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Russian Standard.
Dude, I am never giving up my dropper post. That thing is the only reason I don’t go over the bars.
Anyone who is considering removing the dropper should probably just stop drinking and buy a new bike.
Yeah.
“Fitness” is just your ability to overcome a challenge. I turn fifty this year, and I stopped comparing myself to my classmates a long long long time ago. Most people can barely handle an easy green trail.
KO
Do whatever the old guy at your local bike shop recommends. He is trying to save you money and anguish.
I have owned a Talon for almost two years. This was my first MTB. It’s been very solid, and I rode a lot of advanced trails on it before deciding to plunk down the $$$$ on an upgrade.
The Talon is fun to ride, but the spec is cheap, and if you ride a lot it will actually start to limit you after a few months. That aside, I still ride it at least once a week, and I’m never ever parting with this beloved beater bike.
Beware of the false economy. Lots of us get into this saying we will just buy a cheap bike and see what happens, and end up spending twice as much because we were shy about spending the money on a quality first bike. But whatever you decide to do is cool, because we have ALL been there.
A high quality hardtail is always preferable to a low quality dual suspension bike.
Local honey. Mix a big tablespoon of it into your coffee every day. It takes several weeks to gain potency.
Georgia is full of apiaries.
KO
Just a few words of advice:
(1) LOCAL. BIKE. SHOP.
They know what they’re doing, you don’t (yet), and bike fit is important.
(2) BUY ONCE, CRY ONCE.
This is not a cheap activity, but the incremental approach can lead to spending more on a series of bad bikes than you would on one decent bike. I know this because I’m guilty of it. Turns out I don’t miss the money I spent on the bike I wanted all along.
(3) GEOMETRY.
Make sure your equipment is designed for the terrain. You might not like how a CC bike handles at a ski park.
Have fun!
Dude, you could get a decent entry level new bike for just a little more than that. My first MTB was a new Giant Talon, and I paid $600.
Buying bikes online is a sucker’s game. Go to your local bike shop.
If you WANT a fat bike, you will be paying a lot more than $500 for a good one.
Little things will make a huge difference at this point. Your bike is fine for starting out, just make sure you lube the chain after the ride. Platform pedals will make you feel like Superman, and some gloves will dampen the shock to your paws (they don’t have to be forty-dollar Fox Racing gloves, I wear Mechanix half the time).
Ease into it, enjoy what you’re doing, and realize that you’re probably going to outgrow the bike in about a year if you ride a lot.
Indeed. Sitting leads to all sorts of problems. Check your proprioreception and shralp the gnar whilst standing on platform pedals.
Get a dropper post.
I had the same problem. Got into MTB on an entry-level hardtail with a Suntour fork, and quickly found its technical limits. I fixed the problem by throwing money at it, but I could just as easily have upgraded my fork and drivetrain. My Fox fork is soooooooo much better than the Suntour.
But there’s no way around needing new tires. I’m getting about 12-18 months out of my tires. Schwalbe Nobby Nics really love the trails around here.
I haven’t heard them. Hope I never do. I don’t visit the woods to hear anyone else’s craptastic music. Get off my lawn.
I took a philosophy class once. The professor was this crazy dude who always had a gin drinking look in his eyes, totally committed to squeezing every bit of experience that life had to offer. He told us we were foolish sheep who had no idea just how fragile our existence was, and eventually he left the university to go fly small airplanes for small paychecks. Oddly enough, so did I.
Anyway, he was also an absolute nut in the gym, but he strongly discouraged listening to music during any sort of exercise, as it detracted from the life of the mind. He said, “the monkeys in your head won’t shut up for that, they will only get louder.”
I installed a hitch, and bought a Thule rack.
Roof racks just seem like time bombs to me…
^^^^^THAT^^^^^
Fear not. Have the LBS tear it down, clean it out, and put it all back together, or send back under warranty.
I have never had a bad experience with Jenson.
If you are scared during downhill, make sure you buy some protective gear:
(a) It will make you FEEL more confident.
(b) It will keep you out of the Emergency Room if (a) fails to do the job.
I’m 48. Pure Mark-one, mod-zero Generation X, and completely impervious to YouTubers and “vlogging,” whatever that is.
IF I’m watching a video, it’s so that I can learn something. Usually, it’s just ONE thing, like scoping out a trail video before I go ride it. This was tremendously helpful in preparing to ride at Mulberry Gap, so I always repeat that pattern.
Mostly I’m about riding. If the video is about anything other than riding, I won’t last ten seconds.
Go play outside.
KO
Bell Super 2R or 3R. No one is going to judge you on the helmet you wear.
I used to drive a Chevy Colorado, then I went with a Subaru Forester. I love the Subie, but I will probably go back to a truck, because nothing beats their utility.
Those pogies were all that I thought about for 90 minutes today. Living in the South has made me into a wuss, it was only 40-ish, and I thought my digits were going to break off…
…I will probably wear my ski helmet next time, it’s insulated and MUCH warmer than my summer bucket.
Mulberry Gap is a pilgrimage to mountain biking Mecca. I cannot recommend it enthusiastically enough. I recommend a two-day stay, riding the Brutal Loop (or maybe just Bear Creek and Pinhoti 1-2) on Day One, and Pinhoti 3-4-5 to Dennis Mill (this requires shuttle service back to Mulberry Gap) on Day Two.
Either way, bring your lungs, and save yourself some trouble by hitting the weight room NOW so you don’t suffer so much in April.
