Too Much Bike vs. Too Much Ski

[robertc3]

While slogging through 19 pages of "how much bike is too much bike" in the MTBR forums and the assertions that most people who are buying a 160mm travel bike are buying more bike than they need the similarities to the discussions of ski width were pretty obvious. Why buy a bike with DH level suspension if you mostly ride moderate single track with some roots and small rocks? Why buy a 110 under foot ski if you only get one or two days a season when that is the tool of choice?

I was surprised that I am on the less bike end of the mountain bike conversation (I ride an XC hardtail and am looking at a full suspension XC upgrade), but the more ski end of the ski conversation (my daily driver is a 108). Perhaps it goes back to @Crank 's post on skill level and the consequences of crashing while using a 160mm bike for its intended purpose versus using 110mm skis for their intended purpose? Loving the up as much as the down when riding, so getting the right bike for up and down and loving the pow above all else, so getting a ski which excels there, makes the most sense for me, but I wonder how many people are on the wrong bike to paraphrase this thread.

 

[scott43]

Heh. Mtbr. I've been riding for a thousand years on every type of bike pretty much. If you're happy, great. If people seriously want to look at options then start with budget and expectations. A bunch of brah dudes riding Enduro and nothing else don't have much to contribute. Not saying that's mtbr at all... Just there are many opinions. What's good for one person may not be good for another..

 

[scott43]

I once had a discussion with a much better motorcycle racer than me. He argued track day peeps should be in slicks with warmers. I thought people would be better off on shagged tires to learn what happens when tires go away. I suppose he was right, with slicks you tend to crash less. But you might be going faster when you do. So hammer the DH rig but be aware you're going a lot faster.

 

[Tricia]

My story of getting a bike that was too much for me is here.

A medium is not a medium

A few years ago I purchased my first bike in over a decade, I tried several models and sizes and found the Cannondale Trigger in a medium to fit me quite well. When I switched to an e-bike last year I bought without demoing because I felt a sense of urgency to buy while it was available, so I...

www.skitalk.com

eBike - The return of Trekchick

I don't think I need to explain the low inventory of mountain bikes at this moment in time, so it probably won't surprise you that I've been putting some feelers out to get an appropriate sized bike for me after spending a summer on a bike that was slightly too big for me.(See thread, A medium...

www.skitalk.com

In the end, it was more than the size of the bike, but also the amount of travel. For the type of riding I do, 100-120 mm travel is plenty.
The Habit Neo has more like 130-140

 

[Ken_R]

The main factors to consider:

your size and weight

where you ride

how you ride (skill/speed)

 

[cantunamunch]

What's good for one person may not be good for another..

LOL, I still take my gravel bike, though these days the trail is the same and the bike has bigger rims, but the bike is "allroad"

 

[Primoz]

There are two things when it comes to too much of a ski or too much of a bike. One thing is, that alpine skiing is the only sport I know, where too much/too good of equipment will actually make you worse. With bike, I don't think this is the case. Surely I won't be using all the benefits 10.000eur top end xc bike can offer, but I won't be riding any worse with it, then I would with half cheaper one. With skis, it's the opposite... if you don't have technique and power to properly ski race skis, you will be skiing worse with them, then you would be lower level skis.
But then there's another thing of "too much of a bike/ski", and I guess that's what you are actually asking about, even though in my mind, that's not really question nor dilemma. You need to decide what you want to ride. For me it's clear, that xc is my love, which makes it very easy to say that there's no need for 140, 160 or more mm of travel. I need 100 or maybe 120mm at best, and bike needs to be light and needs to climb at least as good as it descents. That's priority for me, and for descending those hard trails down, I just tell myself that modern xc race courses are harder on downhills, then any hobby rider can handle on their DH bikes, so if those guys can make it down, and make it down fast, on their xc machines, I just need to get better and I will be perfectly comfortable on those enduro trails I ride with my xc bike. It's working for me for now, so even when I will consider my next bike, it's still going to be xc only bike nothing more.
But problem starts, when you don't really know what you want to ride. If you want to ride a bit more then you do, then it starts "why shoudln't I add another 10 or 20mm of travel, and a bit slacker geometry"... and without knowing exactly what you want, you can be on 170mm instead of 100mm in second

 

[Philpug]

One thing is, that alpine skiing is the only sport I know, where too much/too good of equipment will actually make you worse.

Golf. Try to hit a blade or a shaft that is too stiff.

 

[cantunamunch]

*visualises hobby skaters in below ankle boots - Bambi on ice to the tenth power, with shin splints, navicular thickening, bursitis, tendon chafe to compound the issues*

 

[Primoz]

@Philpug never played golf so no idea about that. Thats why I wrote of all sports I know, as I was sure there's still similar sport and alpine skiing is for sure not the only one.
@cantunamunch speed skating is not that bad I my opinion. OK I never had chance to do it on proper ice skates, but on roller skates, I'm feeling fine in low below ankle race boots.

 

[Erik Timmerman]

Overbiked is kind of a weird idea. I have a great time riding a 150 travel bike on trails that I can ride on my gravel bike. Everyone says I am overbooked. I bought a 120 travel bike this year. It's fun, but it's not better than the 150 travel bike. And yet... I feel that a 170 travel bike would be too much.

 

[Andy Mink]

My story of getting a bike that was too much for me is here.

A medium is not a medium

A few years ago I purchased my first bike in over a decade, I tried several models and sizes and found the Cannondale Trigger in a medium to fit me quite well. When I switched to an e-bike last year I bought without demoing because I felt a sense of urgency to buy while it was available, so I...

www.skitalk.com

eBike - The return of Trekchick

I don't think I need to explain the low inventory of mountain bikes at this moment in time, so it probably won't surprise you that I've been putting some feelers out to get an appropriate sized bike for me after spending a summer on a bike that was slightly too big for me.(See thread, A medium...

www.skitalk.com

In the end, it was more than the size of the bike, but also the amount of travel. For the type of riding I do, 100-120 mm travel is plenty.
The Habit Neo has more like 130-140

I'm sure I'll be able to sell it quickly so I'm not torn about it.

Ya think?

 

[cantunamunch]

@Primoz for every trained XC classic skier, there's 50 hacks who show up.... actually there are very few because the low skating gear looks and feels downright dangerous to the people without skills.

There is a de-facto disincentive to over-buying skate gear.

 

[Tom K.]

I feel the same about overbiking and overskiing. We have a fast, smooth, twisty set of trails minutes from our house. it puts a huge grin on my face with my xc race bike, and seems kind of sleepy on my 150/160 mm Slash. Both are fun, but the xc whip is funner.

OTOH, there is another set of trails 9 miles away that is all roots and rocks. Not huge, but omnipresent. The two bikes are flipped there. In fact, I once accidentally ended up there on my xc race bike and it was nearly zero fun.

Skis are the same for me. I know SO many skiers that take the haughty approach of groomer days being boring. None of those people own even a narrow-ish carvy ski. I really don't discourage this attitude. I love bluebird groomer days without crowds.

 

[Philpug]

In the flipside, I would much sooner ski lower level ski gear than lower level bikes, some of the latter is just not good.

 

[cantunamunch]

I feel the same about overbiking and overskiing. We have a fast, smooth, twisty set of trails minutes from our house. it puts a huge grin on my face with my xc race bike, and seems kind of sleepy on my 150/160 mm Slash. Both are fun, but the xc whip is funner.

OTOH, there is another set of trails 9 miles away that is all roots and rocks. Not huge, but omnipresent. The two bikes are flipped there. In fact, I once accidentally ended up there on my xc race bike and it was nearly zero fun.

Skis are the same for me. I know SO many skiers that take the haughty approach of groomer days being boring. None of those people own even a narrow-ish carvy ski. I really don't discourage this attitude. I love bluebird groomer days without crowds.

Now that you're in MT I kinda expected you and @chris_the_wrench to get together and make a set of hand wings like that groomer bomber at Snowbird had.

#nopolesjustwings

 

[Rod9301]

Overbiked is kind of a weird idea. I have a great time riding a 150 travel bike on trails that I can ride on my gravel bike. Everyone says I am overbooked. I bought a 120 travel bike this year. It's fun, but it's not better than the 150 travel bike. And yet... I feel that a 170 travel bike would be too much.

Nope

 

[Tom K.]

In the flipside, I would much sooner ski lower level ski gear than lower level bikes, some of the latter is just not good.

Maybe I'm confused. For "overbiking" I thought we were discussing quantity of travel, not level of bike in terms of price/components, etc.

But I'm with you -- I'd take a high end 120mm bike over a low-level longer travel bike every time.

 

[Crank]

It sounds like the term, overbiked should mean too much bike for your skill level. More of this discussion is too much bike for the terrain you are riding.

I ride full suspension xc with maybe 120mm travel. One time I took my old xc bike on Killington's lift served DH trails. That was a mistake and beat up both myself and my ride. Possibly I was underbiked.

When I ride on gravel rail trails and such I use my xc bike and maybe I am overbiked ,but it is comfortable and I am not looking to increase my speed or distance...j ust out for a ride.

 

[Tony S]

More of this discussion is too much bike for the terrain you are riding

Pretty sure this is what the OP was talking about.