The Mountain Bike Thread

[John Svahn]

I would guess that with the add-ons (racks, lights, etc) my parent’s bikes are north of 60lbs. I think a different model too-theirs have fat bike tires
Aha, i looked it up, thier’s look to be rad runners

 

[Chris Bellows]

Just got a fat tire bike and have been loving riding the soft sand on the local beaches, especially since they are allowed on the stretches of beach that vehicles are prohibited. Hopefully I'll get a chance this summer to get the real mountain bike up to the trails of Brevard.

 

[Brian Miller]

I've had a 19" "Paratrooper Pro" folding mountain bike since Spring 2012. The thought was to use a folding trailer and do self shuttles with my Watermaster but have not used the WM enough to bother. Decent bike though.

I purchased the oem fenders that work better for folding and rear rack that detaches from the seat post and swings down to become a bike stand, that weren't available when I got the bike. They are now standard on the Pro. The ability to fold makes it heavy at 31 lbs

Paratrooper Pro | Montague Bikes

The Paratrooper Pro is a folding mountain bike that builds on Montague's classic military model with upgraded components. Tackle the toughest terrain with 27 speeds and 100mm of suspension travel or utilize the fork lockout and versatile tire tread for hard packed trails and the occasional...

www.montaguebikes.com

I also have a real nice bike rack with a bolt-on extension for another two bikes.

NV 2.0 Hitch Rack - Küat Racks | Bike Racks

The NV 2.0 is strong enough for any bike, expandable, and built for the long haul. Designed and built with the most discerning enthusiasts in mind.

www.kuat.com

 

[Trout Trekker]

I recently moved to a 29 HT and haven't any new shots to share.

Here are a few shots of my 26 hardtail that I donated to a local cycling co-op that tunes them up and finds them new homes.





I used to ride in the Mojave several days a week.
Often when we think of deserts, we think of sand and dunes. Much of the Mojave is strewn with rock, gravel, clay and sand, where everything living can either stick you, stab you, sting you, bite you or cut you, but it's beautiful in its own way.



Me with the Las Vegas strip off in the distance.



"The first rider in". A shot of me humpin' it in onto pavement from the desert on a 107 degree day that appeared in the Las Vegas Review Journal.



And a shot of a much more relaxed time in the Sierra, on a camping & trail riding trip with some fishing thrown in.

Thanks all.

 

[Josh]

However, I'm about to move to a city with a decent trail system and am in the market for an ebike for commuting 12 miles each way on flat, paved trails that are free of cars.

Before you shell out the cash, make sure that you double check the ebike legality of whatever trails you are going to be riding. Different cities have different rules for "in town" trails (gravel paths) and for the different classes of ebikes. In WA, forest trails are closed unless specifically opened to ebikes.

 

[cody-]

Before you shell out the cash, make sure that you double check the ebike legality of whatever trails you are going to be riding. Different cities have different rules for "in town" trails (gravel paths) and for the different classes of ebikes. In WA, forest trails are closed unless specifically opened to ebikes.

Bike Tri-Cities - City of Richland Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting - Trail Speeds and E-Bikes

I think I should be in the clear since that Radmission is class 2, but I have a friend there who cycles and is going to ask for clarification on my behalf if he finds himself in a local bike shop before I get there.

 

[Brian Miller]

Before you shell out the cash, make sure that you double check the ebike legality of whatever trails you are going to be riding. Different cities have different rules for "in town" trails (gravel paths) and for the different classes of ebikes. In WA, forest trails are closed unless specifically opened to ebikes.

^^^^
For WA DNR, and Gifford Pinchot where I spend most of my backcountry time...
ebike

E-bike Rules and Regulations | Department of Natural Resources

www.dnr.wa.gov

Gifford Pinchot National Forest - Bicycling

Gifford Pinchot National Forest - Bicycling

www.fs.usda.gov

vs human powered

Gifford Pinchot National Forest - Bicycling:Mountain Biking

There is some movement for class 1 ebikes to be allowed on trails open to MTBs but there is stiff resistance from organized hiker and horsemen orgs.

Where Can I Ride My E-Bike on Federal Lands? - Uncommon Path – An REI Co-op Publication

New guidelines are making it tricky to figure out where e-bikes are allowed. Here's what we know right now.

www.rei.com

A private forest I frequent allows non-motorized bikes but not ebikes. The tree farms I'm familiar with allow bikes with a non-motorized permit, but ebikes need a much more expensive motorized permit.

IMHO ebike encounters with hikers, MTBs, and especially horses on trails with a silent ebike capable of 20 mph just seem very hazardous. Feel free to enlighten me.

 

[krusty]

While I only use my ebikes on roads allowing motorized traffic (or paved bike trails allowing such use) and my pedal non-motorized FS & rigid mtbs on mtb trails, I think that Class I ebikes would not pose much of a threat to other users or trail surface integrity. Class I provides assist (up to 20 mph) to pedaling in a very subtle manner...you're not going to see a rider climbing at 20 mph...and on downhills just about any bike can crank along silently at 20+ mph. Class I doesn't have a throttle and ebike motor output assist requires rider pedal power output. Even on 'turbo' my Class I bikes wouldn't provide much of an edge on the flat or climbing trail. No significant pedal power input means no significant motor power contribution.

Running out of battery power in the back-country on a heavy ass ebike (our aluminum framed Terns weigh 57 lbs) would likely be a memorable experience...and could happen relatively easily since battery storage capacity is pretty limited...and spare batteries are very heavy and quite spendy. A spare Bosch 500 W battery costs about $900. We can get about 60 miles on 'Eco' and Turbo drops it into the 20 mile range. They ain't exactly Teslas!

Class 2 and 3 ebikes are a whole different critter, and I suspect we're going to see them more heavily regulated in the future. I know of people who've hacked into their Class 2 bike's throttle control system to allow much greater speeds than 20 mph, but then their range is substantially reduced.

 

[Itchy Dog]

I admit that I haven't owned a bicycle in what must be approaching a decade. However, I'm about to move to a city with a decent trail system and am in the market for an ebike for commuting 12 miles each way on flat, paved trails that are free of cars.

Does anyone more knowledgeable on bikes have strong opinions one way or the other on Rad Power ebikes, particularly more on the budget end with the Rad Mission?

As mentioned, Rad builds a heavy bike. Check out the Specialized Turbo Vado. Seems to be a pretty good commuter.

Turbo Vado - Specialized

Discover the Specialized Turbo Vado electric hybrid bike lineup—SuperNatural Power, refined craftsmanship, and unmatched comfort built to elevate every ...

www.specialized.com

 

[Itchy Dog]

^^^^
For WA DNR, and Gifford Pinchot where I spend most of my backcountry time...
ebike

E-bike Rules and Regulations | Department of Natural Resources

www.dnr.wa.gov

Gifford Pinchot National Forest - Bicycling

Gifford Pinchot National Forest - Bicycling

www.fs.usda.gov

vs human powered

Gifford Pinchot National Forest - Bicycling:Mountain Biking

There is some movement for class 1 ebikes to be allowed on trails open to MTBs but there is stiff resistance from organized hiker and horsemen orgs.

Where Can I Ride My E-Bike on Federal Lands? - Uncommon Path – An REI Co-op Publication

New guidelines are making it tricky to figure out where e-bikes are allowed. Here's what we know right now.

www.rei.com

A private forest I frequent allows non-motorized bikes but not ebikes. The tree farms I'm familiar with allow bikes with a non-motorized permit, but ebikes need a much more expensive motorized permit.

IMHO ebike encounters with hikers, MTBs, and especially horses on trails with a silent ebike capable of 20 mph just seem very hazardous. Feel free to enlighten me.

I’m no expert on ebikes, though I will be considering one (eMTB) in the future, but I am not aware of a silent ebike. From what I’ve read, all motors make some sort of noise while pedaling—it may be little more than an ambient hum, but it is audible. I think the criticism from acoustic MTB riders, at least on single track systems where I ride, comes from a few inconsiderate riders who ride fast (faster than acoustic riders anyway) up the climbing trails and force others to pull over so they can blow past on their Class 1 bikes. Many suggest that eMTB riders use the forest service roads to climb, to avoid conflict. When descending there’s very little difference between e- and non-ebikes: both are going fast. On multi-use trails it’s the downhill rider’s responsibility to be able to stop and yield to uphill travelers. From my perspective, any trails open to a regular MTB should be open to Class 1 eMTBs too.

 

[krusty]

I can't hear my Bosch Tern ebike motor, nor can my wife (who has very good hearing) hear hers or mine. Maybe some ebikes are noisier....haven't been around many.

 

[Brian Miller]

Where Can I Ride My E-Bike on Federal Lands? - Uncommon Path – An REI Co-op Publication

New guidelines are making it tricky to figure out where e-bikes are allowed. Here's what we know right now.

www.rei.com

There is some movement for class 1 ebikes to be allowed on trails open to MTBs but there is stiff resistance from organized hiker and horsemen orgs.

I've recently taken a couple of Forest Service and State Lands surveys asking about my outdoor recreation activities. Both surveys asked about ebikes so land managers are trying to understand current recreation trends and possible conflicts. I figure since groups like The Sierra Club, WTA, (The Mountaineers?), Back Country Horsemen of Washington-America... work so much with Federal and State land managers providing volunteer work parties for maintaining trails and infrastructure, their opinions on whether there are conflicts between their constituents and ebikes will probably carry significant weight for the end-state decisions.

 

[krusty]

Mixed use decisions on cherished public lands are always incredibly complicated, and rendered even more so by user misbehavior, though I believe that such misbehavior is particularly common when a new activity is being informally and initially introduced by enthusiasts possessing little understanding of existing longterm user behavioral norms. By this I mean positive behavioral norms have not yet been established, widely communicated and even sensitive participants may unwittingly commit blunders. A fair number of early mountainbikers honestly had no idea that equestrians couldn't easily control a very large and dangerous animal when it becomes terrified by this thing on two wheels.

For example, Riverside State Park (Washington's largest state park) has a long history of hiking and equestrian use, but when mountain biking became a thing there was considerable conflict with the existing users.....to the extent rangers would cite mountain bikers found riding on any trails and placed such signage on trail access. Enforcement was quite aggressive.

As mountainbiking continued to expand many of its adherents began to understand that their access to the park depended on learning about the specific needs of other users, as well as participating in trail maintenance and self-regulation.

Another factor was ranger retirement and relocations that brought in park management that realized that mountainbiking wasn't going away, but rather could provide a powerful contribution to the park's continued funding and very existence.

I should note that there was once serious consideration given to developers' requests to acquire large portions of the 'under-used' park for prime residential housing....something that would nowadays trigger a firestorm from its wide-userbase and Spokane in general. It's now the second-most visited state park in Washington.

It reminds me a bit of how snowboarding, once an outlaw forbidden activity at many downhill ski resorts, not only achieved acceptance but is now integral to the resorts' economic survival.

These things just take time and a few bruises until the norms are worked out, but ultimately well regulated multiple use often improves the prospects for public land survival. Yes, the land gets more beat up, there's always a few idiots misbehaving, but it's better than attempting to recreate in tracts of houses and paved roads.

 

[Brian Miller]

I can't hear my Bosch Tern ebike motor, nor can my wife (who has very good hearing) hear hers or mine. Maybe some ebikes are noisier....haven't been around many.

Since some ebikes are unable to be heard by other trail users and might startle and otherwise create an unsafe situation for mixed use, rather than creating a difficult to enforce rule based on db (sound) produced by any specific ebike, perhaps a rule that all ebikes must have at least 2 playing cards attached to the rear stays and extending into the spokes at all times while on mixed use trails...

 

[clarkman]

, perhaps a rule that all ebikes must have at least 2 playing cards attached to the rear stays and extending into the spokes at all times while on mixed use trails...

I'm tempted to just put those on my regular hardtail...I've never seen anyone unhappy when doing such a thing...

 

[mtskibum16]

This mountain bike thread has way too much e-bike and gravel bike talk already. Probably should have expected that with the average demographics on a fly fishing forum.

Re: the discussion about bike price. I just sold my 4 year old Transition Scout for only $300 (9%) less than I bought it for new. Much like cars the used market for mountain bikes is not like it used to be.

I just shuffled around a few bikes looking for my next ride. Settled on a 2021 Evil Following. My first 29er so I'm excited to get more time on it. Fun playful fast bike so far.

 

[ThomasM]

As mentioned, Rad builds a heavy bike. Check out the Specialized Turbo Vado. Seems to be a pretty good commuter.

Turbo Vado - Specialized

Discover the Specialized Turbo Vado electric hybrid bike lineup—SuperNatural Power, refined craftsmanship, and unmatched comfort built to elevate every ...

www.specialized.com

Very cool except when one blows by me going uphill. LOL

Ebikes seem to follow the same two basic quantitative frameworks for regular bikes:

1) Light - Strong - Cheap >> You only get to pick two of the three

2) The number of bikes you need is derived by the formula Bn+1 where Bn = the number of bike you currently have. The same formula holds true for guitars, fishing rods, motorcycles and several other essential items. It's sometimes a more complex equation Bn+1 = S/Pg +1 where S/Pg equals spouse/partner gifts.

 

[krusty]

This mountain bike thread has way too much e-bike and gravel bike talk already. Probably should have expected that with the average demographics on a fly fishing forum.

Re: the discussion about bike price. I just sold my 4 year old Transition Scout for only $300 less than I bought it for new. Much like cars the used market for mountain bikes is not like it used to be.

I just shuffled around a few bikes looking for my next ride. Settled on a 2021 Evil Following. My first 29er so I'm excited to get more time on it. Fun playful fast bike so far.

I think we have at least 11 bicycles of various types in the garage. I very much doubt we'd have purchased ebikes if my wife hadn't blown out her knees during her running years (she has one full knee replacement and another 'waiting in the wings' if she doesn't baby her knee).

Ebikes are intriguing, but I find their complexity and very finite short functional lifespan a bit concerning. I have road, mountain, and a recumbent bike that are all perfectly functional after decades of use, and wil continue to be so for the rest of my active life (I'm 70)...but it's quite clear that the same can't be said for any ebike sold today. We are headed for vast quantities of junk ebikes orphaned by rapidly advancing ebike technology (which is extremely complex in terms of computer control and power management).

Much the same could be said for suspension bikes as well...as the hydraulic components deteriorate and fail.

Believe me, once an ebike's power/motor systems inevitably crap out you wouldn't want to be manually pedaling one of these boat anchors around.

 

[sal_the_salmon]

I think we have at least 11 bicycles of various types in the garage. I very much doubt we'd have purchased ebikes if my wife hadn't blown out her knees during her running years (she has one full knee replacement and another 'waiting in the wings' if she doesn't baby her knee).

Ebikes are intriguing, but I find their complexity and very finite short functional lifespan a bit concerning. I have road, mountain, and a recumbent bike that are all perfectly functional after decades of use, and wil continue to be so for the rest of my active life (I'm 70)...but it's quite clear that the same can't be said for any ebike sold today. We are headed for vast quantities of junk ebikes orphaned by rapidly advancing ebike technology (which is extremely complex in terms of computer control and power management).

Much the same could be said for suspension bikes as well...as the hydraulic components deteriorate and fail.

Believe me, once an ebike's power/motor systems inevitably crap out you wouldn't want to be manually pedaling one of these boat anchors around.

its honestly no different then riding a loaded touring bike at that point. not great fun but 100 percent doable esp considering how wide range modern mtb gearing systems are.

the worst thing about ebikes is yielding to them. i always yield to the climbing rider (the right thing to do) but ruining a fun descent for a group of 5 dentists on sworks ebikes just feels terrible.

 

[krusty]

its honestly no different then riding a loaded touring bike at that point. not great fun but 100 percent doable esp considering how wide range modern mtb gearing systems are.

the worst thing about ebikes is yielding to them. i always yield to the climbing rider (the right thing to do) but ruining a fun descent for a group of 5 dentists on sworks ebikes just feels terrible.

And having ridden thousands of miles on fully loaded touring bikes I can attest to the fact they ride like boat anchors.