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A complete noob wants to get into mountain biking

cantunamunch

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^maybe for some of us.

I hate cycling - and I am convinced my friends who say they like it are lying to everyone including themselves. When I invite them on rides, they find any excuse going, from fasting to 'wanting to get down under 200#, then they can ride' to 'working on the business'. First it's too hot. Then it's too cold. Or rainy or muddy or windy. Or maybe they're shaving their head that day and, you know, windburn. But they 'like it' :poo::poo: :rolleyes:
 
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TS
Pasha

Pasha

i hiked the ridge... twice...
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Nicely done, especially on bunny hop and manuals. Have you done any session work on turns yet?

Talking of downtube shifting, half-step is a bit different, and that might be part of the issue on an 80s Univega. Most new cyclists don't really take to a pattern where every other shift is with both levers.

I have not made myself to session anything serious yet. My excuse is that I am having too much fun and have too little time to ride but I will definitely get into it. I did "session'ed" a tiny molehill in my first two weeks on the mountain bike because it felt difficult. I run over it the other week and was wondering what the fuss was all about. There is also a small pump track that i visited once. Need to go back and practice.

Shifting with both levers and finding THE perfect cadence is a bit of an art still...
 

cantunamunch

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:huh: Why do it if you hate it?

If you had a family history of fatal MIs at age 25 on one side and diabetes on the other, and the gyms were closed, you'd do it if you hated it too. Especially if it was a rainy day alternative to a sport you DID like.

The nice thing about pushing oneself into doing it even if you hate it? There's no incentive to slack off and laze along looking at scenery.

Regional attitude(s)?

No, just nonsense, dishonest-with-oneself excuses of the waiting-until-the-stars-align type. That business is a 14-year never-off-the-ground project. Do rags are cheap. The person owns a bike with mudguards and multiple kits of Goretex bikewear. And the fasting is a recent conceit, started 'coz the keto wasn't cutting it. Me: "Stop fasting, come do some 40-60 milers" Ans:"Oh, I'm not ready yet" :rolleyes:


Shifting with both levers and finding THE perfect cadence is a bit of an art still...

The perfect cadence is a bit like the perfect day for cycling - the only way off the plateau is to make sure you have plenty of the other sort.
 

Plai

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If you had a family history of fatal MIs at age 25 on one side and diabetes on the other, and the gyms were closed, you'd do it if you hated it too.
I bow to your strength of mind. :hail: So many I know don't make the same decision. They're closer to your "cycling" partner.
 
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Pasha

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Me: "Stop fasting, come do some 40-60 milers" Ans:"Oh, I'm not ready yet" :rolleyes:

40-60 miler is not a casual ride for most.. My longest ride so far has been 30 mi / 50 km: did 47km a day before turning 47 :) Depending on terrain and how fast I'd ride, I am sure I can do 50 mi... I'm slowly working up to it. Out of many forms of exercise, cycling and skiing are the two I am looking towards to.
 

Pierre

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^maybe for some of us.

I hate cycling - and I am convinced my friends who say they like it are lying to everyone including themselves. When I invite them on rides, they find any excuse going, from fasting to 'wanting to get down under 200#, then they can ride' to 'working on the business'. First it's too hot. Then it's too cold. Or rainy or muddy or windy. Or maybe they're shaving their head that day and, you know, windburn. But they 'like it' :poo::poo: :rolleyes:
I bike three days a week with a group of about 15 bikers. Most of them also ski. Average age of the group is about 75 years old. Invariably it's the octogenarians with multiple co-morbidities that show up rain or shine. To give you an idea. Guaranteed to be there is an 83 year old type 1 diabetic since youth who has had three heart attacks. Another one is 80 and is a 5 year plus esophageal stage 4 cancer survivor. Another one is 82, quadruple bypass, stage 4 breast cancer survivor and bilateral knee replacements. Another one 78, stage 4 pancreatic cancer survivor, guaranteed to be there. I'm damned glad to be a mechanical wiz kid of 65 in their company and show up rain or shine. I have built some special bikes to accommodate many of their issues so they can continue to ride. It's the youngsters of around my age that seem to have every ache and pain excuse in the book if the weather is not perfect. In a group like this you do attend a few funerals here and there. Lost two last year. One at 77 to Mesothelioma and one at 83 to stage 4 liver cancer. Both died when they could no longer travel for treatment in this covid crap.
 

noobski

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Looking to appreciatively bump and hijack this. Read through the entire 8 pages and appreciate the advice to OP.

I'm full noob like OP was a year ago, but have road and flat trail experience. Used to ride Triathlons, but that's it and that was 10+ years ago. I ride a roller on state flat trails with my family today.

My son and I rented FS last fall in the Tetons for the first time and we both loved it. Beyond loved it. Can't wait to do it again some day. We had as much fun together doing that as we do skiing.

"Unfortunately" the rental place gave me a Yeti FS which was probably akin to giving someone Blue Magic Heroin for the first time (ref American Gangster movie).

I've never experienced a bike like that. It was pure joy (we rode up and down "Green" trails in Victor Idaho south of town).

I later rode hard tails and it was simply difficult for me to not want to go back to FS. Obviously a lot of moving parts, but just the feel of the FS was unreal.

I am comfortable with paying for a good FS although don't want to make noob mistakes and don't have a strong desire to overpay-v my -experience level. That said, I learned on skiing that when I bought entry level I almost hated it within a year and sold them all out within 2 years and just jumped into advanced gear by end of year 2. So anecdotally I don't want to buy too entry level. Don't want to trade up right away. Comfortable with the economic risk of it and assume I can just resale if I make a mistake and willing to eat the margin as a learning experience if it doesn't work.

Given my budget affords FS though, would the members have any additional advice on whether I do this and from there brand focus?

I'm comfortable buying used as well but there are not a lot on the market here. New inventory is just hitting the stores locally and we're partial to supporting local shops for both social reasons and we value the onsite tips and support. The local one we prefer stocks Specialized and Santa Cruz (possibly Yeti, however I haven't seen one on site). We also have a Trek shop near us, but I prefer the other shops service. I plan to demo everything I look at as well. My son has a Specialized HT and he's only 9 so at this point thinking he's fine with that bike for a while unless you think otherwise.

Appreciate any feedback and tips. Appreciate being told not to do FS as well with ways to pivot.

Thank you.
 
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AmyPJ

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Where will you primarily be riding? Just like with skis, all the brands make excellent bikes. Pick your specs and components (most will be priced similarly with similar components) and go ride. If you can demo, go for it. But especially as a newbie, don’t overthink or sweat too much over picking the “perfect” bike.
 

scott43

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You didn't mention your budget..but FS rocks if you spend enough. If I could afford it I'd use a FS rig. But figure on spending $3k -$4k for a decent FS bike. That Yeti was probably more like $5k-$6k. Think on the style of riding you want to do as well. Suspension travel makes a difference..are you doing big hits? XC? Something in between?

As Amy says, most of the good brands are very similar..you won't go wrong..but try to match the style of riding you're likely to do. And be reasonable about whether you're going to do big hits or not.
 

AmyPJ

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You didn't mention your budget..but FS rocks if you spend enough. If I could afford it I'd use a FS rig. But figure on spending $3k -$4k for a decent FS bike. That Yeti was probably more like $5k-$6k. Think on the style of riding you want to do as well. Suspension travel makes a difference..are you doing big hits? XC? Something in between?

As Amy says, most of the good brands are very similar..you won't go wrong..but try to match the style of riding you're likely to do. And be reasonable about whether you're going to do big hits or not.
Absolutely, $3-4k will get you a nicely spec’d FS with aluminum frame. The amount of travel depends on where you’ll be riding. More travel generally adds weight. There’s always a balance point between travel and efficiency.
 

martyg

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Absolutely, $3-4k will get you a nicely spec’d FS with aluminum frame. The amount of travel depends on where you’ll be riding. More travel generally adds weight. There’s always a balance point between travel and efficiency.

I theory. Not much inventory out there. If you see something that will work, buy it. We have customers driving 10 hours to our shop to make a purchase.
 

Tom K.

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As others have said, supply is tight.

Find a bike somewhere in the 115 to 130 rear travel range, in the right size and price range for you, and JUMP ON IT.

None of the brands you mentioned -- Specialized, Santa Cruz and Trek -- make lousy bikes. I'm a Trek guy, but I always say choose the shop first and the brand second.

Buy nice or buy twice! :ogbiggrin:
 

AmyPJ

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True, my Fuel EX 9.8 has finally shipped, and was ordered in September. Last I checked, EX 7s and 8s were more readily available, but that might have changed.
 

noobski

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Where will you primarily be riding? Just like with skis, all the brands make excellent bikes. Pick your specs and components (most will be priced similarly with similar components) and go ride. If you can demo, go for it. But especially as a newbie, don’t overthink or sweat too much over picking the “perfect” bike.
Thank you.

Midwest. Driftless region.
 

noobski

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You didn't mention your budget..but FS rocks if you spend enough. If I could afford it I'd use a FS rig. But figure on spending $3k -$4k for a decent FS bike. That Yeti was probably more like $5k-$6k. Think on the style of riding you want to do as well. Suspension travel makes a difference..are you doing big hits? XC? Something in between?

As Amy says, most of the good brands are very similar..you won't go wrong..but try to match the style of riding you're likely to do. And be reasonable about whether you're going to do big hits or not.

Thank you.

No big hits. Too noob to know my terrain.

Budget is open to those numbers you list. The Yeti retail was $6k according to the person renting it to me.

I'd like to optimize the purchase (i.e. okay with that budget, but don't want to overpay relative to my experience and capabilities).
 

noobski

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I theory. Not much inventory out there. If you see something that will work, buy it. We have customers driving 10 hours to our shop to make a purchase.
Local shop got a number of awesome FS Specialized, but they're in the $6k - $8k range and I felt it would have been way too hasty to jump on that being so noobish.

Will visit them again this week to chat.
 

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