Mountain Bikes

billwill

billwill

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Anybody do any mountain biking? Not the hard core stuff but in-town, countryside or trail riding. I did a lot of riding on a road bike years ago and am thinking about trying out the mountain bike deal.

It really is nice being out on a bike when your butt finally stops being sore! And on any bike today you have to watch out for the nut jobs texting and pretending to drive.
 
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I quit serious mtn biking about 10 years ago,but still ride trails and back roads off and on.Its a nice endorphin buzz .
 
I first got into mountain biking many years ago. I got myself a nice lightweight bike with frame geometry I liked. Unfortunately I found that it couldn't take my style of riding. Things kept breaking, there was too much flex and not enough cushion in the fork, the brakes weren't strong enough and the wheels kept bending.
I started collecting parts and when I had all that I thought I needed I stripped my bike down to frame and rebuilt it. The result is a bike I named "Frankenbike," because it's an overbuilt monster.
Shortly after I finished it the major bike companies came out with an innovative new design, the freeride hardtail, it many of the features I built into my bike.
Now I just ride it on the local trails. My days of jumping flights of stairs and falling down the sides of mountains are long gone.
 

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I tried mountain biking once, didn't like it. The trail was rough, sandy with lots of rocks. Rather treacherous. I crashed and messed up my knee, took a few weeks to recover. If you don't like crashing, I wouldn't recommend it. I stick to road bikes.
 
Got into mountian bike riding about five years ago. Not tough off road trails, just bike paths and trails for exercise. I ride a Giant XTC1. From what I have seen and experienced, it pays in the long run to buy a bike with quality frame, suspension, and components that hold up, and wont leave you stranded. Those $150 Walmart specials just do not hold up.

Larry
 
I've never been hurt bad off road but did do a nose dive over a hood of a car that pulled out in front of me on a road bike. I didn't get hurt bad then either. Bikes. I have scars. I have them from other mishaps. Would you believe a boating accident or two?

I broke my arm playing "Kill the Man with the ball". I had the ball........for a few seconds.

Life, Hurts sometimes.
 
Although I am not really a mountain biker, I do have a Surly Pugsley. no suspension, but really fat tires, almost a 4" cross section. The pug is very much at home in winter riding conditions, as it goes very well over snow, mud and soft ground. The fat tires are said to give the equivalent of three inches of suspension.
 
Fishinfool said:
Got into mountian bike riding about five years ago. Not tough off road trails, just bike paths and trails for exercise. I ride a Giant XTC1. From what I have seen and experienced, it pays in the long run to buy a bike with quality frame, suspension, and components that hold up, and wont leave you stranded. Those $150 Walmart specials just do not hold up.

Larry
Click to expand...

He is exactly right about the Walmart specials. I have one only because it was free. Someone left it at one of the duplexes my uncle takes care of. It is heavy, without the benefit of adding any strength. Last year I was riding about 10 miles a day and every other month is was in the shop for minor adjustments. It has a full suspension, but it you have any weight to you it bottoms out.
If your want to go mountain biking, go to a bike shop and have them help you pick one out.
 
On April 1, 2003 I was riding downhill in my neighborhood and my front wheel dropped into a dip in the road caused by a stump decaying (the stump hadn't been removed before they paved the road, contrary to code). I was thrown over the handlebars. I had a broken skull, collarbone and three ribs. I awoke in the hospital a day and a half later with my left eye sticking out of my broken eye socket and brain fluid coming out of the corner of my eye. They pealed my face off and repaired my skull. I have a scar from ear to ear just past my hairline. I had surgery to repair blood in my eye (they replaced the fluid in my eye). Due to that I am on three different eyedrops to control glaucoma in my left eye. My vision in that eye is 20:200. In the weeks after the accident I became paralyzed on my left side. Eventually that went away and with the help of a rehab hospital I have no weakness on my left side today.

I fixed the bicycle, but somehow riding after that had lost its magic, I donated it to Goodwill.

Your results may vary.
 
Dang..... Jaykellogg, I am glad you survived that crash.
I just started riding a Giant Sedona bike to help me rehab total knee replacement, I ride mainly on country dirt / gravel and blacktop roads. After reading your story I might go out and buy me a bicycle helmet.
I truly hope you are much better now!
 
I really enjoy riding mountain bikes. Downhill & singletrack are my favorite, but I also like to ride my hardtail on trails to work up a solid sweat. I have paid my fare in broken parts, frames, wheels and blood. Still love it, but these days I ignore the devil on my shoulder that insists that I "do it" and listen to the angel on the other shoulder more often.

Wear a helmet! I would likely be dead or seriously messed up had I not been wearing a quality helmet on several occasions.
 
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Get comments guys, thanks. I have several thousand miles on my road bike but I was 'slightly younger'. And yes...wear a helmet. I do not understand why anybody would ride without one.

I'm interested in the health benefits and loosing a few pounds. Running today just hurts to many connected parts in my body. So paved roads, trials and good old dirt roads watch out...
 
I rode quite a bit the last few years trying to get healthy again and would add that grinding on the climbs rather than spinning is hard on old knees lol
 
billwill said:
Anybody do any mountain biking? Not the hard core stuff but in-town, countryside or trail riding. I did a lot of riding on a road bike years ago and am thinking about trying out the mountain bike deal.

It really is nice being out on a bike when your butt finally stops being sore! And on any bike today you have to watch out for the nut jobs texting and pretending to drive.
Click to expand...

Sir, I ride my old Diamondback mountain bike around town, mainly on paved bike paths (car-free). It's good exercise, especially if you don't want to pound on your joints by running. Also, you have to work twice as hard to go half as fast as your buddies on their tall, stately road bikes. :-/

Assuming you buy quality, mountain bikes themselves are pretty tough. That's mainly why I got one--I call it my "sport utility bicycle."

Hope this helps, and Semper Fi.

Ron H.
 
Ron H. said:
Sir, I ride my old Diamondback mountain bike around town, mainly on paved bike paths (car-free). It's good exercise, especially if you don't want to pound on your joints by running. Also, you have to work twice as hard to go half as fast as your buddies on their tall, stately road bikes. :-/

Assuming you buy quality, mountain bikes themselves are pretty tough. That's mainly why I got one--I call it my "sport utility bicycle."

Hope this helps, and Semper Fi.

Ron H.
Click to expand...

I like that......an SUB
 
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