Mountain bike or funked up hybrid?

secretsam

Want to get something of a knobbly persuasion for running round the woods, etc with the kids, now that they are big enough for proper bikes

Options are a boggo MTB, probably front susp only, or to use either my old steelie or an old Spesh Sirrus with knobblies fitted (won't be doing any heavy duty jumps, just ploughing round tracks, etc.)

Thoughts?

notsoblue

Cyclocross!

veronese68

SecretSam wrote:

use either my old steelie or an old Spesh Sirrus with knobblies fitted (won't be doing any heavy duty jumps, just ploughing round tracks, etc.)

Cross tyres on either of those would be more than adequate.
When I were a lad before mountain bikes were invented...

meanredspider

If you're just going around the woods and not looking for an excuse to buy a great MTB, then CX knobblies alone would be your best route. A cheap MTB is just likely to be heavy and frustrating.

UndercoverElephant

My CX bike is crap off road. There, I've said it.

If off-road means anything other than a muddy field, get a mountain bike. Front suspension is a must, as is a proper thick tyre.

bushu

similar boat here, my mongoose is great for dj in the park/woods - it just pedalling my arris there on it i'm fed up with. plus its no good for my knees/back as its for flicking over jumps & eating up hardpack on 4x trails imho not slogging it miles to get knackered before i get there

so plan is build/hack a true XC mtb with my mongoose gubbins and a trek frame so i can play out with others & family pootles

i've also been looking at the CX route, but as others have mentioned i think anything more than a festival type mud field and your gonna be struggling e.g. roots & rocks in the woods

^since when did fl!cking become abusive!?

walkingbootweather

CX, hybrids or even old tourers are fine on rough tracks. Knobbly tyres give a bit of grip in the mud but if there isn't enough clearance things can get sticky. If you have the space to store one, a MTB with front suspension and suitable gearing is more appropriate for playing in the woods and can be picked up pretty cheaply second hand. Besides it will prevent getting your good bike dirty and n+1 is always a good idea, right?

supersonic

Depends how fast you want to go, and with that, the terrain and your skill.

If you are pootling along easy paths, then knobblies on what you have will suffice. If you are going to plough around rough, undulating tracks and tackle more demanding terrain then MTB all the way. You will get far more out of it, will be more stable, better geared, more comfortable, more grip and will handle rocks, roots and drops with more aplomb.

jimmypippa

Just because it is tangential to this discussion and I like the video

3 peaks Cyclecross in 3-minutes (youtube)

supersonic

All looks like smooth surfaces and walk up the hard bits to me!

The Rookie

I'm suggesting a compromise of an MTB with Rigid forks and knobblies, would be fine round most woods (many people I ride with have a rigid for our local wooded trails).

veronese68

The Beginner wrote:

I'm suggesting a compromise of an MTB with Rigid forks and knobblies, would be fine round most woods (many people I ride with have a rigid for our local wooded trails).

You're not wrong there. I used my Marin for years over all sorts of terrain. I might be selling it depending on what I decide to do about upgrading the Jake. Where are you Sam? You are welcome to have a go and make me a derisory offer that I laugh at.

roger_merriman

The Beginner wrote:

I'm suggesting a compromise of an MTB with Rigid forks and knobblies, would be fine round most woods (many people I ride with have a rigid for our local wooded trails).

it's what I and many others of a suitable vintage cut our teeth on, not much you can't cope with, that's not to say that big tyres disks etc aren't great.