0 points (view top contributors)
Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
Thanks all for the advise. I cleaned it all up and relubed the chain, something it probably needed anyway. I had some water in the handlebars but that was about it. There is a nice little drain hole on the bottom bracket for any moisture to escape it looks like.
I still can’t believe that I even crashed where I did. I’ll be sure to not to repeat this next weekend when I go up for a redemption lap.
It’s okay to walk a technical section you don’t know.
After I almost lost a roof rack in the wind traveling at 75 mph, I ditched it and went for a hitch. I currently use a curt hitch on my new GTI and have a kuat transfer that I carried over from my old corolla. Nice and easy to use. Takes a minute to install or remove from the hitch receiver.
While not a flat shoe, and certainly a compromise with the pedal contact (I think with a good enough pedal it wouldn’t matter as much), I occasionally use a shoe similar to the Salomon X Ultra 2 when I’m not using my clips. I believe I have an earlier version of the shoe, but it’s amazing for all things hiking.
The other thing I do have is a cheap pair of Shimano SPD MT34 shoes. Very much a great all terrain shoe with a nice recessed cleat pocket if clipless is your thing, but you don’t have to run the cleat, it comes with a durable cap that screws in place of those. I have hiked many trails with these shoes, and on the bike they offer enough stiffness without being over the top.
I’ve noticed a lot of people use them where I ride. I honestly should use one too because a lot of the trails we have here are in/out style with a lot of blind corners.
Cannondale Cujo 3. It’s adequately spec’d. Ships with Kenda plus size tires, and comes in at a very competitive price. My brother just picked one up as a total beginner and it was by far one of the best choices in his $1000 budget from a major brand. I even gave it a spin and it is an absolute blast! After taking a close look at it, it’s easily up-gradable as well with boost spacing and a tapered head tube.
That’s a tough one. I feel like everything has been a small incremental change over time. Often driven by racers and trails getting more technical/demanding.
My vote is for fat tires though as it really was a pretty “out there” concept when introduced, especially upon their first induction before the main stream. Come to think of it, tire technology has been a huge innovation in the sport as well. Can you imagine if we still used the same tire compounds and treads that were manufactured 20-30 years ago?
I personally absolutely love riding my fatty whether it be rain or shine, snow or dry. It’s incredibly capable. Not fast, but the traction gained is phenomenal over a standard width tire.
Pedals are all preference. Go with what works best for you! I like clips personally but I know tons of people who run flats.
When I went to clips, I spent a good couple of hours just at my local park and barkyard just getting used to the idea of clipping in and out. Lowered my seat as much as I could as well to make it easier to bail. I also use Shimano SH56 cleats. They are multi-release which means that you can pull your foot off the pedal in just about any direction (except for straight up).
As for upgrades besides pedals: Dropper posts are a great way to increase the convenience of dropping the seat and getting it out of the way when the trail gets gnarly.
Alright, here’s one.
When should you replace your helmet? Obviously after any kind of impact, that’s a given, but I am on season 3 with my Smith Forefront helmet, and I am wondering when I should replace it. No impacts, just wearing it or storing it in my closet. Manufacturers say 3 years, what do you guys do?
See if you can’t try before you buy! It’s worth paying 50 or so bucks to rent a bike that you are interested for a day and getting the right one the first time.
Out of those you have selected, that Chameleon looks pretty sweet and would be the bike I gravitate towards.
I had one. Well it was sort of a gravel bike, more or less a jack of all trades, master of none sort of bike. It was a Trek Crossrip Elite. Space for 40c tires and it was pretty stable. It had a compact road crankset with a wide range mtb cassette for the climbs. I will say I did love the drop bars, the positions and ability to change it up was a godsend for long rides.
My longest was a 40 mile gravel ride with it, and while it was a fun experience, I never really fell in love with the bike. Sold it for a fat bike instead as I never really rode it much once I moved from Wyoming to Utah.
Planning on exploring more of Utah and Idaho since I moved here last summer. I really want to hit up Moab this fall though if I can swing enough vacation days at it.
Just go full rigid for everything. Problem solved.
In all seriousness though, I think where they are at, they are probably hitting the “sweet spot”. I can’t imagine what a bike with more travel than 180 would look like or feel like on typical trails.
Stanchions will probably increase in diameter though by at least a few more mm for the extra rigidity I’m sure. But only time will tell!
I think my best recommendation is to save up until you can get what you really want/need! I think right around 1000 dollars is just the perfect amount to get a really good trail-worthy hardtail or rigid bike that will stand the test of time. The other thing too is, don’t be afraid to look at something that is a year older but still new. Local shop are usually really trying to get rid of them this time of year.
Whoever said fatbike gets a thumbs up from me. I just got one, and they are an absolute swiss army knife.
Also, if you don’t want to stretch your budget too far and don’t mind buying online, check out some of the offerings from bikesdirect.com. I know a lot of people have good things to say about their pricing:value ratio. You can usually get a bike with a groupset that’s a step or two above what the big guys are selling at the same price.
Love that Moots monstercross bike!
@John Fisch
It’s a pretty unique relationship, but I couldn’t be happier! I can look past the minivan thing too, there are still a lot of great car options out there.
Thanks dpb1997. I think I will pass on the minivan. It’s definitely a great thing to have, and I really would love to have one for the added benefits of hauling bikes, but my fiancé put the kibosh on that a longgg time ago. You know what they say though, happy wife, happy life.
It sounds like there is a lot of consensus that mountain bikers dig trucks though! I will probably not go that direction, had one, and I never utilized it enough as a truck to justify the ownership. To me, a small SUV like the Forester, or even a good car with the trailer that was mentioned sounds like the most appealing option to me so far.
Keep em coming though! I’m still open to ideas that haven’t been explored yet!
I listen to a lot of Alice in Chains and Pearl Jam in my car while I’m on my way to the trail head, but once the keys are out of the ignition, it’s nothing but the rustle of leaves and tires. I can’t do music while I ride.
I run a close to stock setup for my trek stache (the pre plus kind). Mostly because I got a free takeoff from my LBS and paid for a new front tire. So I currently run a 2.35 XR2 Expert on the front. It’s pretty knobby and gives me lots of grip for the turns. On the back I am still running a 2.20 XR3 Expert. It’s a little more narrow than what came on the bike to start, but it works well and allows me to keep up some speed still since it’s a fast rolling tire. All setup tubeless so I can drop a few PSI for the added traction when I need it.
I mostly ride dry dusty trails, and have found that this combo works pretty well. It definitely leaves a bit to be desired on wet rocks/roots but I make due and just take a little extra caution for those bits.
Thanks everybody, loving all the suggestions here! I used to own a 2005 Silverado crew cab, and it was perfect for loading up bikes, but reliability was always subpar, and I never really got better than 18 mpg on the highway. My city average was something like 13. The Corolla came into play because it was a reliable and I really wanted to play it safe for a while. While it may be okay to keep for a while, the lack of AWD and more importantly, ground clearance has made for some difficult commuting, let alone getting to the trails. I’m too scared to even try to get out for fat biking as I know I will get stuck somewhere. Utah has been getting record snow fall this year, and snow tires just haven’t been cutting it 100% of the time.
The Forester by far is the most attractive option.
