Old & Poor MTB’er introduction

[Mark Larson]

😃 Howdy, I’m B.J. Ondo, out of Colorado Springs, CO. Wayyyyy back in the mid-1980’s (when dinasours ruled the earth, LOL), I use to do NORBA Amatuer Racing around CO. with my Son, Steven. I road a Raliegh Mt. Crested Butte, with the new "U-Fork", LOL. Well I’m back riding a sudo-MTB a yes, GOD forbid, Dept. Store bicycle, (Roadmaster Mt. Sport SX), just as a re-entry. it’s a POS but living on a fixed income it’s all I could afford to get back on the trail and start saving my pennies for a decent MTB!!

I’ve rode some area singletrack (Bearcreek Regional Park Singletrack Area) around Colorado Springs. I’m hoping to get a bottom-med. level Gary Fisher MTB come early Spring 09. I’m over 50 but do enjoy riding on THE DIRT!! Happy Trails!

[PghDragonMan]

Hey, BJ!

I was chasin’ lizards in Arizona on a DB Ridge Runner in the ’80’s, and they’re cousins to the dinos, so I can relate to the re-entry aspects!

You’re going to get a lot of advice, but my nickel’s worth of advice is at least look at and test ride a 29er. I’ve found them to be a good balance between comfort, performance and price. Everybody’s riding style is different, so you may have a different experience, but I love mine!

Whatever way you go in picking your ride, get one you’ll enjoy!

[Mark Larson]

Hey guys, thanks for the welcome and not minding that I currently ride a POS MTB! 😉 I’m basicly a X-Country kinda rider, I doubt I’ll ever own a "DH" bike as, yea I like going downhill but at 50+, I’m not really into "major gonzo" stuff, now don’t get me wrong, it’s COOL, if that’s your thing but LOL, I’m still freak’in out that MTB’s have suspension systems better than some of the old 70’s trail motorcycles I rode! 😮

Thanks for the advice, ya I’m being "very mellow" on the WW special, I know it won’t take much to turn it into "scrap iron" so I just "plod" along, LOL! 😆 I do my best to pull off the trail when the fast guys (and gals) come fly’in up behind me on the trail and make sure there’s no one behind me as I work my way down the hills, watching for the "moving Rocks", that love to dent a "singlewall rim" 😠 Still just being "out on the trails" again, single or doubletrack brings back great memories of my Son "kicking my buns" on his 20" wheel Ross MTB! 😈 I’ve seen the improvements in what is now a start-med. level MTB, WOW, we would have "KILLED" for this kinda TRICK stuff back in the 1980’s"!!! 😎 Looking so forward to getting back on bicycle at this level again! 😼

[brianW]

Keep an eye at your local shop for people selling bikes. Also some shops sell used. Craigslist and "Want-Ad" magazines miht be a good option for people on a fixed dime. I know how that feels, my family (wife, 4 kids and I) live on my teachers salary only.

[Code_Rage]

Hey guy, I dont think any one here is going to bash on you for the wally world special. If you’re on the trails that is all that matters! I started XC a few years ago with out realizing it riding my WW special to my tree stands and back. It just kind of grew from there trying to stay in shape for the next hunting season.

I hope you didnt get one of the WW FS bikes, I swear they fill those things with lead!

For an entry level bike on the cheap I would strongly recommend the Iron Horse Warrior 1.2 from Dicks sporting goods. You can find them on sale sometimes for around $300 or less. It really is comparable to a bike like the Specialized Hardrock for half the price! Well minus the front fork… Which is pretty low on the scale but its enough for some light XC

[Mark Larson]

"Code_Rage" wrote

Hey guy, I dont think any one here is going to bash on you for the wally world special. If you’re on the trails that is all that matters! I started XC a few years ago with out realizing it riding my WW special to my tree stands and back. It just kind of grew from there trying to stay in shape for the next hunting season.

I hope you didnt get one of the WW FS bikes, I swear they fill those things with lead!

For an entry level bike on the cheap I would strongly recommend the Iron Horse Warrior 1.2 from Dicks sporting goods. You can find them on sale sometimes for around $300 or less. It really is comparable to a bike like the Specialized Hardrock for half the price! Well minus the front fork… Which is pretty low on the scale but its enough for some light XC

B.J. Says: No I picked the "hardtail" as I figured that at that level of bicycle, all the suspension pieces would be "hard to adjust and maintain"! LOL, I can replace the wheel’s on my POS Hardtail MTB with it’s 25mm suspension fork, for cheaper than a rear shock or linkage would cost me, I’m sure. I’ve liked the G-Fisher Wahoo (what a great name for a MTB!! 😉 ) and the Jamis Durango-1 but even if I could only get the "bottom end" of either of those MTB lines, it would be a HUGE improvement.

Just a question, what’s the "problem" with Mech. Disc Brakes?? I keep hearing it’s better to stay with the V-Brakes than go to Mech. Disc’s. Seems like you gota step up to $1,000 dollar+ bikes for Hyd. Disc Brakes, ain’t gona be able to do that anytime soon! Thanks! 😃

[Bombardier]

B.J. –

Welcome to Singletracks, and greetings from another Springs denizen! It’s good to see another Springs local show up here, so we can together gloat over the fact that we’ve got one of the best trail systems right in town. 😼

Since you brought up the cost of disk-brakes, I can tell you that sets of take-off hydraulic brakes for under $150 are common nowadays. Very often bike shops will receive a MTB which was ordered by a customer and who wanted better brakes, so the LBS will swap out the OEM brakes for the customer’s preferred stoppers. They’ll then resell the OEM brakes for a fraction of what they’d cost normally.
Online bike component retailers also sell a lot of take-off components, often for as much as 50%-off!

Anyways, if you’re interested, I can take you to an LBS that I’m very familiar with, and they’ve got a good selection of older (+5yrs) used mountainbikes at reasonable prices. I don’t care who you are….. nobody deserves to be riding a Wallyworld deathcycle! 😉

[CraigCreekRider]

Welcome back to the sport. Another 50+ cross country guy here. I didn’t start riding the cool stuff til I was 46, but now I can’t get enough of it. May have tried some of that DH/FR ride stuff like Mongoose rides if I was a little younger. Pretty much just trying to keep the body together at this point – so I can ride more. Welcome again. 😃

[Grappler]

B.J. check out ebay. There are quality used old school bikes going for very low prices all the time. It is not uncommon to get a decent bike and have it shipped to you all for under $200.

[Mark Larson]

😎 Just a note to say "THANKS" for the warm welcome to Singletracks! It’s great to know that the the "Excellent VIBE", that I felt back in the mid-80’s in riding MTB’s and doing some NORBA Novice MTB Racing still is "alive and well"! 😃

I started out as a semi-serious road bicycle LD tourist in 1984 but by 85 I got BIT by the MTB and their, "laid back" riders! It’s just so mellow next to the ultra-serious roadies. It’s still stunning looking at the PRICE and Advancements of MTB’s since the mid-1980’s. As I’ve stated before, the high-end MTB’s have better suspension "front and rear", than the late 1970’s motorcycle trail bikes I owned and rode! 😮

May you all have the MOST FUN possible and I hope to meet you all on the "Trails" one day! 😃

B.J. (Old & Poor MTB’er) Ondo
Roadmaster Mtn. Sport SX
Colorado Springs, CO.

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