The Mountain Bike Thread
- Thread starter Josh
- Start date
The Concept 2 rowers are bullet-prooof. I've had mine for about 7 years. Before that I had a Precor that I wore out at about 20 years and replacement parts were not available. Enjoy the rowers the most...about the best full-body workout that exists, but I also use a stationary bike and a host of exercises that I picked up over the years from physical therapists. Most days I walk 7 to 15 miles...fortunately my marathoning days didn't destroy my knees (unlike what happened to so many of my old running partners).
At 71 I can literally feel my strength and especially range of motion/flexibility rapidly diminish if I don't workout at least three days a week. Adequate recovery between hard workouts is absolutely essential.
So many of my acquaintances slowly entered the spiral to disability by letting their 'human machine' fall apart by sheer lack of use.
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Man, one of my regrets in life was selling my Concept 2 rower. That was the best exercise for prepping for dirt biking and mtb. And fitness in general. I thought it was possibly giving me back issues so I sold it to a local crew team kid. I'm sure he put it to good use!I go through phases of using 2 or 3 devices 4 times a week. Been doing that for 30 years. I am not a fitness freak though. I work out to prepare me for the seasonal recreations I enjoy. Telemark skiing in the winter, backpacking, mountain biking, hunting, paddleboarding. I also NEED to keep the muscles firing for my work, construction only becomes more challenging with every year.
Yep, keeps the blood pressure in check too.
No dust here, unless I leave the garage door up when the wind is whipping the prairie.
I ended up replacing it with a used Nordic track commercial grade elliptical that is a great low impact indoor workout during our long winters. I turn on the TV and watch basketball highlights or Catch Magazine and 20-30 minutes slips right by like nothing.
I've ridden your neighborhood. Great bike trails! In fact, my wife wants an e-bike because of your trails. Haha! That view never gets old.
So here's to knowing nothing about MTB's - I rode one once before I moved to Ephrata which was 37 years ago. This past summer I rode a "cruiser" (one speed) while staying in LA (burn, burn). So for a 74 year old who keeps thinking a MTB might be fun but knows he's never going to be competing in the Ephrata Grand Fondo but would perhaps like to ride off road on trails (Beezley Hill here on the edge of town has a few dozen trails from far too steep to moderate), what would I look for? Why a "hard tail" (whatever the hell that is). ODI? Chester (wasn't he on Gunsmoke?)... @Josh - feel free to delete my thread. How often does a bike need a tune up? A friend of mine waited a couple months to get his tuned up............ huh. Jitenshaya-san: nope.I used to ride quite a bit, but have been too busy fishing the last 2 years. Tough problem I know.The bug is back though. I'll probably go for a short ride tomorrow morning. I can ride decent little trails right from my house so don't have to worry about some dumbass breaking my rig.
My bike is a 2018 Nukeproof Scout 27.5 hardtail. It's the Sport trim which is their lowest that year, but still great components for under $900. I'm almost 6'4" so I need an XL and I had a damned hard time finding one (in any brand) in stock in the US. Chain Reaction cycles had this one for $849 and only $69 to ship it across the pond. Nukeproof is an English brand, but the bikes are made in Poland. The Scout is a really fun hardtail with way slack geometry, perfect for my long back. And I'm one of those flat pedal BMX types so it's perfect for me.
I've added RaceFace Chester pedals, ODI waffle grips and a PNW Rainier IR dropper. BTW, if you're new to the MTB game and happen to ride a hardtail, make a dropper your first mod.
She's purty-
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This is the old steed that she replaced. I miss it sometimes...and then I go ride the Nukeproof and forget all about it. Haha! It was pretty sick for it's time though! I added the Drake fork, bars (off my KTM!), grips and neck.
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Fairly obvious I'm a sucker for blue & red bikes. Unless it's a BMX bike, then it has to be orange! Here's the old Redline I rescued from the bushes down the street in 2009. I had to pretty much rebuild it from the frame up. Probably stolen and dumped. I put out Craigslist ads and FB posts for a few weeks. When nobody came forward I rebuilt it.
It became my youngest son's neighborhood clanker so he wouldn't break is race bike doing dumb stuff on the pavement. I figured out it's a 1999 Redline XX.
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Stacy
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Hard tail = no rear suspension.
Ar 74, and for what you're describing, you might enjoy a mid drive, E Mt Bike.
absolutely...
started out surfing as a pre-teen with a posse of buddies...aside from the brothers we've lost to cancer and heart attacks, only myself and one other bro still regularly paddling out..the rest got fat and lazy, quit working out, way too many beers and steaks...all of them on heart and blood pressure meds, diabetics, etc. Meanwhile bro and I on the same plan...swim laps, spin, lift, walk..eat fresh and lean, avoid sugar. Wife follows the same regimen, has taken her through cancer, a serious injury/operations and is key to maintaining her health against an auto-immune disease that hit her 6 years ago.
Our 46 year old daughter is the same x10. In bed with covid 10 days ago, today she finished first in her age group in a sprint triathalon in Idaho, here with daughter fresh from the finishing 2.4 mile lake swim. Money just buys better stuff, health is true wealth.
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I had to Google mid drive (a motor). Thanks. I don't suppose my $500 - $700 budget is even close! ;-)
Divad
Whitefish
You can get a Bafang kit for $400 to add to a bike, everything included. Been looking at this for a while, really want to try it.
I'm two months shy of 72. five weeks ago I started riding my bike around town, Mill City has several levels up from the river. The first week I would ride about 15 minutes and would be whipped. I rode every other day, pushing farther each time. After the 1st week I went to every day. I am now riding 35 to 70 minutes and don't feel whipped anymore. I have lost nine pounds, and all the leg and back pains are gone.
Forgot to mention I have a Kona Hahanna
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I've been looking at those too. Unfortunately, that $394 is without the battery. That kit is about $800 once you add a battery. Which, if you already have a bike you like, is better than spending $1500+ on a bike you haven't ridden yet and don't know if you'll like long term.
@Buzzy Trek Bicycles in Wenatchee rents bikes for $100 a day. Rent one for a day or 2, hit those trails and see if you like it. If not, you've saved yourself a LOT of money. If you do, well, start saving and you can find a decent used mountain bike (MTB for short) for $300-500. Something like this-
Specialized Pitch Size Medium - bicycles - by owner - bike sale
Specialized Pitch Size Medium with disc brakes and shocks work great with a lockout feature. $300 Firm
wenatchee.craigslist.org
The most important is the right size. Need test ride it and make sure you're comfortable. If you're average height and length, you probably need a medium or large frame. If you're tall, a large or even XL. And the brakes work!
You could ride it the rest of the summer and then probably sell it for the same amount. Or, if you like it, but want some help from a motor, order that $800 kit and now you have an e-mtb. Then you can put all sorts of crap like Chester pedals, ODI grips and a dropper post. Haha! Just like us fisherman have hundreds of brands and our own lingo, the mtb world might have even more! And yes, I've sold fly fishing gear to buy riding gear. And vice versa. The "hobby funds" have to stay fairly level.
Thanks, Stacy - helpful. The bike in the link is a "medium". For fun (fun?) I Googled fitting a MTB to me and came up with a couple quick and easy ways to determine bike size - a quick and dirty little chart:I've been looking at those too. Unfortunately, that $394 is without the battery. That kit is about $800 once you add a battery. Which, if you already have a bike you like, is better than spending $1500+ on a bike you haven't ridden yet and don't know if you'll like long term.
@Buzzy Trek Bicycles in Wenatchee rents bikes for $100 a day. Rent one for a day or 2, hit those trails and see if you like it. If not, you've saved yourself a LOT of money. If you do, well, start saving and you can find a decent used mountain bike (MTB for short) for $300-500. Something like this-
Specialized Pitch Size Medium - bicycles - by owner - bike sale
Specialized Pitch Size Medium with disc brakes and shocks work great with a lockout feature. $300 Firmwenatchee.craigslist.org
The most important is the right size. Need test ride it and make sure you're comfortable. If you're average height and length, you probably need a medium or large frame. If you're tall, a large or even XL. And the brakes work!
You could ride it the rest of the summer and then probably sell it for the same amount. Or, if you like it, but want some help from a motor, order that $800 kit and now you have an e-mtb. Then you can put all sorts of crap like Chester pedals, ODI grips and a dropper post. Haha! Just like us fisherman have hundreds of brands and our own lingo, the mtb world might have even more! And yes, I've sold fly fishing gear to buy riding gear. And vice versa. The "hobby funds" have to stay fairly level.
Mountain Bike Size Chart
Height → Bike Size (numeric) → Bike Size (T-Shirt)
4’10”-5’2” → 13”-14” → X-Small5’2”-5’6” → 15”-16” → Small
5’6”-5’10” → 17”-18” → Medium
5’10”-6’1” → 19”-20” → Large
6’1”-6’4” → 21”-22” → X-Large
6’4”-6’6” → 22”-24” → XX-Large
I used to be 6'-0", I'm a bit shorter now but still in that 5'-10" - 6'1" range for a 19" - 20" → Large (whatever that means) ;-)
I hear you about bike lingo and the comparison to fishing lingo - even in limits of fly fishing the lingo can be confusing to me (more often than not).
Txs again/Pat
BriGuy
Life of the Party
Good for you! Keep up the good work.
One caution, though. I used to ride my road bike quite a bit, including club rides and some longer climbs. All of my riding buddies developed back issues. I developed back issues myself. I grinned and bore it and just kept riding through them. Then I got lazy when my riding buddies retired or took different jobs, and I started riding much less. My back issues went away completely. A road bike riding position can mess with your back. A more upright mountain bike position is probably much better. So, if you notice that your back is starting to hurt, take it a bit slower. Otherwise, ride it like you stole it...
When mtn. bikes first came out, I was in Salt Lake. I quickly learned biking uphill in the Wasatch was a shitload of work meant for someone actually in shape. We weren't. So pile the bikes in the truck, cruise up Millcreek Cyn. and bike DOWN the pipeline trail. Now that's fun...
Hem
Life of the Party
Yes, ..have to say the Concept 2 rower might possibly be the money I ever spent.
I've replaced some minor parts but that is one well built exercise machine.
Nice ride! Those are such nice bikes. Which one is that?
This one is a 2015 Pivot Les 29. I was looking used a few years ago and really wanted a 27 to replace a '91 GT (it was time!). But 27's were hard to come by. When I saw this I could easily get over the 29 part, and now glad I did given my size.