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I'm very new to mountain biking, not new to biking in general. I'm so surprised at how different a mountain bike feels like a road bike (and how HUGE it is compared to my road bike)! Is it normal to have to walk your bike along trails? I definitely took a trail today that was far too advanced for me, so I know some of it was that, but I felt like half my workout was carrying my bike up rocks.
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Aug 20, 2023 18:28
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Shnooks posted:I'm very new to mountain biking, not new to biking in general. I'm so surprised at how different a mountain bike feels like a road bike (and how HUGE it is compared to my road bike)! Yep, that's normal, it happens less and less the more you ride but there's still stuff I come across that I don't have the ability to ride.
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Aug 20, 2023 19:09
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The best part of mountain biking is returning to those trails and smashing them. Progression is a hell of a drug!
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Aug 20, 2023 19:14
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Bike assisted hiking, the best way to spend a day
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Aug 20, 2023 20:10
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Yeah fitness, balance, skills improve and things get easier to ride up. But sometimes trails are just better to ride in the other direction. Or even built specifically for riding downhill. After a 100mi mtb race last month I had to strip the hei hei down to the frame and replace a lot of poo poo. bottom bracket, headset, cleaned and reassembled all the pivots and stuff. Wheels also needed new bearings, a freehub, and ratchets but that was unrelated. Been riding the hardtail since then but finally took it out yesterday. Plus put on some new tires and a fresh insert in the rear. Pretty good. Went on my favorite saturday after work ride, which involves climbing for a little over an hour up to the top of a mountain then riding a cool ridgeline trail, then getting back however I feel like through one of our trail networks. Then getting a real good burger.  no clicks or creaks, just smooth and quiet. Going to need some suspension and brake work eventually but yeah it's clean and working good and a lot more fun to ride on real trails than a hardtail xc bike with stupid flimsy semi slick tires. Been thinking about getting something fresh one of these days but can't really come up with something that will really be worth spending a whole bunch of money. jamal fucked around with this message at 21:13 on Aug 20, 2023 |
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Aug 20, 2023 20:42
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I'm not ready for clipless pedals on my mountain bike yet, so are hiking shoes too much or does it not really matter? I've been wearing some relatively flat sneakers but they offer no ankle support.
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Aug 20, 2023 20:58
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Shnooks posted:I'm not ready for clipless pedals on my mountain bike yet, so are hiking shoes too much or does it not really matter? I've been wearing some relatively flat sneakers but they offer no ankle support. There are flat pedal-specific shoes (quite a lot of them). Most of us and most of the world prefers FiveTen Freeriders or Freerider Pros. Every bike shop will have them. https://www.adidas.ca/en/five_ten-mountain_biking-shoes
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Aug 20, 2023 21:01
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Shnooks posted:I'm very new to mountain biking, not new to biking in general. I'm so surprised at how different a mountain bike feels like a road bike (and how HUGE it is compared to my road bike)! I say it is a yes and no answer. There are trails or sections of trails that are very hard to climb. I enjoy the challenge of them but I also really like a nice climbing trail that is fun and no hiking required. So depends on what kind of trail you are on. I do agree there is nothing better then going back to conquer a trail.
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Aug 20, 2023 22:39
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Shnooks posted:I'm not ready for clipless pedals on my mountain bike yet, so are hiking shoes too much or does it not really matter? I've been wearing some relatively flat sneakers but they offer no ankle support. You don't really need ankle support, but you do want a stiff sole. Some hiking shoes are great for that, some aren't.
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Aug 20, 2023 22:44
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Also, just know that there may be some things you never ride. And that’s totally fine! Ive ridden MTBs for years and have decent fitness but some parts of MTB is mental and I just don’t have it. I do progress but you’ll hit walls and just need to accept it or figure out how to break it down to push through. Ultimately, if you’re having fun and getting out of it what you want, you’re doing it 100% right.
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Aug 20, 2023 23:41
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This summer the front brake pads on my SLX 4pot brakes seem to get super weak and start howling after about 3 weeks of rides. I can get them back to full power by sanding the pads and cleaning the rotor with alcohol. Any idea what's happening and how to avoid?
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Aug 21, 2023 00:12
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You could be overheating the pads and glazing them over, especially if they're the resin compound. Try metal? I haven't done much riding on shimano brakes but the sram organic pads usually last me about two months and get real unhappy on extended steep descents.
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Aug 21, 2023 00:20
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VelociBacon posted:There are flat pedal-specific shoes (quite a lot of them). Most of us and most of the world prefers FiveTen Freeriders or Freerider Pros. Every bike shop will have them. I swore by these for years but IMO there has been a huge drop in the manufacturing quality of these shoes in the last few years. I destroyed two pairs of Freerider Pros in a single year riding ~3 times a week. The sides of one pair ripped apart and the sticky rubber peeled away from the sole on the others. My previous pairs all lasted at least 3 years each. I'm now trying out a pair of Ride Concepts Hellion Elites and I really like them so far. They are not quite as stiff as the Freerider Pros, but they also aren't Ride Concepts' stiffest shoes. I particularly like the elastic straps on them that hold the laces out of the way. I was able to find a pair of last year's model on Amazon for $75 and they are holding up well so far (albeit one month in, so who knows).
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Aug 21, 2023 00:22
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I've been pretty unimpressed by the new pair (freerider pros)I bought this year. I'm having more trouble staying on the pedals lately.
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Aug 21, 2023 02:50
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WHERE MY HAT IS AT posted:I’m coming from MT5s with the HC3 levers. I never like two finger braking so having more leverage on the Hopes is nice. Setec_Astronomy posted:I swore by these for years but IMO there has been a huge drop in the manufacturing quality of these shoes in the last few years. I destroyed two pairs of Freerider Pros in a single year riding ~3 times a week. The sides of one pair ripped apart and the sticky rubber peeled away from the sole on the others. My previous pairs all lasted at least 3 years each. Shnooks posted:I'm very new to mountain biking, not new to biking in general. I'm so surprised at how different a mountain bike feels like a road bike (and how HUGE it is compared to my road bike)! evil_bunnY fucked around with this message at 09:16 on Aug 21, 2023 |
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Aug 21, 2023 09:12
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Aphex- posted:The best part of mountain biking is returning to those trails and smashing them. Progression is a hell of a drug! I was pretty discouraged by CO climbs loving me up and the most local elevation doing the same. Today I returned to a portion of the trail after working through some videos and changing my approach and managed to knock it out without too much pain (but a lot of sweat and banana spiders  ). Progress! Found a regular riding buddy too so it’s a lot easier to get motivated and out in the woods. Also I picked up a 2L hot laps hip bag to replace a backpack that was just a heat sink and it made a HUGE difference.
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Aug 21, 2023 16:40
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Thanks for all the recommendations earlier in the thread by the way. I got distracted but I'm going to get back out there as soon as the smoke clears up (spring 2024).
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Aug 21, 2023 17:35
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evil_bunnY posted:My wife's MT5s feel legit more powerful than my Hopes, but I like the adjustability more. I wonder what makes yours feel less so. On paper at least, a Tech 3 V4 should be about the same or a little less powerful than an MT5, depending on whether you have the 1-finger or 2-finger levers. Someone has a handy calculator/comparison chart here: https://brakes.ddzyne.nl/. I had the MT5 with 1-finger lever, and the Tech 4 V4 should give me close to 40% more leverage than that, assuming Hope's quoted 30% increase from Tech 3 -> Tech 4 is accurate. Total leverage on my MT5 was 33.55 and Tech 4 should be ~46.26. The bite point is a lot less firm, and I have more lever throw for sure, but that's sort of inevitable with a higher-leverage brake. These feel much closer to the Code RSCs I had on my last bike but with more overall power. I've also had some time on a friend's Shigura setup with Saint levers and MT5 calipers which feels crazy strong but is too on/off for me. I went from semi-metallic on my MT5s to organic pads and stepped up to a 200mm rear rotor after cooking my 180mm so it's not a totally apples-to-apples comparison. Overall I'm pretty happy, but I'm also well into the point of diminishing returns with upgrades on my bike. It's not night and day over my MT5s by any means.
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Aug 21, 2023 18:13
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WHERE MY HAT IS AT posted:I went from semi-metallic on my MT5s to organic pads and stepped up to a 200mm rear rotor after cooking my 180mm so it's not a totally apples-to-apples comparison. Overall I'm pretty happy, but I'm also well into the point of diminishing returns with upgrades on my bike. It's not night and day over my MT5s by any means.
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Aug 22, 2023 11:04
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If you’re on tech 3s, the semi phenolic pistons of the tech 4 are backwards compatible and require less maintenance. The levers are also a straight swap and since that’s where all the power increase came from it’s a relatively cheap performance increase if you want it.
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Aug 22, 2023 13:51
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WHERE MY HAT IS AT posted:If you’re on tech 3s, the semi phenolic pistons of the tech 4 are backwards compatible and require less maintenance. The levers are also a straight swap and since that’s where all the power increase came from it’s a relatively cheap performance increase if you want it.
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Aug 22, 2023 16:02
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Shnooks posted:I'm not ready for clipless pedals on my mountain bike yet, so are hiking shoes too much or does it not really matter? I've been wearing some relatively flat sneakers but they offer no ankle support. MTB shoes will have a stiff sole for good power transmission and stability while also being sticky to stay on the pedal pins. I use clipless but if I were on flats I would still buy MTB specific shoes. Very big, positive difference.
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Aug 22, 2023 16:24
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Picked up this Marin Bobcat Trail 4 today. Was a little above my price point of $700 (came to $780 with sales tax) but the shifters and brakes felt so much better than the $550 Marin they showed me. It feels so weird on a 29er after just using a cyclocross bike for years but can't wait to hit some trails with it.
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Aug 22, 2023 19:33
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Anyone have recs for pants? Fall is around the corner and I'm hoping to ride until it gets pretty chilly out. Actually recommendations for colder weather gear in general. I think my biggest challenge is going to be keeping my hands warm.
prom candy fucked around with this message at 18:27 on Aug 23, 2023 |
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Aug 23, 2023 18:23
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I find the ripmo af to be an extremely efficient climber. Especially if you use the climb mode on the shock. It is a very linear suspension design so if you are heavy or ride hard you may find the bike bottoming out. I am under the impression that the dwlink is not as plush as 4 bar style linkages. Overall I’m happy with mine.
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Aug 23, 2023 19:27
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prom candy posted:Anyone have recs for pants? Fall is around the corner and I'm hoping to ride until it gets pretty chilly out. Actually recommendations for colder weather gear in general. I think my biggest challenge is going to be keeping my hands warm. I ride with tight leggings when it's cold, and fleece-lined leggings when it gets really cold. It doesn't usually get much colder than 20F around here, so that's usually enough.
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Aug 23, 2023 19:41
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I generally find I'm fine shoulder season with my usual shorts and kneepads, maybe thicker socks and a windbreaker over the jersey. My usual shorts are water resistant which helps. I also have some fox and tld lightweight DH pants I like but that's more for wet than cold, but I'd recommend them. They're more of a stretch softshell than a heavy moto pant which makes for a nice breathable ride. Gloves I like the 100% briskers, nice thin palm with insulated back for cold and wind resistance.
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Aug 23, 2023 21:24
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prom candy posted:Anyone have recs for pants? Fall is around the corner and I'm hoping to ride until it gets pretty chilly out. Actually recommendations for colder weather gear in general. I think my biggest challenge is going to be keeping my hands warm. Absolutely love my POC pants!! Super comfy, fit well, zippered pockets, stretchy in the right areas, zip up the lower legs so you can wear knee/shinpads without having to pull the pants over them, etc. If they broke I'd likely buy the same ones again. https://na.pocsports.com/products/resistance-pro-dh-pants E: I've taken some decently high speed crashes in them and they look brand new, though I did rip the rear end-crotch seam once when my rear wheel caught me.
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Aug 23, 2023 21:38
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Did a long hilly cross country ride today and was really practicing some basics I've seen on this thread and from YouTube (e.g. shifting weight forward and back, not holding on too tight, using adjustable seat post effectively, etc etc) and it was awesome. Thanks buds
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Aug 23, 2023 22:04
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Semi related but what shorts do you guys recommend? I’ve been kinda winging it with different kinds, but mostly sweating to death.
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Aug 23, 2023 23:24
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I have some Fox ones my wife bought that I like. They have outlasted all the cheap garbage I've bought on Amazon over several years. I just recently bought a couple pairs of cheap ($15) Gerry hiking shorts from Costco that feel very similar material wise to the fox shorts but have yet to use them. Saw a recommendation for them on Reddit. I am cheap, can you tell? 
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Aug 23, 2023 23:28
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Suburban Dad posted:I have some Fox ones my wife bought that I like. They have outlasted all the cheap garbage I've bought on Amazon over several years. I just recently bought a couple pairs of cheap ($15) Gerry hiking shorts from Costco that feel very similar material wise to the fox shorts but have yet to use them. Saw a recommendation for them on Reddit. I am also a suburban dad and will try the Costco shorts (to match my Kirkland boxer briefs).
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Aug 23, 2023 23:35
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Boogalo posted:edit: I want to try to get lasik this year A third option is SMILE surgery, I would prefer it over LASIK or PRK. In SMILE the laser is used to cut around a "lens" inside the cornea with a small couple millimeter incision on the surface and the "lens" is then pulled out. I had it done about five years ago, worked well for me. I had been considering LASIK but had big worries about the flap after seeing a video of a butchered operation. I had much less concerns with SMILE. I see LASIK mentioned occasionally and it's weird that Americans don't seem to be aware of SMILE. https://www.zeiss.com/vision-care/en/eye-surgery/vision-correction-surgery/treatment-comparison.html I feel surgery is definitely the best option with biking. I used to wear glasses or prescription sunglasses, but I drive dropbar bikes and most of the time I ended up looking over the glasses. I tried contact lenses, but since pretty much only used during the occasional bike rides I could never get used to them. And they were just another extra hassle before a ride.
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Aug 24, 2023 00:43
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creatine posted:Picked up this Marin Bobcat Trail 4 today. Was a little above my price point of $700 (came to $780 with sales tax) but the shifters and brakes felt so much better than the $550 Marin they showed me. It feels so weird on a 29er after just using a cyclocross bike for years but can't wait to hit some trails with it. Oooo, very nice bike. I wish they offered that color on other models.
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Aug 24, 2023 12:58
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VelociBacon posted:Absolutely love my POC pants!! Super comfy, fit well, zippered pockets, stretchy in the right areas, zip up the lower legs so you can wear knee/shinpads without having to pull the pants over them, etc. If they broke I'd likely buy the same ones again. These look great, thanks!
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Aug 24, 2023 14:13
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LeeMajors posted:Semi related but what shorts do you guys recommend? I’ve been kinda winging it with different kinds, but mostly sweating to death. I have Fox and TLD. They hold up better to saddle rub damage than cheap stuff I find. But I also only buy them on sale. Never paid more than $40. For pants I have a pair of Patagonia climbing pants I got for $8 at an REI garage sale.
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Aug 24, 2023 15:51
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I broke my arm (humerus) when I fell off a log while riding two days ago and I have two tips: 1: if it rained recently, even if a log looks dry, it doesn't necessarily mean it's not still slippery 2: at least if you're in the US, and have a high deductible health plan, strongly consider getting Blister/Spot insurance. I got it this winter and I cannot tell you how stoked I was when I remembered I had it after I got the first bill estimate from the ER. It would have still more than paid for itself if I'd had it for 10 years before getting injured. https://www.getspot.com/injury-insurance/blister-spot Ph, I guess also: I have elbow pads, but like my full face and chest/back protector, usually only wear them when at the park or shuttling. In this fall, I landed on my forearm/elbow and I think that is what caused my arm to break up near the shoulder. I wouldn't be surprised if the little extra bit of cushion from the elbow pads would have kept my bone intact. So maybe consider erring more towards wearing your protective gear more often if there's not that much of a downside. This was on a trail I ride more than any other, extremely familiar and not where I'm usually expecting to crash or get hurt. Steve French fucked around with this message at 21:01 on Aug 24, 2023 |
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Aug 24, 2023 20:59
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I have used a shockwiz to tune both my dvo onyx fork and fox factory 36. Having a really hard time distinguishing the forks. The fox feels a bit better on braking bumps and small repeated hits. The dvo feels a bit better in the middle of the travel. The plan is to unload the 36. Anyone interested in a goon price of $425? It’s a ‘22 model with half a seasons worth of riding.
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Aug 24, 2023 21:35
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Steve French posted:I broke my arm (humerus) when I fell off a log while riding two days ago and I have two tips: Oh noooo man that sucks. Have you had the surgery yet?
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Aug 24, 2023 23:41
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VelociBacon posted:Oh noooo man that sucks. Have you had the surgery yet? Nope. Have an ortho appointment scheduled for Tuesday. The ER doc said he thought it would probably not require surgery. "Nondisplaced proximal right humeral metaphyseal fracture through the surgical neck. Main portions of the left humerus and left elbow appear unremarkable. Glenohumeral joint is intact. Soft tissues appear unremarkable." Whatever all that means
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Aug 24, 2023 23:59
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