Bikes and Tundra

I’m pretty sure my wife would kill me and my bank account would cry. Between my bike and the kids’ bikes another one is a bit too much at the time unfortunately. But, one day I will have another.

 

wreck your back, wreck you knees, and get old. You'll get a full-suspension couch to ride, too... lol

 

Definitely rough on the body.

I rode singlespeed rigid mtb for a little over five years on rocky, rooty east coast single track.

I absolutely loved it, especially since everyone else was pretty much on full squish...but it did take a toll on me, now at 56 y.o.



SPP

 

Hardtails are a blast but after unrelated injuries it was time to go to a full cush. But a will say that the full suspension bikes being produce at the 2k price point (still a lot of money but as expensive as any other hobbie) are simply incredible. Years ago (15) a family member owned a bike shop and I had the opportunity to ride some of the best bikes available by Giant and Cannondale. They were very good but with the geometry and quality of entry level parts like Shimano Deore, a modern quality entry level full suspension is hands down better. Unfortunately there is significant marketing at play in the mountain bike world that will have you believe a 4K is the only bike to own if your a serious rider and that simply not true. Are they better in many aspects…sure…but how many guys here have a blast in their SR5 Tundras…

 

My favourite is the modern 1x gears. I was skeptical of them as I like my cadence in a very narrow band but it's been working out great. I love it.

 

Completely agree…there are many game chargers on modern bikes, steeper head angles, wider bars, etc etc but the 1x is definitely one of the best. Personally I love simplicity.

 

I have a few artificial parts but hard tail single speed is the way for us flat landers.

 

i feel like the majority of the mtb crowd buys the latest and greatest for fear of not having the latest and greatest. In reality, most do not even come close to using a bike to its potential. Mtb’s change so often it almost seems like a scam to keep people spending. They just decided a fox 38 will have less flex than a fox 36? Really? Could they not have decided that 10 years ago? Propriotary derailur (spelling) hangers? Fuck off. Constant wheel size changes? Yep lets keep them guessing. Coming from a dirt bike background you see how similar and awesome bike geometry and suspension are. How is it the mtb industry needs 50 different rear linkage set ups when santa cruz probably had it figured out years ago. Copy it, improve on it, dont design some wierd, ego driven linkage with 24 pivots, 48 bearings and 3 shocks.

anyway, rant over. I love bikes but i refuse to be blinded by the industry marketing knowing full well my cheap (whever that means) $3000 Commencal metaAM with obsolete 27.5” wheels could out ride me, and 90% of the people out there.

 

Cheapish Commencal metaTR over here and feel the same way. Isn't the hanger proprietary though?

 

It is yes. drives me insane everytime I get a different bike im worried about ruining a trip over a broken mount because no one has my particular one in stock. Speaking of which, i should order one.
How you like the TR? I wanted one but they were out of my budget at the time. AM is a savage on the downs but its a pig going up.

 

http://bamatube.weebly.com/blog/killing-yourself-to-live

 

Good read

 

Have had several couches. My back is fine and so are my knees, already old. Next couch I get will be an high end e-bike to retire on.

 

I'm 53 and still ripping that sweet east coast single track. The hard tail keeps me in check and keeps my skills up. Rode moto almost my whole life, a full squish and me means very high speeds. Can't afford to get hurt anymore. Also, it's not like my hard tail is old, it has modern geometry and rips. The hard tail keeps my speed in check and makes me flow with the trail, I'm in love with it.

 

I ordered a spare just in case and because they were in stock. I really like the TR but don't have a lot to compare it to. I think fitness is the only thing holding me back a bit on the climbs but I'm working on it.

 

Yeah but add the rigid fork and holy shit does it beat you up...\


SPP

 

I finally got rid of my last remaining all rigid bike (a 1992 Trek Antelope) not too long ago. It was useful to keep around for relatives/friends, but after getting a couple of hard tails a few years ago there was no need to keep it other than nostalgia. I gave it a tune up some years ago and took it out, and yeah it sure did beat me up. Never rode it again, not even on the occasional 'round the block ride with the family. I don't know how I ever rode this thing. And I don't know if it's just age (both myself and the bike lol) vs way outdated parts/tech, but even my FS non eMTB walks all over it on climbs, with or without locking the suspension.

This isn't mine, but the one I had was the same color.

 

Yeah my fork is 135

 

I'm 57 so I went 140mm.

 

Sweet bike!

 

Found a pic...April 2015, SingleSpeed-A-Palooza, Stewart State Forest.

Climbing on a single speed with a rigid fork is where its at!

July 20, 2021 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

I still have this bike, Kona Raijin with carbon Niner fork, but it is set up 1x9 nowadays.

SPP

 

I went both of best worlds. When I was moving from hardtail to full suspension, I found a steel single-pivot bike. Low maintenance, low chance of frame damage, still squishy.

 

Just picked up this trance x 2.

 

I'm pretty sure some dude blew passed me on one of those earlier this evening. Love the color, it's unmistakable.

And no, I'm not a slow rider. I was walking my dogs on the fire road that leads to my local trails.

Congrats!

 

'21 Orbea Oiz, very happy with it...

Kinda cool both Tundra and bike have Fox front and back

 

For you folks who pack tools along for bike rides/trips, what tool box are you using to haul your bike tools?

I'm considering: https://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-22-in-Pro-Tool-Box-Black-221733/205440481#overlay

 

Sometimes my friends trust me fully loaded NS rack with all santa cruz bikes on it about to run a couple shuttle laps

 

I prefer the tool bag. storage is organized better for me. I have this one.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-1...3?MERCH=REC-_-PLP_Browse-_-NA-_-306052563-_-N

 

Damn! That's nice! My old tool bags are just open with some organization loops on the inside. That one's sweet!

 

Funny, I just happened to pick that exact one up on Saturday. It holds all my main tools with some room to spare. I was fixing something earlier and hadn't put it away yet so I snapped a pic . I love this thing, but only caveat is it's got some weight by itself, and with all my stuff in there it feels like it's 50 lbs.



But I hardly ever haul tools with me on bike trips. I don't really have to drive too far or go into the woods for bike trails where I live in SoCal, and in fact, one of the more popular trails I frequent (Greer Ranch, aka "The Nursery") is only about a half-mile bike ride from my house. So I just bring my multi tool. Although I did go to Mammoth Lakes, CA for a bike trip recently, so I did bring my tools for that trip, but it was still the multi-tool that got me out of a jam while I was there.