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Love the waffle things. I’m not overly picky as to which ones I get, but the maple ones my local coffee shop makes are my favorite. I am kinda over clif bars too at the moment. Too many have been consumed in the past for them to taste good anymore.
I also a fan of getting a bulk bag of cashews or unsalted almonds from Natural Grocers and dividing them up as needed for rides. Gotta stop to eat them but it’s worth it sometimes to take in the views and have a little trail side snack. I try to avoid prepackaged trail mix as they are just loaded with unnecessary amounts of salt and whatnot.
Gearing is all going to depend on your fitness and how much you value small jumps in gears. I still haven’t made the switch on any of my bikes because I get a lot of use out of the low gearing, and I’m not necessarily obsessed with having the latest and greatest when a 2×10 works just fine for most riding I like to do. When parts fail and I need to upgrade, it might be worth it then, but for now, no biggie.
29 is kinda where it’s at now though. While 26 is great and there isn’t anything wrong with it, replacement parts like tires and wheels will slowly become harder to find over time if you want the latest and greatest tech.
I started around when I turned 20. A little late to the game but try to do anything I can to make up for lost time.
As mentioned by Jeff, Jones bars are my vote. All day, every day. This is what I use for my commuting and long “adventure” rides. Doesn’t offer the same control as a flat bar on typical singletrack, but it’s great for the open road with the ability to move around. That front part of the loop is really nice for mounting lights, and there are bags available that fit in the loop.
Just about any fatbike can be converted to run a 29+ setup too. Just need to have the wheels laced up for it. The deadwood would be my pick though if I had deep enough pockets.
Edit: Did some looking around though. Salsa Woodsmoke and Fargo both can run 29+. The Jones Plus is another frame option as well.
I think variety is my favorite feature. I get tired of just flow trails or just rocky trails.
Also, +1 for a beer every 3 miles.
I don’t think there is anything wrong with a 2 or 3x system on a bike. Look at the trails you are going to be riding and take that into consideration. With long sustained climbs, and you’ll wish you had the 2x. While your needs and strength may vary, I always choose to go that route, plus, parts are cheap for older systems.
If you can, test on the trail before you buy. And as everyone as pointed out, air forks are a winner. You will get the best adjustability.
Check the back corner of your local bike shop and see what clearance models they have on the floor. You can get great deals from shops looking to move last years product. I almost always buy a “last years” special, new from my shop. I’ve saved 1000’s over the years by going that route.
Rigid fatbike all day everyday. Would love to get a 29er wheelset on it as well for the fast days. It’s an alloy Salsa Beargrease which is definitely not as hardcore as the SS 29er crowd but it’s definitely a unique experience. I fall into the recreational/intermediate category. Obviously the tires help.
It excels at climbing just about anything. Goes really well down the fast/flowy smooth trails.
I have a rigid fat bike and have been asking myself the same question. Since I’m selling my 29er hardtail and simplifying my biking experience, I’m going to be using it as my everything mountain bike for a while and I do think that the suspension fork could definitely give a lot of control on the tougher descents. It’s definitely where I’m considering spending my own money besides on bikepacking gear exclusively.
While completely unrelated, the best improvement that I did to my fatbike though was a Jones H bar. With the shorter reach, I can get way back over the rear of the bike without needing to lower a seat and it gives me tons of hand positions so I can stay comfy on the ride to the trailhead.
I rode it rigid as shown all last season, but I will be looking into a fat bike fork. I have my eyes on the Manitou Mastodon.
Now that I am pretty invested in mountain biking, I could probably justify going up the 3k mark, but likely will never exceed that. I feel like at that point, there really is a lot of bike to be had. The most I’ve actually spent on a bike though is 1200.
The freeze thaw cycles that keep the trails pretty sloppy unless it’s below freezing. I also hate the idea of shuttling my precious bikes on the back of my car when the roads are caked in sand/salt, as well as trying to keep them somewhat clean after even a short ride.
To counter the trail maintenance issues, I hit the indoor trainer and go cross country skiing during the winter. I did add a fat bike though this last spring so I’m hoping to finally get some miles in this winter once the snow comes around and decides to stay, but we’ll see what nature has in store.
I use a Revelate Tangle bag on my fat bike. Best investment ever. I can store tools, layers, or a full 2 liter water bladder in it while still having access to the lower triangle of my bike for bottles or whatever else I can fit on the water bottle bosses. I would love to run a custom full frame bag, but the tangle nicely swaps between all of the bikes in my stable.
Thanks for all of the responses on this as I really appreciate the feedback.
So when I wrote the original post. It was a pretty bad work day, hence the general tone. I was ready to quit by the end of that day.
I would love to be part of something I am passionate about, but I have given it thought since starting this particular forum thread.
I understand that every business and industry has its short comings and issues. Especially with office politics and working environments. I’m also looking into other opportunities, not just in the bike industry. I’m mostly after a place where I feel valued as a human being and a simple ‘thanks’ for a job well done or for staying late to get that last drawing to the shop floor. I don’t want to work for my current company anymore. The whole experience has been soured and doesn’t appear to have any chance of improvement. Bikes have always brought me happiness so I feel that’s where I want to be. It’s the perfect scenario in my head, but I have absolutely no clue if it’s something that I would enjoy. Again, it all depends on the office culture.
For me, I feel that the timing isn’t in my favor here. I realized now I should have been working in a bike shop when I was in school most likely. It’s all about building a network and being in with the crowd. Just like any other industry, talent is only half the equation, it also comes down to who you know. A well established company isn’t going to take a risk on a designer when they don’t know how capable they are. People often find themselves at the bottom chain and slowly work their way up.
On the flip side here, I have come up with a way to get involved that doesn’t involve quitting your day job (even though I’m still looking for a good one). I’m finding out how to get involved with my local trail community for building and design here. It’s not going to pay the bills, but it certainly will help fulfill what I am most passionate about.
I have background in 3D drafting using solidworks. I do a lot in fabrication and machine shops.
Good to know there are a few places close-ish by. I was going to stop by my local bike shop this weekend and see if those guys have any pointers.
Cross is Boss. Tons of fun, and it’s great if your local cycling club puts it on with different disciplines. Mine back where I used to live had one for fat bikes, one for competitive cross bikes, and even one for rec mtb bikes. It really let everyone give it a try. As long as you have two wheels and pedals, you could race!
As for tips, it’s not much different than mountain biking other than the skinny tires. So brake before a corner, and don’t lean as much. I also find that running is sometimes way faster than riding, especially those muddy climbs.
You bought a great mountain bike! The talon 3 offers a lot for the money. Lawyers told Suntour to put that sticker there as it’s a liability thing. It’s probably there to keep people from doing 5ft drops who don’t know better. I honestly would ride it into the ground as it is, and then upgrade. Suntour also does a fork upgrade program for some of the models on low end bikes too.
I get why they are popular, the brand does offer really excellent value as they have cut out the bike shop part of the equation. The business model doesn’t work for me personally as I would much rather go into a bike shop and try before I buy to make sure I’m getting what I want. I also enjoy the interaction I get from my LBS. Different strokes for different folks though, right?
I would say that based on the perception from others, on the whole they make solid bikes and if I was in the market and had tested one, I would have absolutely no problem handing them my cash.
I tend to modulate more to the front but use both. It’s more a feel as you go thing than a simple on/off scenario. The other thing to keep in mind is your body position on the bike when going down a hill. I feel like that is just as important as which brake I’m grabbing.
I inherently believe that people are garbage. Really stupid, self-absorbed, garbage. As such, we are glued to smart phones, driving SUV’s, blaring horrid 90’s mixes in the woods
Hey now, not everything from the 90’s is awful. 😉 AIC, Pearl Jam, STP, Soundgarden, Deftones are all wonderful IMO. While music is purely subjective, there were definitely a lot of great sounds to break through the cracks in the flood of awful music during the time.
But I do agree with you on everything else. Also I don’t really do any riding with any kind of music. A distraction from the ride is counterproductive for why I’m on the ride on the first place. I save the sweet tunes for the car ride up to the trail head.
I would rather spend a little more to get something I know is going to be rock solid and dependable, as well as easy to fix or replace parts should something happen.
I use a Kuat Transfer 2. It can be had for right around 240 or less if you shop around hard enough. It looks great on every car or SUV, and the company is wonderful to work with on the customer service front.
