Cubist
Still wavin'
- Location
- Ovver 'thill
Your grin says it all!
Ouch! Baptism by fire..... now I need a MTB >:)
- Thread starter ChrisEyles
- Start date
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Your grin says it all!
Jody
Stubborn git
I'm particularly intrigued by all this "pumping" business, which is like nothing I've ever done on a bike before, and must confess a childish desire to learn how to bunny hop and wheelie
But yes... this mountain biking business is really pretty good, isn't it?
The pumping business is the same principle to standing on the seat of a swing and using your body weight at the right point of the swing to gain momentum. But instead using your bike and the undulations to propel. As for wheelies the best tip is get used to using your back brake to stop you going over the balance point and landing on you arse. Once you have sussed this your away!
and yes MTB is epic.
OP
OP
ChrisEyles
Guru
- Location
- Devon
Couldn't wipe it off my face the whole ride
Gonna have a try on the pump track at the trail centre to see if I can get the body mechanics figured out in my head. Think I need to get some solid basics before launching myself into the air at high speed like I did on my first attempt!
OP
OP
ChrisEyles
Guru
- Location
- Devon
Well I managed to get down the trail centre last weekend with my Marin... and I think I am in love
It felt incredibly different from the bike I'd hired before - the longer stem and lower front end meant it felt a bit less "playful" feeling over the bumps, and I wasn't able to get air anywhere near as easily, which was an initial disappointment... on the other hand keeping the bike grounded is maybe no bad thing while I learn the basics. On the flip side, the weight distribution seems to be ideal for getting a little bit of speed out of trail bumps with both wheels firmly stuck to the floor.
When I put it through its paces a little through some level-ish but fast twisty singletrack, I was blown away by how much more responsive it felt - while I'd previously felt like I was floating around the bends (steering a boat!) on the rental bikes, this one dived into the corners at speed with ease and carving out a nice line felt much easier and more natural... Not sure why this is, maybe just because narrow bars (590mm vs 700+mm) and a longer stem (100mm vs ca 50mm) is more similar to the road bikes I'm used to. On the steeper downs it felt livelier and perhaps a touch less stable than the hire bike, but in a good way, still perfectly in control and a lot of fun. On the ups I found I really need a slightly longer seatpost to get a perfect seated pedal stroke, but will probably stick with what I've got for now, since the current min insertion height is a good compromise for the ups and downs.
Even the gripshifters (which I've hated on previous commuting bikes) felt really nice to use... in fact they brought back to memory my old Honda MTX 125cc which I occasionally messed around with off-road, twisting to accelerate to drop those gears going into a steep up.
Off to the trails again with a friend next weekend, and planning to do a trip out to Dartmoor before the end of the year.
Best £43.50 (well... plus several hours fettling time!) I've spent in a long time
It felt incredibly different from the bike I'd hired before - the longer stem and lower front end meant it felt a bit less "playful" feeling over the bumps, and I wasn't able to get air anywhere near as easily, which was an initial disappointment... on the other hand keeping the bike grounded is maybe no bad thing while I learn the basics. On the flip side, the weight distribution seems to be ideal for getting a little bit of speed out of trail bumps with both wheels firmly stuck to the floor.
When I put it through its paces a little through some level-ish but fast twisty singletrack, I was blown away by how much more responsive it felt - while I'd previously felt like I was floating around the bends (steering a boat!) on the rental bikes, this one dived into the corners at speed with ease and carving out a nice line felt much easier and more natural... Not sure why this is, maybe just because narrow bars (590mm vs 700+mm) and a longer stem (100mm vs ca 50mm) is more similar to the road bikes I'm used to. On the steeper downs it felt livelier and perhaps a touch less stable than the hire bike, but in a good way, still perfectly in control and a lot of fun. On the ups I found I really need a slightly longer seatpost to get a perfect seated pedal stroke, but will probably stick with what I've got for now, since the current min insertion height is a good compromise for the ups and downs.
Even the gripshifters (which I've hated on previous commuting bikes) felt really nice to use... in fact they brought back to memory my old Honda MTX 125cc which I occasionally messed around with off-road, twisting to accelerate to drop those gears going into a steep up.
Off to the trails again with a friend next weekend, and planning to do a trip out to Dartmoor before the end of the year.
Best £43.50 (well... plus several hours fettling time!) I've spent in a long time
My HT which i run has 720mm bars but only 70mm stem and it runs so much better than it used to do, as it was originally XC centric 29'r i like it, but i do belive the next bike is either going to be a bouncy bike or possibly a 27.5.
even though i have read the 29r is better for taller people im 6ft it still feels like you described on the more technical stuff like driving a tank round corners
great to hear you enjoying the MTB though it's the best thing in the world, just wish i had more time to get out on mine, but just so busy lately i have to be happy with commuting 5 days a week haha, just not the same ;-)
even though i have read the 29r is better for taller people im 6ft it still feels like you described on the more technical stuff like driving a tank round corners
great to hear you enjoying the MTB though it's the best thing in the world, just wish i had more time to get out on mine, but just so busy lately i have to be happy with commuting 5 days a week haha, just not the same ;-)
Psycolist
NINJA BYKALIST
- Location
- North Essex
The smile on your face in the middle pic says it all. As a fairly recent convert to off roading myself, that feeling comes on every outing. Road riding had become tedious for me. The same routes, seeing the same things took the shine off riding for me. Now, two and a half years after going off road, I still find myself smiling on every outing.Went out to Woodbury common yesterday with the bike and did a couple of hours riding. Mostly cross country trails, but with the odd bit of single track and some technical-ish bits through the woods. Had a fantastic time and no spills this time
Seems to me that moutain biking takes a fair bit more skill than road riding though, I have a lot to learn! Planning on going back to the trail centre next weekend and seeing if I can get the knack of it a bit more. I'm particularly intrigued by all this "pumping" business, which is like nothing I've ever done on a bike before, and must confess a childish desire to learn how to bunny hop and wheelie
View attachment 106452 View attachment 106451 View attachment 106453
Only downside is I bent the rear mech a shade putting the bike back in the car boot, and am having difficulties getting it to work again after removing it to straighten the cage (have asked in the technical thread for help!)... may have to swallow my pride and ask the LBS for help so I can get the bike back on the road for the weekend.
But yes... this mountain biking business is really pretty good, isn't it?
arch684
Veteran
I have been riding road bikes for more years than i want to remember but last week i bought an old mountain bike,a Specialized hard rock took it home striped in down cleaned it and gave it a full service.I fitted a new BB and new tubes.Yesterday i took it out to the local nature reserve with miles of tracks and dirt roads.2 1/2 hours later i came home knackered hungry but very happy.That was the first time i have ever cycled off road.Oh and the bike cost me £10.
OP
OP
ChrisEyles
Guru
- Location
- Devon
Out at the trail centre again this weekend, enjoying bombing through the muddy puddles 
I'm enjoying switching between road and off-road cycling immensely - the road bike feels positively turbo-charged after slogging through the mud on the MTB, and it's great fun tackling terrain I wouldn't ever dream of taking my road bikes on the MTB.
I am already accumulating upgrade wishes for the bike..... new seatpost (the current one is a tad short), new forks (the bushings are shot on mine and it is a bit clunky - will probably go rigid so looking for some Kona P2's), new pedals (current ones plastic naffo specials)... good job xmas is coming up!
I'm enjoying switching between road and off-road cycling immensely - the road bike feels positively turbo-charged after slogging through the mud on the MTB, and it's great fun tackling terrain I wouldn't ever dream of taking my road bikes on the MTB.
I am already accumulating upgrade wishes for the bike..... new seatpost (the current one is a tad short), new forks (the bushings are shot on mine and it is a bit clunky - will probably go rigid so looking for some Kona P2's), new pedals (current ones plastic naffo specials)... good job xmas is coming up!
Attachments
Motozulu
Über Member
- Location
- Rugeley, Staffs
Glad you love it! now going fully rigid! that is hardcore! you will need a lot more skill and strength to ride a rigid bike off road - I know I've got the full set - full suss long travel, hardcore HT and a SS rigid. The rigid is by far the hardest bike to master.
OP
OP
ChrisEyles
Guru
- Location
- Devon
Aha, yes I kind of suspected this, but I'm up for a challenge... So far I've enjoyed the short-travel 50mm ride on my bike much more than the more modern forks on friends/hire bikes - maybe silly but I felt a little bit like I was being robbed of fun when my suspension did most of the work for me over the rough stuff.
It's also hopefully the easiest (and cheapest!) to keep running! Just need to have a think about axle-to-crown distances and rake/trail etc etc and find a decent 2nd hand fork...
It's also hopefully the easiest (and cheapest!) to keep running! Just need to have a think about axle-to-crown distances and rake/trail etc etc and find a decent 2nd hand fork...
