If we are roadies, what are mountain bikers?

veronese68

To answer the question you didn't ask originally but just alluded to, buy a CX. I don't own a road bike in the pure sense, the CX bike does that. My Cotic MTB is easier and more comfortable off road, but the CX can handle most of it. But it does occasionally get a bit scary. If I could only have one bike the CX would win hands down.

meanredspider

SecretSam wrote:

PPS: gravel bikes are not an evolution of MTBs. They are modern day touring bikes.

I don't think that they are either. If anything they are just a repeat of what the early MTBs were - a ruggedised "road" bike better adapted to go off-road.

In a pedantic response to V68's CX point (with which I largely agree) - if I had to have one bike it would be the gravel/adventure bike (the geometry and gearing being that bit different to a typical CX spec) - but his point's a good one. On it (off-road tyres n all) I could just about keep up with the work cycle club fast boys (empahasis on "just about") yet I've also taken it down the blue run at Learnie Red Rock, my local MTB place. It's perfect for neither. Where it is perfect is on the fire roads/"military roads" between my house and Learnie.

veronese68

meanredspider wrote:

In a pedantic response to V68's CX point (with which I largely agree) - if I had to have one bike it would be the gravel/adventure bike (the geometry and gearing being that bit different to a typical CX spec)

You're right, it is pedantic.
I built my CX up from a frame so it does actually have compact road gearing. I hadn't considered the gearing of a pure CX bike, that is a valid point.

meanredspider

Veronese68 wrote:

meanredspider wrote:

In a pedantic response to V68's CX point (with which I largely agree) - if I had to have one bike it would be the gravel/adventure bike (the geometry and gearing being that bit different to a typical CX spec)

You're right, it is pedantic.
I built my CX up from a frame so it does actually have compact road gearing. I hadn't considered the gearing of a pure CX bike, that is a valid point.

rjsterry

Veronese68 wrote:

To answer the question you didn't ask originally but just alluded to, buy a CX. I don't own a road bike in the pure sense, the CX bike does that. My Cotic MTB is easier and more comfortable off road, but the CX can handle most of it. But it does occasionally get a bit scary. If I could only have one bike the CX would win hands down.

I used to ride my 10sp BSA off road, chrome rims an' all. Slowly, and nothing terribly challenging, but it didn't occur to me that I needed a special bike to cope with an unpaved path and a few tree roots.

veronese68

rjsterry wrote:

Veronese68 wrote:

To answer the question you didn't ask originally but just alluded to, buy a CX. I don't own a road bike in the pure sense, the CX bike does that. My Cotic MTB is easier and more comfortable off road, but the CX can handle most of it. But it does occasionally get a bit scary. If I could only have one bike the CX would win hands down.

I used to ride my 10sp BSA off road, chrome rims an' all. Slowly, and nothing terribly challenging, but it didn't occur to me that I needed a special bike to cope with an unpaved path and a few tree roots.

I used to ride all over Wimbledon Common on a 10 speed Falcon. It didn't hurt as much when I fell off in those days.

rjsterry

Veronese68 wrote:

rjsterry wrote:

Veronese68 wrote:

To answer the question you didn't ask originally but just alluded to, buy a CX. I don't own a road bike in the pure sense, the CX bike does that. My Cotic MTB is easier and more comfortable off road, but the CX can handle most of it. But it does occasionally get a bit scary. If I could only have one bike the CX would win hands down.

I used to ride my 10sp BSA off road, chrome rims an' all. Slowly, and nothing terribly challenging, but it didn't occur to me that I needed a special bike to cope with an unpaved path and a few tree roots.

I used to ride all over Wimbledon Common on a 10 speed Falcon. It didn't hurt as much when I fell off in those days.

True. I've just signed our receptionist's birthday card and realised that I'm almost twice as old as her (shudder).

cooldad

But is she hot?

veronese68

Made me think of the infamous Receptionist thread.

Stevo_666

Veronese68 wrote:

Made me think of the infamous Receptionist thread.

Link?

veronese68

Stevo 666 wrote:

Veronese68 wrote:

Made me think of the infamous Receptionist thread.

Link?

viewtopic.php?f=40012&t=12765242

rjsterry

Veronese68 wrote:

Stevo 666 wrote:

Veronese68 wrote:

Made me think of the infamous Receptionist thread.

Link?

viewtopic.php?f=40012&t=12765242

Ah, those were the days.

Stevo_666

Veronese68 wrote:

Stevo 666 wrote:

Veronese68 wrote:

Made me think of the infamous Receptionist thread.

Link?

viewtopic.php?f=40012&t=12765242

Excellent - one from the depths of history, when Commuting Chat was quite amusing.

lancew

Darksiders

haydenm

rjsterry wrote:

Veronese68 wrote:

To answer the question you didn't ask originally but just alluded to, buy a CX. I don't own a road bike in the pure sense, the CX bike does that. My Cotic MTB is easier and more comfortable off road, but the CX can handle most of it. But it does occasionally get a bit scary. If I could only have one bike the CX would win hands down.

I used to ride my 10sp BSA off road, chrome rims an' all. Slowly, and nothing terribly challenging, but it didn't occur to me that I needed a special bike to cope with an unpaved path and a few tree roots.

I used to ride a fully ridged hybrid thing about 12 years ago when I first got into riding. It was a 'bike', I was 13 and I wanted to ride off road with my friends. We used to ride for ages on the road to get to the spots we liked. I'm not sure that will ever die out with evolution of bikes really.

On the having one bike point, I would give up road cycling and keep my 'enduro' bike. I do love riding my cx bike from time to time and it's great on the road, it could handle everything at trail centres like Glentress but I would die pretty quickly riding the unmarked stuff in the valley...

meanredspider

rjsterry wrote:

Veronese68 wrote:

To answer the question you didn't ask originally but just alluded to, buy a CX. I don't own a road bike in the pure sense, the CX bike does that. My Cotic MTB is easier and more comfortable off road, but the CX can handle most of it. But it does occasionally get a bit scary. If I could only have one bike the CX would win hands down.

I used to ride my 10sp BSA off road, chrome rims an' all. Slowly, and nothing terribly challenging, but it didn't occur to me that I needed a special bike to cope with an unpaved path and a few tree roots.

That's why you're not famous for having invented the MTB... 8)

Stevo_666

meanredspider wrote:

rjsterry wrote:

Veronese68 wrote:

To answer the question you didn't ask originally but just alluded to, buy a CX. I don't own a road bike in the pure sense, the CX bike does that. My Cotic MTB is easier and more comfortable off road, but the CX can handle most of it. But it does occasionally get a bit scary. If I could only have one bike the CX would win hands down.

I used to ride my 10sp BSA off road, chrome rims an' all. Slowly, and nothing terribly challenging, but it didn't occur to me that I needed a special bike to cope with an unpaved path and a few tree roots.

That's why you're not famous for having invented the MTB... 8)

Some people may disagree with the unpaved path and tree roots not meaning you need a different bike 8)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhBPFr3RRso

meanredspider

Stevo 666 wrote:

Some people may disagree with the unpaved path and tree roots not meaning you need a different bike 8)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhBPFr3RRso

God, I wish I had the balls and the talent to do that - it looks utterly awesome

rjsterry

Stevo 666 wrote:

meanredspider wrote:

rjsterry wrote:

Veronese68 wrote:

To answer the question you didn't ask originally but just alluded to, buy a CX. I don't own a road bike in the pure sense, the CX bike does that. My Cotic MTB is easier and more comfortable off road, but the CX can handle most of it. But it does occasionally get a bit scary. If I could only have one bike the CX would win hands down.

I used to ride my 10sp BSA off road, chrome rims an' all. Slowly, and nothing terribly challenging, but it didn't occur to me that I needed a special bike to cope with an unpaved path and a few tree roots.

That's why you're not famous for having invented the MTB... 8)

Some people may disagree with the unpaved path and tree roots not meaning you need a different bike 8)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhBPFr3RRso

Hehe. I did also say it was slow and not terribly challenging. That was neither.

Stevo_666

meanredspider wrote:

Stevo 666 wrote:

Some people may disagree with the unpaved path and tree roots not meaning you need a different bike 8)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhBPFr3RRso

God, I wish I had the balls and the talent to do that - it looks utterly awesome

Me too. The videos make it look so much more do-able but when you're there looking at anything remotely like that it kinda makes you realise how good you need to be and just how big your cojones need to be

rjsterry

Stevo 666 wrote:

meanredspider wrote:

Stevo 666 wrote:

Some people may disagree with the unpaved path and tree roots not meaning you need a different bike 8)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhBPFr3RRso

God, I wish I had the balls and the talent to do that - it looks utterly awesome

Me too. The videos make it look so much more do-able but when you're there looking at anything remotely like that it kinda makes you realise how good you need to be and just how big your cojones need to be

It does look like amazing fun, but then so do those base jumping videos where they swoop down the side of an alp, skimming between pine trees.

meanredspider

Stevo 666 wrote:

meanredspider wrote:

Stevo 666 wrote:

Some people may disagree with the unpaved path and tree roots not meaning you need a different bike 8)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhBPFr3RRso

God, I wish I had the balls and the talent to do that - it looks utterly awesome

Me too. The videos make it look so much more do-able but when you're there looking at anything remotely like that it kinda makes you realise how good you need to be and just how big your cojones need to be

Yup. It doesn't help that one of my colleagues in Inverness was a minor talent at National level and spent what seemed to be more than 50% of the time in plaster or bandages. What made it all the more crazy was that he'd try competing in that state

Stevo_666

rjsterry wrote:

Stevo 666 wrote:

meanredspider wrote:

Stevo 666 wrote:

Some people may disagree with the unpaved path and tree roots not meaning you need a different bike 8)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhBPFr3RRso

God, I wish I had the balls and the talent to do that - it looks utterly awesome

Me too. The videos make it look so much more do-able but when you're there looking at anything remotely like that it kinda makes you realise how good you need to be and just how big your cojones need to be

It does look like amazing fun, but then so do those base jumping videos where they swoop down the side of an alp, skimming between pine trees.

There are all grades of DH that you can do, from downhill paths all the way through to the insane stuff in that video. They even have bike parks where the runs are graded like ski runs from green to black. (I can get down most blacks now but still have a lot to learn). What really does some roadies heads in is taking a van to the top

Base jumping has no in between. As they say, if at first you don't succeed, maybe base jumping isn't for you...

Stevo_666

meanredspider wrote:

Stevo 666 wrote:

meanredspider wrote:

Stevo 666 wrote:

Some people may disagree with the unpaved path and tree roots not meaning you need a different bike 8)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhBPFr3RRso

God, I wish I had the balls and the talent to do that - it looks utterly awesome

Me too. The videos make it look so much more do-able but when you're there looking at anything remotely like that it kinda makes you realise how good you need to be and just how big your cojones need to be

Yup. It doesn't help that one of my colleagues in Inverness was a minor talent at National level and spent what seemed to be more than 50% of the time in plaster or bandages. What made it all the more crazy was that he'd try competing in that state

Bruises and scratches are par for the course, a lot of it depends how hard you are trying. I managed my last trip with no injuries so clearly wasn't trying hard enough

And yep, it quite annoying knowing people like that. A friend of mines son went and cleared a 15 foot drop on a really tricky run where we'd looked over the edge and said no thanks. He was only 15.