Which old-school MTB feature do you miss the most?

Front derailleurs, 26" tires, and mechanical disc brakes may be long gone, but that doesn't mean they don't still have their supporters.
By Jeff Barber

  79 comments
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A close-up image of a person's hand holding a tool while adjusting the brake system of a red bicycle. The focus is on the bike's front fork, disc brake, and cable mechanism.
Close-up view of a mountain bike tire featuring the name "ARDENT" in bold green text, mounted on a silver rim. The tire size is marked as 26 x 2.40, with a recommended pressure range of 35-65 PSI. The background includes a textured wall.

Next year marks 50 years since Repack, which many consider to be the first organized mountain bike race ever held. The event got its name because racers needed to repack their coaster brakes with fresh grease after each run, and at the 1977 event, Joe Breeze is said to have tested the first “purpose-built” mountain bike.

Mountain bike technology has come a long way since then, and despite better bikes and better tech, long-time mountain bikers can have a hard time letting go of old standards. We want to know which old tech (if any) Singletracks readers miss the most.

Which old-school MTB feature do you miss the most?

Make you case for your choice in the comments below. 👇

 
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