The Mountain Bike Thread

Just took a Ride Leader certification class from the local MTB group so I can help run a after school club with the elementary school. I've been helping run the bike safety in-town after school club with the school for years. So I was a bit overdue to get certified officially.
 
What is the word on 27.5 vs 29er on our local trails here in western washington. I am going to put in an order to one of our local manufacturers but undecided on wheel size i want to go with.
I know alot of California dudes n gal's really love the 29er thing but our trails are quite different, and I have not been able to get out and observe what most appear to be running.
 
DanielOcean said:
What is the word on 27.5 vs 29er on our local trails here in western washington. I am going to put in an order to one of our local manufacturers but undecided on wheel size i want to go with.
I know alot of California dudes n gal's really love the 29er thing but our trails are quite different, and I have not been able to get out and observe what most appear to be running.
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This might spin some panties but it’s more of a preference than a geographical demand at this level.

I demo’d two Santa Cruz’s same model but different tire size in Monterey and I felt I could flick the bike easier on the 27.5. That was without plus tires, then I added the plus tires and the Cadillac effect was more apparent as that of a 29er, but with less flick. It was in my eyes the same as the 29 at that point with the benefit of more versatility.

I may be more swayed to a 29 for a hardtail though.
 
DanielOcean said:
What is the word on 27.5 vs 29er on our local trails here in western washington. I am going to put in an order to one of our local manufacturers but undecided on wheel size i want to go with.
I know alot of California dudes n gal's really love the 29er thing but our trails are quite different, and I have not been able to get out and observe what most appear to be running.
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29er is king everywhere for general trail riding these day IMO. Everyone is different and many still prefer 27.5, but 29er is the new default. So unless you have a specific reason to go 27.5 (short, big in to jumps, etc) my advice would be to go with a 29er. I was a big wheel skeptic for a long time. Held my last 26 longer than I should have. Eventually went 27.5 and it was better in every way. Just got my first 29er and I really don't notice any downsides either. The geometry and suspension design will determine how long, quick turning, or playful a bike is more than simply wheel size. My 29er is actually shorter, quicker turning, and more playful than my last 27.5. And on top of that it has all the normal 29er advantages of being faster rolling and having better rollover too.
 
mtskibum16 said:
29er is king everywhere for general trail riding these day IMO. Everyone is different and many still prefer 27.5, but 29er is the new default. So unless you have a specific reason to go 27.5 (short, big in to jumps, etc) my advice would be to go with a 29er. I was a big wheel skeptic for a long time. Held my last 26 longer than I should have. Eventually went 27.5 and it was better in every way. Just got my first 29er and I really don't notice any downsides either. The geometry and suspension design will determine how long, quick turning, or playful a bike is more than simply wheel size. My 29er is actually shorter, quicker turning, and more playful than my last 27.5. And on top of that it has all the normal 29er advantages of being faster rolling and having better rollover too.
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Thank you sir.
 
mtskibum16 said:
What bikes are you looking at? Category or suspension travel of the bike is much harder to choose for me. Where are you riding (or wanting to ride) mostly?
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Mid travel 27.5 or Mid travel 29er I am still on the heavy side and I enjoyed my last giant trance well. I am wanting something affordable in the 2-3k range that I can get back into the swing of things with. My local hill is capital forest and plan on doing the easy going stuff for now but my goal is to hit whistlers modest stuff next year. I am thinking anything in the 140-160 range for the front is prefered. I don't put any thought into the climbability of the bike cause if I want the bike to climb better I just need to lose 10 more pounds LOL. So enjoy being a little overbiked for the downhill stuff

Bikes im looking at:

Kona process 150 or the 140
Transition sentinal or scout
specialized stump jumper
giant trance or reign

What I would ultimately love to find is a lightly used transition or Kona cause I want a "washington" bike LOL
 
The problem I have in our area with "not concerned with the climbing ability" is we have so much punchy up and down pedally stuff where a good pedaling bike can really be an advantage. It's more about the suspension design than the weight. That said most bike are relatively decent these days. It sounds like you're on the right track. Bike categories are usually defined more by the rear travel so that's what I'll use here.

The couple times I've ridden Capital Forest I'd say it's not a big bike area. A 120-140 rear travel bike is probably the sweet spot and I would for sure give 29er the nod for that system. I had a 2018 Scout and it was a great bike - if you found one in your size and price range I wouldn't discount it just because it's 27.5. A Scout, Sentinel, or Smuggler of that vintage would be a good choice and probably be available in your price range. The v1 Sentinel is a pretty "big" 140 bike though and is a borderline enduro bike. Still not an unreasonable choice and will handle about anything in the area and some Whistler duties. I'm a Transition fan-boy but am a bit disappointed in their current lineup. I don't feel they have an all-around 29er trail bike. The Spur is too light duty and the v2 Sentinel is a playful Enduro bike. I was really hoping they'd bring back the Smugger as a 130ish rear trail bike. Stumpy and Fuel Ex are right in there and there should be aluminum versions in your price range. I am much more knowledgeable about the higher end options, but watch pink bike for something with 120-150 rear travel in your size and see what pops up in your price range. Some of the direct to consumer brands offer great value too.
 
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mtskibum16 said:
. I'm a Transition fan-boy but am a bit disappointed in their current lineup. I don't feel they have an all-around 29er trail bike. The Spur is too light duty and the v2 Sentinel is a playful Enduro bike.
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I agree with this completely. It does confuse me that the sweet middle spot for travel is their 27.5 bike. I am noticing a shift to a buyers market on the used bike front. I have pre selected searchers for pink bike and craigs and I think I can get one hell of a bike for 2500 to 3k. I have even seen a few carbon bikes with modest builds in that price too. Come September is when I plan on making the purchase. My daughter is looking forward too it also.
What I really want to do is visit Galbraith as that is where I am from and I have not been up in whatcom county in a long time. Good times coming soon yee haw
 
reccomendations for a step-through or low bar rider suitable for hardpack and asphalt, 6'2 x 185# rider? Now 72 , a cracked rib sliding out on a turn last year officially retired me from downhill runs.
Have been considering installing a Bafang 750W mid drive on my Trek Verve disc because I like the frame so much, decided I would rather keep it as is. Suggestions?
 
I live in interior Norcal in the mountains so my opinion might not be applicable, but...
I have a stumpjumper in a 29 and find it incredibly capable. I switched from years of enduros and am quite happy, and see a lot of people going the same route ( on the trails and at the specialized dealership at which I very occasionally work). Most of our trails are of the big up and big down variety.
 
DanielOcean said:
I agree with this completely. It does confuse me that the sweet middle spot for travel is their 27.5 bike. I am noticing a shift to a buyers market on the used bike front. I have pre selected searchers for pink bike and craigs and I think I can get one hell of a bike for 2500 to 3k. I have even seen a few carbon bikes with modest builds in that price too. Come September is when I plan on making the purchase. My daughter is looking forward too it also.
What I really want to do is visit Galbraith as that is where I am from and I have not been up in whatcom county in a long time. Good times coming soon yee haw
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I have yet to ride in Bellingham, but I'd love to make it up there.

I recently sold my 2018 Scout for $3100 and also purchased a 2020 Norco Optic (carbon frame and a bike worth considering for you) for $3250 locally with a nice build kit. That was a deal when there really weren't deals to be had. Good luck in your search and give a shout if you have any questions.
 
More of a roadie here, but when I look at 29" MTB wheels and tires, all I see is a lot of unsprung weight. Does this mean that MTBers aren't the weight weenies that roadies tend to be?
 
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