspension recently and have been enjoying the North Downs, got a trip planned for tomorrow as it happens. I do road riding too, but find it a bit of a bore - would much rather be out on my MTB!

jimkehoe

https://i.imgur.com/msBG5Qo.jpg

octatonic

I now also ride an e-bike- Specialized Turbo Levo.
It has been great fun and is still a workout if you want it to be.

guitargeek62

Johnnyseven said:

I do road riding too, but find it a bit of a bore - would much rather be out on my MTB!

This is my problem with it too, I bought a road bike after I moved to London and then used it maybe a dozen times total before getting tired of it! Much prefer getting muddy and wrecked on a trail

I sold said road bike yesterday, almost seven years to the day after buying it - good riddance!

DiscoStu

I really fancy an e-bike but jings what a price!