[tda]

I haven’t looked at a mtb magazine since the late 90s, i missed all the huplah about changing wheel sizes and everything seems well retarded and specialized as I look through... but they are still just bicycles, with unreal inflated prices (went into a trek corporate store, hilarious... “down country”? More like down syndrome.)

So last night as I was searching for a slx crankset (full groups used to be everywhere and cheap on there , aint looked for 4 years..) I came across some full bikes that don’t start at $6,000 with shit components...

These start at $1,000 with shit components ...


Any clue about any of these frames ?? I want that nukeproof scout, it looks fun, pretty sure the $1200 bike is full hobo parts, will I be able to ride till it breaks? or just be pissed at how they work n spend more $$ right away...

I have no clue about components, my current bike has 2x6 gears - half a 1999 XT cassette dangling on my hope single speed shell..

Any advice ? Nukeproof I believe was a uk brand back then that made strong parts, never heard of vitus... 275 or 29?? 29 rolls nice but i think my trials body needs light/whippy.

 

[BenR]

Why not get something used? I picked up a used Pivot awhile back, doesn't have BOOST or 1x, but not that that shit really matters. Looks like you can get a Pivot LES for 2000-2500 used from 2014-2015.

 

[Swoofty]

Marin has some good bargain bikes too. Unfortunately, like you said, they are all 29" clown bikes. Commencal Meta HT and Diamondback Sync'r are 27.5 and might be worth a look. Used is the best market going if you know what you want. Couple of year old bikes will go for half price or less. Nuts!

 

[tda]

Why not get something used? I picked up a used Pivot awhile back, doesn't have BOOST or 1x, but not that that shit really matters. Looks like you can get a Pivot LES for 2000-2500 used from 2014-2015.

where do i look for used bikes?! would love. facebook is a mess, everything is xxs or $5,000 , id love a full bike for $600... doesnt seem to exist especially not in my size.


few more caught my eyes but now its $2000 land and that is ridiculous to me..would love used, idgaf long as its solid

finding that used in my size would be nice, or something like it. I have no cranks/headsets/wheels that work w new bikes-


So far people are telling me i will love 29... ? Why u a hater dara, why not get 38” wheels?!

 

[Swoofty]

Pinkbike. Best marketplace there is.

 

[Hoon]

In my opinion, and what seems to be the opinions of many others:
When it comes to cheaper bikes, avoid the SRAM Sx drivetrains. Shimano deore works so much better than sram at the lower specs. Also, watch out for cheap/weird name brakes on some newer entry level bikes.

Nukeproof scouts are bomber and continue to be. My buddy used to ride Vitus and had no major issues that I’m aware of with it, and he sent it pretty hard. The Commencal Meta HT mentioned above is a great start and a frame worth upgrading later on.

You can also checkout the Pinkbike budget bike reviews they recently did and that may help, or at least get you more familiar with components to expect on new bikes at this price level.

I personally would check out Pinkbike for something used, you’ll probably be able to get a much better build spec, for a same or better price.

Oh and 27.5 still rips, all my 29’r friends ride my 27.5 Orbea and they all say “damn this thing is playful”, I can’t quite get myself to move on from it yet.
Sorry for a lot of text lol.

 

[BenR]

I think 29ers suck for single track, personally.

 

[tda]

Mannn i need to rent some bikes i think, so much unknown- spent hours looking at so many different things. is a dropper something that helps?? Seems like a boat anchor and something extra to click, I cannot imagine it helps? I go down steep shit, my stomach /chest rest on my saddle, my ass is almost to the rear tire. Maybe the new mtb geometry makes it better feeling? I cant whip this 20+ yo bike around singletracks like the shredders do, i try but it never works.

275 vs 29... 275 will be lighter ? why are they putting giant tires on 275? 2.8” is ridiculous, sounds heavy af... Why is nothing talking about bike weight?I went into a new trek store, unless you are carbon and $8,000+ they are all giant boats, 30+ pounds. What the f? Bikes got heavier ?

Most of the riders i see here are burly fat guys, and i understand the bikes... I’m going to ride this 20+ year old frame with 25 year old parts this year, the race is part of a 3 part series.. we’ll see if i can finish the first one , I’ve only ridden one spot here in pisgah and would love to explore... just not easy to get around here. I’ve spent many days trying to find trails and never did- just gave up, signed up for this race to try and see some singletrack.. The race includes a lot of hike and bike, i doubt an emtb could ride it- just straight up sharp rocky 4” pebbles in parts.


Last ride, we crushed a group of 5- three having $$$ yetis, they left 30 minutes before us and we passed them 7 miles in. Hard tail and not fat legs > your fancy bike.

Riding this shit till it breaks.

Riding partner has strava, we were the 4th fastest time this year on last weeks 15 miler and we was chillin...

 

[bentmettle]

I managed to stick with 26" up to 2018 when I got my 27.5+ Chameleon w/ 1x11 GX

Most of our trails are reasonably smooth woods trails without a lot of elevation. Bike is a lot of fun.

Also last spring got a Ripley and rode it all last year on 29x2.6" I'd last ridden Porcupine Rim on an old 26" hardtail I built from scratch (welded the frame myself) back in 2002 and the full suspension obviously was an insanely different experience. I think I missed the worst years of shitty 29" wheelsets by avoiding them them well into 2020. Fucker rolls over anything on 2.6" and still manages to be able to pick through some of the sketchier bits.

That bike is more fun this year on 2.4" tires that weight about a pound less each. Folks kind of gave up on riding uphill it seems like.

It's taken me 3-4 seasons to start using my dropper post. I keep telling people I didn't need one for 20 years, so I'm a little slow to insert some extra step into the ride.

I haven't ever been able to throw down mad anything in the air, so none of the new crap is messing up my trail style.

Also concur to avoid SX "eagle".

 

[De_Nada]

I hate new tech but I have ridden a friends newer monster truck bike with a dropper... having the ability to get the saddle out of the way with the push of a button when you're about to hit a descent or drop is great. My trail bike (sold just recently) was a full rigid single speed Rockhopper from 2006 - 26 inch wheels and bb7s. I rode that thing for years alongside people with various types of suspension and never felt I was lacking anything except a dropper post. I didnt think they were cool until I tried one. If I had kept that bike it would have been my next (and last) upgrade.

 

[bentmettle]

The oddballest thing about getting the Ripley was that it didn't feel all that amazing coming off the hardtail.

And maybe that was the amazing part - it didn't feel mega-shitty on climbs like the old FS stuff did. If I went back to back, I could tell, but it wasn't a flat tire feeling.

I want to try one of the mullet Chameleons, but I can only ride one at a time.

 

[Swoofty]

The Ripley's an award winning bike so it should feel outstanding. I recently searched "best bikes of 2012" just to jog my memory and, yeah, the early days of 29 were shit. Personally i still feel 29 gives up too much for an offroad bike that's supposed to go uphill often.

 

[De_Nada]

Crapitalism demands improvements to things where they arent necessary. Need to have a constant stream of new products to market, so there's always one more thing you need to buy to make your life complete.

 

[tda]

Well do people run 2.1” tires on 275? Seems all 1 pound + tires monder fat… I can ride road tires thru babyhead rock gardens i dont need moren 2.35.

Here is a LOT of steep uphill, and a lot of steem/flowing downhill and switchbacks.


This whole long / slack ha looks incredible i would like to feel that… Especially in switchbacks, always felt the bike didnt turn properly- dara you used to race, any advive for switchbacks? the backend doesnt come around, i just nose many /pivot them

 

[tda]

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[De_Nada]

I found the "mtb trails" here last weekend. Pretty muddy, lots of small elevation gain/loss aka rollers. I rode it for miles on my fixed track bike, 25c tires with no tread. Then got home and found posts on the internet from the day before, where people with shiney new squishy things were saying the trails are "too greasy" to stay upright on them. I dabbed like 4 times. 🤣

 

[De_Nada]

This whole long / slack ha looks incredible i would like to feel that… Especially in switchbacks, always felt the bike didnt turn properly- dara you used to race, any advive for switchbacks? the backend doesnt come around, i just nose many /pivot them

I gotta admit riding on it made me a believer. I could instantly tell how much easier all the fun things are on that bike. It just wants to manny and hop and roll fast and smooth over everything. But I still hate it because he bought it used for like $3000. Needs annual suspension maintenance that has to be done by a special tech and costs hundreds each time. If I was a millionaire I still wouldn't spend that kind of coin on a bicycle. Just... no. It offends me deeply in a way that is hard to describe. But I think it has something to do with taking away the carefree freedom and simple joy of just hopping on a thing and riding. Thats why I love a fixed gear with just a front brake. Its got everything you need and it always works. Always. Practically no maintenance. Just hop on it and go.

 

[tda]

I gotta admit riding on it made me a believer. I could instantly tell how much easier all the fun things are on that bike. It just wants to manny and hop and roll fast and smooth over everything. But I still hate it because he bought it used for like $3000. Needs annual suspension maintenance that has to be done by a special tech and costs hundreds each time. If I was a millionaire I still wouldn't spend that kind of coin on a bicycle. Just... no. It offends me deeply in a way that is hard to describe. But I think it has something to do with taking away the carefree freedom and simple joy of just hopping on a thing and riding. Thats why I love a fixed gear with just a front brake. Its got everything you need and it always works. Always. Practically no maintenance. Just hop on it and go.

Yeah i feel the way about full suspension, if i cant fix it myself i wont do it. No doctors. No mechanics. just a chance to learn a new skill, im huntin fun 275 bikes now- saw a steel one … $2400 complete ehh

late model 26” specialized on facebook.. 317 mavic rims, nice fork, juicy brakes, $450… think ill just do one more ride w a new chain and new pads, then get a dropper after the race.

 

[De_Nada]

Seems like we have a similar philosophy. If you already like your old mtb I think adding a dropper is gonna make it feel like badass futuristic tech in the best possible way.

 

[Swoofty]

mmmm, switchbacks... If only they were all the same. I try to take them rally style, approach it as wide to the outside as you can and carve through it to make it as open as you can. Downhill a nose pivot is really nice and uphill a hop 90 is nice if you can time it right and not run out of steam. There's a notorious switch here in SaMo that I can bang uphill, but downhill it's so exposed with zero run out and I haven't made it on the bike in years sadly.

De Nada - "But I think it has something to do with taking away the carefree freedom and simple joy of just hopping on a thing and riding. " - quote of the thread. I salute that, brother. Newcomers have no idea it was once simple. Gotta go bleed my V brake now...