The Mountain Bike Thread

Always amazed how fast bike values dropped. A nearly state of the art full suspension Deore XT equipped bike that cost $3.5K can be found for about $1K within a couple of years.
I dunno about that these days. Supply chain issues have tightened everything up in the bike world. Might be a little betternow, but the past couple years have been really tough getting a deal on anything that wasn't 10 years out of date.
 
Since I probably won't be able to afford gas in my boat this summer, maybe I'll take up more biking.
 
I used to MTB a fair bit, back home, because there was no fishing opportunities. I have only gone a few times, since moving here. Raging River is my favorite trail around the Seattle area.

My new home is a 5 min ride from a trail that connects to the Grand Ridge trail. I'm considering buying a bike and getting out there, but the dragon lady is up my ass. If I can convince her that I will use it to lose weight, I can probably get her across the line. 😂

There are so many good hard tails around now. I tested out the Chameleon 27.5+ and 29er, a couple of years ago, and it blew my mind. They're so much more capable than my old Specialized and Trek XC bikes. Below are some of the ones I'm looking at.



This YouTube channel is awesome too.

 
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I dunno about that these days. Supply chain issues have tightened everything up in the bike world. Might be a little betternow, but the past couple years have been really tough getting a deal on anything that wasn't 10 years out of date.
Lotsa new midrange $1k to $2k stuff out there, and it should get even better when the pandemic purchasers find out those bikes don't ride themselves and are just taking up space next to their unused Peloton!

Maybe gas prices will give it a bit of a reprieve, but I'm seeing fewer MAMILs out there on the road than during the height of the pandemic (even accounting for seasonality).
 
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Polygon is selling direct for great prices compared to name brands and the components are great. Loving my T7 for the price I couldn't beat it anywhere.....
 
I started a bike thread a couple years back on the other site where everyone gave me great advice on my pursuit of a cheap gravel/mt bike.

It has been a blast ! My vintage Rockhopper has been ideal. Had a couple of flats and such that had me learning the ropes of repair and maintenance and one very slow over the handles crash that was nothing. Cruising down hills has brought me back the joy of being a grade schooler again.

Have not fished with it but have used it to minimize time between little wild blackberry patches and for birding my local area.

Rockhopper on my beater fishing and trailhead car.
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Wife and I bought a couple of Rockhoppers after we got married back in 1985. Our son “borrowed” mine years later when he went off to college where it promptly got stolen. Wife’s bike is still in the storage locker after all these years and it still looks almost new. They were the bees knees way back then and it’s good to hear they’re still somewhat relevant and appreciated.

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Polygon is selling direct for great prices compared to name brands and the components are great. Loving my T7 for the price I couldn't beat it anywhere.....
REI has some good deals too. I use their CC, pay it off each month, and get a 15% dividend. That paid for a Hobie 12' kayak this year, plus a bunch of other stuff.
 
i used to do a lot of cycling. was a road racer for a while and did quite a bit of MTB / off-road, too. but that was a looong time ago. my speed and danger days are over!

i do manage to get out once in a while on my single speed cyclo-cross bike, though. need to do more!

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Always amazed how fast bike values dropped. A nearly state of the art full suspension Deore XT equipped bike that cost $3.5K can be found for about $1K within a couple of years.
Yes sir I agree with you 100%.
 
I have 2 old bikes from the 90's.
Salsa
KHS

They still get the job done....since i only do easy jobs these days.
 
Do gravel bikes count? I use this to bike to bike in to my favorite bike/hike-in chinook salmon spot in the fall. Typically bike in there in the dark with a headlight, get my fish within the first hour or so, then bike out before most people have breakfast.
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i never would have suspected you as a gravel bro!!! cheers, hit me with a strava follow
 
I have 2 old bikes from the 90's.
Salsa
KHS

They still get the job done....since i only do easy jobs these days.
A good frame and wheels can handle serious technical terrain with the right rider...look what they did back in the cyclocross days!
 
Haven't been on the bikes much at all recently, but will be heading down to Sedona in a few weeks. So looking forward to getting back at it.

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i never would have suspected you as a gravel bro!!! cheers, hit me with a strava follow
haha, hardly. I was just looking for a decent bike and good deal from someone I know on a bike that was waaaaaaaaay more expensive new/retail than I would have ever shopped for, so I got it. Works great for what I use it for. If I ever got serious about trails and whatnot, I'd look to get something else.

I honestly don't know anything about gravel bikes or what dudes typically use them for... or anything about the culture surrounding them.
 
haha, hardly. I was just looking for a decent bike and good deal from someone I know on a bike that was waaaaaaaaay more expensive new/retail than I would have ever shopped for, so I got it. Works great for what I use it for. If I ever got serious about trails and whatnot, I'd look to get something else.

I honestly don't know anything about gravel bikes or what dudes typically use them for... or anything about the culture surrounding them.
i use mine as a quiver killer. i can take it bikepacking or fishing and load it up with gear. i can put fast tires on it and go for a fast road ride, and i can race it offroad in the local cyclocross or easy XC mtb races.

but for me its primary use is an urban slayer. i can ride all over town, hit singletrack trails, cruise on the road at a good speed, and overall just explore anywhere my heart desires. i usually ride from home in downtown and just turn whatever direction feels good. ive discoved so many urban trails and hidden shortcuts since getting this ride. they are fast, effecient, and they make trails "fun" that would be "boring" on a modern mountain bike.
 
I’m “core” so most of my biking is done on this these days…..

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I do ride a little but not much the last couple of years. I did a lot more when I lived in CO. My last fishing/mtn bike combo trip was up the middle fork trail in probably 2019? My current bikes are a Trek Mamba and Trek Crossrip, sadly gathering lots of dust in the garage the last two years. Before I get back to riding on anything more than very flat terrain though, I need to lose some weight. Hence the Peleton…

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