Any Mountain Bikers on Here?
- Thread starter jbmccul
- Start date
MONTYMTB
New member
1. Air them up to recommended pressure for your weight (you can find that info on the Fox website), and ride it for a little while - check pressure again to make sure they're holding it.
2. Check the stanchions closely for scratches/wear.
3. After riding it around for a little while (make sure you engage the suspension well) check for leaking oil or fluid.
4. Make sure the lockout/Pro Pedal features work.
5. Check for cracks/damage on the dropouts.
Any issues in those areas can indicate that it's in need of a rebuild or replacement. A rebuild would run you around $200 each (paying someone else to do it), and replacement a lot more than that.
Good luck.
Yesterday we gave the Curt Gowdy State Park in Cheyenne Wyoming a second attempt. The first attempt we had a pretty good ride but it got short by cold rain before we had a chance to get into the really good stuff. This time we got to ride the really good stuff, and that is a huge understatement. It's insanely good, it's mountian bike bucket list good. *It's easily one of, if not the best trail system I've ever ridden. Curt Gowdy is what I pictured mountain biking to be when I first started riding.
We parked at the Volin Trailhead on the East side where the elevation is the lowest and the trails are easy and flowy. We used the 5 mile mostly uphill ride as a warmup to get over to the west side where things get good. There's super technical ups and downs, tons and tons and tons of rock features, there are multiple labeled "play areas" that have 3-4 different ways down, each one having different rock formation obstacles - some are drops, some are slick rock ridges, some are stair step type drops, there was one that looked you you riding down a tube slide at a water park made out of one huge section of slickrock, and they have ways to loop back up to top of play areas are do it again. During our last trip we even came across an actual "freeride play area", complete with very very large drops, berms, wall rides, etc. plus they have a skills area.
The best part might be that there is camping everywhere, the single track literally cuts through some of the camping sites. You can pitch a tent 15 feet from single track. It's not an easy ride by any means, there were a lot of hike a bike over some of the features and super technical sections, especially while trying to go up. The trails are all labeled (on the map) as to their difficulty rating which is pretty acurate for the most part but if you ride some of the advanced trails from the East side you can get in over your head riding the same on the West side where they are much much more technical. It's a good ride for beginners if they stay to the east but it would be straight up dangerous to bring them to the west side, it's a very fun but challenging ride for an intermediate rider (like myself), a truly advanced rider would have the time of their life out there.
I got a bunch of pictures of a bunch of fun stuff but it's nowhere near all of it. And as everyone knows, pictures have a way of a making things appear flat. The pictures are pretty awesome yet they do not do Curt Gowdy justice. I'm really looking forward to a few camping weekends out there next season when my full suspension Devinci build is done.
First the East side heading over to the west.
You get to the west and things start getting more rugged and fun.
Then you get into some of the expert trails and it starts to get a little ridiculous
We parked at the Volin Trailhead on the East side where the elevation is the lowest and the trails are easy and flowy. We used the 5 mile mostly uphill ride as a warmup to get over to the west side where things get good. There's super technical ups and downs, tons and tons and tons of rock features, there are multiple labeled "play areas" that have 3-4 different ways down, each one having different rock formation obstacles - some are drops, some are slick rock ridges, some are stair step type drops, there was one that looked you you riding down a tube slide at a water park made out of one huge section of slickrock, and they have ways to loop back up to top of play areas are do it again. During our last trip we even came across an actual "freeride play area", complete with very very large drops, berms, wall rides, etc. plus they have a skills area.
The best part might be that there is camping everywhere, the single track literally cuts through some of the camping sites. You can pitch a tent 15 feet from single track. It's not an easy ride by any means, there were a lot of hike a bike over some of the features and super technical sections, especially while trying to go up. The trails are all labeled (on the map) as to their difficulty rating which is pretty acurate for the most part but if you ride some of the advanced trails from the East side you can get in over your head riding the same on the West side where they are much much more technical. It's a good ride for beginners if they stay to the east but it would be straight up dangerous to bring them to the west side, it's a very fun but challenging ride for an intermediate rider (like myself), a truly advanced rider would have the time of their life out there.
I got a bunch of pictures of a bunch of fun stuff but it's nowhere near all of it. And as everyone knows, pictures have a way of a making things appear flat. The pictures are pretty awesome yet they do not do Curt Gowdy justice. I'm really looking forward to a few camping weekends out there next season when my full suspension Devinci build is done.
First the East side heading over to the west.
You get to the west and things start getting more rugged and fun.
Then you get into some of the expert trails and it starts to get a little ridiculous
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1engineer
Moderator
Four years ago I was at a bike race to watch my son. There were about 400 entered and it was a sanctioned race. Several pro riders were there, not to race as much as demo new bikes and stuff. It was a regional race, not a national race. Anyway, one of the pro riders decided he would race a Wal Mart bike. I don't remember the brand but it was full suspension with a big spring for the rear suspension. It weighed about 50 lbs. The race was three laps (27 miles) across tough terrain. I rode it the night before with my son and it was nine miles of rocks, roots and climbs. Anyway, the pro finished 3rd overall. You could argue that the competition was weak. I contend that a crap bike in the right hands can (and did) do well. A cheap watch will tell the correct time. A good watch will tell the correct time and look good doing it.
A quality bike doesn't make you fast, the engine (rider) does. The difference is a quality bike will hold up for years and years and years of that type of use, a cheap bike will not. Wallmart full suspension bikes come with warning labels telling you specifically they are meant for pavement and not designed for off road use.
Millerad1651
New member
Would you sell this.....
...for this?....
2015 Giant Trance 27.5 3
In a heartbeat. I have a Casio GShock I got off Amazon for $89 and it works and looks great.
Take a peek at CL. You can get more bang for your buck. A nicely equipped 2 year old bike can be the same price as a lower spec'd brand new bike.
For the most part, the tranny and brakes are similar across the board for the same price.
I would look for a good fork (Rock Shox, Fox, White Brothers...) over having the higher end derailleurs.
Watches, guns, and cars all go hand-in-hand. Mountain bikes fall into that grouping for those of us that like to abuse ourselves 
It's all about mechanical art.
A $5 Timex tells time just as well as a $5k Rolex. A Toyota Corolla will get you from A to B just as well as an outrigged Toyota 4Runner (offroading and whatnot excluded lol).
The majority of my car friends that have exotics, race cars, etc, also collect watches and guns. There's nothing odd about it at all, the appeal for each is actually pretty similar.
It's all about mechanical art.
A $5 Timex tells time just as well as a $5k Rolex. A Toyota Corolla will get you from A to B just as well as an outrigged Toyota 4Runner (offroading and whatnot excluded lol).
The majority of my car friends that have exotics, race cars, etc, also collect watches and guns. There's nothing odd about it at all, the appeal for each is actually pretty similar.
It's all dependent on what type of trails you ride. You can always buy a lot nicer hardtail for the money than you would get for a full suspension bike. I ride some pretty rugged stuff on a hardtail, in my neck of the woods everyone and their mom runs a full suspension bike with 5-6 inches of travel.
I recommend to everyone riding a hardtail for a least a few years because the bike won't help cover for a lack of skills, get good on a hardtail and then switch to a full suspension bike if your trails warrant the extra travel.
Fit is the most important thing, because of that I'd say go to a local bike shop and get sized up for a bike. Best bang for the buck is being used or getting a Motobecane from Bikesdirect.com, the problem with those options for someone new to bikes is lack of support. If you buy from a local bike store a lot of them offer lifetime gear and brake adjustment and it'll come with a warranty that won't involve mailing things places if theres any warranty at all. IMHO on a NEW entry level bike the $600-$800 dollar range is kind of the sweet spot if you want to really use it regularly and have it last for years.
Watches, guns, and cars all go hand-in-hand. Mountain bikes fall into that grouping for those of us that like to abuse ourselves
It's all about mechanical art.
A $5 Timex tells time just as well as a $5k Rolex. A Toyota Corolla will get you from A to B just as well as an outrigged Toyota 4Runner (offroading and whatnot excluded lol).
The majority of my car friends that have exotics, race cars, etc, also collect watches and guns. There's nothing odd about it at all, the appeal for each is actually pretty similar.
I have a 4-Runner because a Corolla (or the GTI I got rid of for the 4-Runner) won't cut it. I needed a 2" hitch for a quality 4 bike rack, 4WD, the ability to get me over mountain passes in snow storms, room for 4 people + bikes or skis and all the gear to go with it. Basic cheap transportation can not do that regularly and reliably.
I don't mean to make it sounds like I'm putting down watch collectors or anything like that, to each their own. All I'm saying is that an expensive watch functions the same as a cheap watch, it's just fancy. With a mountain bike fancy isn't the appeal to higher end stuff, your personal safety, durability, and quality are the appeal. You pay for a nicer bike because the suspension actually has a dampener and not just a contained spring, the cranks wont bend, the the gears will shift right, the wheels will stay straighter, the tires will have more traction, the brakes will be consistent and reliable, etc. There is a point of diminishing returns where your going to pay out the ass for a little extra vanity but that is not the same with department store bikes vs quality entry level bikes.
In general I tend to be frugal, I'm not cheap, I spend a lot of money on things I don't necessarily "need" but I'm very value conscious about how I spend my money. Function always takes priority for me. For example XTR brakes have no real world practical advantage over XT brakes which are mechanically the same as SLX brakes but have a claimed slightly lower weight (which isn't true) and an adjustment that doesn't work all that well. I will not pay for the XTR brakes just to have the top of line if the SLX will do the same thing just as well for a third of the price.
PS. I'm babbling on because I'm a few Redbull and Vodkas deep watching football
Edit- my point is a function bike is better than an unessesarily expensive watch.
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Don't get me wrong - I agree with you entirely on every point. I was generalizing for the sake of explaining how certain interests are somewhat common and related.
I'm very frugal as well. Maybe less frugal and more efficient? I'm very particular about how I spend my money and always try to get the best bang for my buck. That's how I can afford the nicer things I have. I still ride my 2002 Stumpjumper hardtail because I don't need anything better/nicer/fancier. That and I'm single as f**k so I don't have to spend money on anyone else hahahaha.... now I'm sad.
I'm very frugal as well. Maybe less frugal and more efficient? I'm very particular about how I spend my money and always try to get the best bang for my buck. That's how I can afford the nicer things I have. I still ride my 2002 Stumpjumper hardtail because I don't need anything better/nicer/fancier. That and I'm single as f**k so I don't have to spend money on anyone else hahahaha.... now I'm sad.
You're doing it wrong. I make a pretty good living but I married up, my wife makes WAY more money than I do which means I have extra disposable income and I'm not sad. It's the good life.
slapdappy
Banned
If I was going to use it, yes. If only occasionally, no.
I'd buy used. Few things more plentiful than used cars and used bikes for sale.
actually, I'd buy a Santa Cruz.
2015 Giant Trance 27.5 3
I have to admit I don't get the 27.5 thing. Seems like a bunch of marketing people got together and created an answer for a question that was never asked.
Disclaimer: I'm very happy w/ my Santa Cruz Tallboy. Go big or go home.
I'm going to post a few random pictures from epic rides I've done in years past...
First set: Taken from the Rainbow Rim trail, Kaibab National Forest, located on the north rim of the Grand Canyon. This is an epic ride if there ever was one; 18 miles of buff, flowy singletrack that follows the contours of the canyon rim. Super remote, off-the-grid location: your 4runner will have to travel over nearly 30 miles of dirt roads to get you to the trailhead and campsite, and this is after you've already driven out into the middle of nowhere.
Set up your tent just feet from the cliff's edge... Hope you don't sleep walk.
First set: Taken from the Rainbow Rim trail, Kaibab National Forest, located on the north rim of the Grand Canyon. This is an epic ride if there ever was one; 18 miles of buff, flowy singletrack that follows the contours of the canyon rim. Super remote, off-the-grid location: your 4runner will have to travel over nearly 30 miles of dirt roads to get you to the trailhead and campsite, and this is after you've already driven out into the middle of nowhere.
Set up your tent just feet from the cliff's edge... Hope you don't sleep walk.
