Mountain bikers, whats your ride.....?

[Stuart]

Have to disagree on that one, myself and at least three or four others all ride retro, and we often play 'catch/beat the modern bikes' on the trails, we nail them on the climbs, and we're usually passing them, or staying with them on the singletrack/twisties!

My strava times even back up my mates theory, that im faster off-road on my rigid '93 Lava Dome, than on my '98 caldera with front suspension

I'm sure most of the catching people lark is down to fitness.... Most folks with a modern rig will be out of shape (me ) so you will catch them with ease

[grooge]

So why aren't you on 24" then...... Since 26" was clearly fresh marketing waaaay back.

actually started larger than 26 and went down the way, not the other way round

and as for larger wheels being a sales idea edd, largely i would agree but racers on bigger wheels are starting to beat racers on 26" wheels in internatioinal competition....and not on the ups, on the downs more...

and old bikes being faster spud? LOL providing you are riding any sort of proper trails, new bikes are faster without a doubt, when playing catch the rider on a new bike you are only catching them because you are a better rider than them.

[Spudly]

I'm sure most of the catching people lark is down to fitness.... Most folks with a modern rig will be out of shape (me ) so you will catch them with ease

Im still 18 stone and well out of shape, so your theory is out of the window im afraid stubert

Although i do think im slowly rediscovering my bottle, so a lot of my getting faster is down to having the balls to push fast, and push hard!

But then again on the flip side last night, i pushed myself sooo hard on one climb, i was sick a little bit, then on one about half an hour later, i clipped out at the top of the climb, and my legs failed and i collapsed

and old bikes being faster spud? LOL providing you are riding any sort of proper trails, new bikes are faster without a doubt, when playing catch the rider on a new bike you are only catching them because you are a better rider than them.

I dont think i was as clear as i intended there, i wasnt saying that old bikes are faster, i was merely saying i dont agree with Edd's comment that old bikes are crap and dont ride as well as modern bikes is all!

[Stuart]

Weight is not equal to fitness.... And you should know that

Incidentally, mostly for edd the duck, I'm about a minute per km faster on the big wheels than I was on the dinky ones

[Spudly]

Im still three stone overweight and im a lot slower than i could/will be

[Stuart]

I'm less than you and I'm technically 4 stone overweight lmao

[Edd]

Spud, old bikes are OK, I still have my 97 cannondale

But my new bike feels so much better,different geometry, shorter stem etc makes a much better ride

Hydro disc are so much better than v brakes

The difference is massive

[grooge]

I dont think i was as clear as i intended there, i wasnt saying that old bikes are faster, i was merely saying i dont agree with Edd's comment that old bikes are crap and dont ride as well as modern bikes is all!

i see, apologies then! i would agree with you there, i still have a couple 90s konas myself!

edd, well set up v brakes will be as powerful as any hydros, the only downfall is worse brake fade and they dont work well once wet. technically a good v brake would be more powerful than a hydro because of the bigger size of the brake disc (wheel). geometry again is debatable, plenty of old bikes that have much better geometry than the newer versions of the same model! i still agree discs are miles better though, just being awkward much like cars, old and new bikes both have their pros and cons, to say old bikes are **** n new ones are good is a very blinkered approach to take in my opinion. each to their own though i suppose

[Spudly]

Both Edds and your points are about what i was meaning/thinking, i adore my '93 lava dome, but i absolutely love my '98 caldera, judy xc's full xt/xtr, sooo comfy to ride, so responsive, light and comfy, ive tried modern bikes and dont get on with them, and ive also tried hydraulic discs too, while theyre good, im not as happy with the feel of them, as i am with my xt parallel push V's!

Btw, what kona's do you have, and are you on RB

[grooge]

got a 98 stinky like this but not nearly as nice, got it for 50 quid and only use it at fort william on the downhill. still capable of sticking with the new bikes although the shorter travel does give you brutal arm pump!

http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/1331053/

and got a 99 nunu that i got in 02 and will never sell. not much left standard on it though, its been well used over the years! all thats left original is frame, fork, seatpost, handlebars and brake levers! going to change the fork over to a spare z1 i have to get another 20mm travel n put a front disc on it. i'd stay with the v brake but occasionally i do all day runs in the highlands where you can wear out a set of pads in a weekend if its wet, which it usually is



an old phot froma few years ago. i dont use retrobikes mate, not really into anything much older than what ive got and i prefer old frames/forks with modern gearing/brakes etc