The MTB Thread

stunet's picture
stunet started the topic in Monday, 9 May 2022 at 11:08am

I've been meaning to start a mountain biking thread for a while and now is as good a time as any.

freeride76's picture
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freeride76 Wednesday, 18 May 2022 at 3:46pm

OK, just got to sell two boards, three actually, to pay for the service to the sons bike and I'm there.

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mitchvg Wednesday, 18 May 2022 at 3:55pm

see I would argue that feet bouncing off the pedals isn't dangerous though. I ride downhill on flats too and can't think of a time when my feet bouncing around on the pedal has led to a crash. I just manage it the same way you do when your feet are out of position on a wave. Don't turn, shuffle, jump, bail, straighten out. Whatever. Same on bike. Hug the cranks/ frame/ seat post, shuffle foot, change line, brake, keep going, whatever

freeride76's picture
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freeride76 Wednesday, 18 May 2022 at 3:51pm

What about this?

Brand new with warranty and only have to sell one board.

https://www.reidcycles.com.au/collections/mountain-bikes/products/mtb-sp...

udo's picture
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udo Wednesday, 18 May 2022 at 3:55pm

Perfect
how much is the Blue Camo 6'6 DS ?

freeride76's picture
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freeride76 Wednesday, 18 May 2022 at 3:59pm

Not for sale.

Got a couple of 6'0' shortboards for sale though.

stunet's picture
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stunet Wednesday, 18 May 2022 at 3:59pm
freeride76 wrote:

What about this?

Brand new with warranty and only have to sell one board.

https://www.reidcycles.com.au/collections/mountain-bikes/products/mtb-sp...

At the risk of being called an equipment snob I'll let someone else answer this question.

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mitchvg Wednesday, 18 May 2022 at 4:05pm

Anything sub $1800 new is much of a muchness. I have a nice Kona hardtail. $1300 I think it was. It has 1x gearing which is nice, but in terms of durability, I still cringe to ride it at speed. I ride my single speed cromo dirt jumper before the Kona because it is bomb proof. The Kona is still capable and comfortable no doubt. I just don't ride it hard. If you're managing your expectations as stated above, there's no need to nit pick on the details

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freeride76 Wednesday, 18 May 2022 at 4:15pm

Bike above has warranty: Lifetime frame warranty, 2 years warranty on parts and two free services within 12 months of purchase to guarantee you get a great deal.

So if it breaks, take it back.

yeah?

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mitchvg Wednesday, 18 May 2022 at 4:31pm

So you're driving to Brissy for a complementary service? I dunno. A new bike not ridden silly and a bit of common sense with listening to and feeling the bike should keep you out of trouble. You can still ride some rough terrain. Just try and nip any free play in the bud before it gets too bad.

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mattlock Wednesday, 18 May 2022 at 4:38pm

That Reid is not a real MTB.
Will let you down.

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freeride76 Wednesday, 18 May 2022 at 4:38pm

What do you mean?

mattlock's picture
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mattlock Wednesday, 18 May 2022 at 4:42pm

Like a
sports store soft-top.
Same level of quality. Good for riding to the pub.
Sorry gotta pick up the kids now.
Maybe explain more later.

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freeride76 Wednesday, 18 May 2022 at 4:45pm

I hear ya.

I think a soft-top equivalent is kind of what I'm after.

I'm after the kook, entry level bike for teetering down a few bunny slopes without getting injured.

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mitchvg Wednesday, 18 May 2022 at 4:49pm

Haha yes true. But I would argue what he wants is a store bought soft top. What's next? A bic? Epoxy pop out? Trek Roscoe? You might be right Matlock. Never ridden one.

geek's picture
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geek Wednesday, 18 May 2022 at 4:50pm
freeride76 wrote:

I hear ya.

I think a soft-top equivalent is kind of what I'm after.

I'm after the kook, entry level bike for teetering down a few bunny slopes without getting injured.

Looking at the specs - mechanical discs are just plain shit and don’t work, hydraulics are a must. The suspension fork will be a pogo stick. 3x7 gearing is not user friendly and very very few bikes have front derailleurs these days, try find something with 1x11or12. Regardless of warranty any parts breakage will considered wear and tear. I bet it’s super heavy too and the rims will fold the first drop you hit.

It would be fine for gravel roads though

freeride76's picture
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freeride76 Wednesday, 18 May 2022 at 4:56pm

What if I went up a couple hundred bucks?

Now I have to sell a board and a fishing rod.

https://www.reidcycles.com.au/collections/mountain-bikes/products/xenon-...

stunet's picture
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stunet Wednesday, 18 May 2022 at 5:23pm
freeride76 wrote:

Now I have to sell a board and a fishing rod.

You're gonna have to sell 'em to make room for all the new bikes coming your way.

I speak from experience.

geek's picture
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geek Wednesday, 18 May 2022 at 5:25pm
freeride76 wrote:

What if I went up a couple hundred bucks?

Now I have to sell a board and a fishing rod.

https://www.reidcycles.com.au/collections/mountain-bikes/products/xenon-...

Yep much better! You could probably find something 2nd hand in that price range but best to avoid unless you can take somebody that knows what to look for. There’s still a covid tax on 2nd hand bikes too

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mattlock Wednesday, 18 May 2022 at 5:31pm

From those Reid flunkys the minimum I would go for would be the Vice 3.0 27plus.
At least it has a through axle on the fork.
And no horrid 29er wheels.

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mattlock Wednesday, 18 May 2022 at 5:35pm

Geek is onto it re. second hand.
If you don't know what to look for you can buy a whole lot of pain.

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freeride76 Wednesday, 18 May 2022 at 5:44pm

My idea of second hand is spending 50 bucks at the hock shop to buy a cruiser.

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mattlock Wednesday, 18 May 2022 at 6:10pm

That should get you to the pub FR.
Sorry to dampen you enthusiasm re. thet first Reid shitfighter you showed us.
Time and time again I've sold bikes like that to people and told them "sure you can ride it down a trail but it's not really really going to cut the mustard". Or words to that effect. Lots of them came back within six months for something better.
MTB is a fun thing to do. Sure you will wanna hit that berm.
You would find the limits of the aformentioned shitfighter pretty quick.

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stunet Wednesday, 18 May 2022 at 6:11pm
mattlock wrote:

And no horrid 29er wheels.

Que?

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mattlock Wednesday, 18 May 2022 at 6:25pm

Personal preference Stu.
Taking the piss.
Plenty of people like them for sure. Not me.
Lately Ive been riding a 20inch at the park and DJs.
I can fit it in the back of the car along with my boys 16

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mattlock Wednesday, 18 May 2022 at 6:26pm
mattlock wrote:

Personal preference Stu.
Taking the piss.
Plenty of people like them for sure. Not me.
Lately Ive been riding a 20inch at the park and DJs. Steep learning curve.
I can fit it in the back of the car along with my boys 16

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Plasticspastic Thursday, 19 May 2022 at 12:35pm

Gotta have 29ers, especially if you are looking at a lower-end spec Free ride, as they (I find) are way better on the rough stuff, easier to climb and better Downhill with only a minor amount of reduction in maneuverability.

FR you really want to spend $1500 for a second had jobby, Trek . Norco / Giant are pretty good value for money. Aviod too many cogs at the front (1 or 2 max 1 better), and 11-12 at the back. fully hydraulic brakes (cable hydraulic brakes are no good) preferable.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/385259156824530/?ref=search&re...

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/3232565507008771/?ref=search&r...

Agree on the flats Stu.

Flat pedals win medals :)

freeride76's picture
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freeride76 Thursday, 19 May 2022 at 12:43pm

$1500 for a second handy!

Jeezuz christ.

Thats 3 boards gone.

Patrick's picture
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Patrick Thursday, 19 May 2022 at 1:39pm
freeride76 wrote:

$1500 for a second handy!

Jeezuz christ.

Thats 3 boards gone.

Plus cost of helmets, pads and gloves... and the shorts with padding in the bum area are exorbitant.

I live in a mtb area. I got a free 2nd hand hardtail. I've ridden all the trails my girlfriend and kids ride.
Forks have now seized.

Kids always want more/latest, trying to keep up with what their mates get. Mtb is big bucks... maintenance is endless... money pit... stick to surfing.

I just ride now and then and hire shit hot bikes at the tralls. The bikes are awesome and the expereience is better. If you only ride a few times a year it is way cheaper and easier.

Patrick's picture
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Patrick Thursday, 19 May 2022 at 1:44pm

Plus cost of good bike rack for the car if you need one. You might be transporting three, four or five bikes (for your mates and your kids mates).

Roadkill's picture
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Roadkill Thursday, 19 May 2022 at 2:31pm

freeride, plus you need a new Subaru to attach bike rack to transports bikes. MTB'ers are posey trendy bunch that like to keep up with each other.

stunet's picture
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stunet Thursday, 19 May 2022 at 2:52pm

Wind here went onshore so just cut two laps of Screaming Trees for lunch.

Now shaking and sweating back at the office chair.

Yeah!

mattlock's picture
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mattlock Thursday, 19 May 2022 at 4:01pm

Vans are the best for MTBers.
Fit the bikes in easily and they are behind a lock.
Don't run MTB stickers on the bus. They are a magnet for thieves.

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mattlock Thursday, 19 May 2022 at 4:10pm

Been riding MTB since the nineties Connie.
The BMX is my mid-life crises vehicle.
Best stick to what you know...

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mattlock Thursday, 19 May 2022 at 4:22pm

I probably know them Connie.
All good.

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mattlock Thursday, 19 May 2022 at 4:37pm

I know GP the trail builder.

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mattlock Thursday, 19 May 2022 at 5:35pm

Yes. We have a skating background in comman.
I met him at the first MTB race I went to. 1995.
Inside Line co-founder me thinks.

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jwithay Thursday, 19 May 2022 at 5:49pm

Skating taught me how to fall - invaluable with mtb.

Flats for life.

Ripped down Mt Dandy this arvo - forest glistening from the recent rains - lovely. ParksVic have fortified their barriers on the channel ten dh but they're pissing in to the wind. No real trails on the western side of the mountain (and the fact its been in existence longer than parksvic themselves!) means its gonna be ridden. Good fun.

Will expand on illegal trails and sanctions round these parts in a later post.

geek's picture
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geek Thursday, 19 May 2022 at 6:22pm
jwithay wrote:

Flats for life.

I started on flats and raced downhill on them around 2010, swapped to XT SPDs a couple years later for the cape to cape and started up on clips again last year. Gave flats (with 5 10s) ago for a couple months this year and after some hairy moments with feet bouncing off at speed through rock gardens I’ll be clips for life now. Got some Saint SPDs on the way so hopefully that’s best of both worlds with a small cage around them for when you miss the clip in 1st go

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jwithay Friday, 20 May 2022 at 4:59am

My worst ever crash came courtesy of a slipped pedal, jumps track at La Larr Ba Guawa in Harcourt. Sun going down, final run of the day and trip (2 weeks around ballarat and surrounds), coming in hot and overshot the the first tabletop, foot slipped and weight shifted forward, hit the second jump rodeo clown position and got sent otb, completed a front flip half twist in the air and landed on my head and ribs sliding along the track to a stop in the scrub. Clips probably would've saved that from happening, but would've suffered far worse without some timely bails that flats have allowed over the years too. My pedal choice definitely has injury aversion front of mind, plus I like sliding round turns with a foot out. Performance wise its hard to argue against clips as pretty much all the pros run'em nowadays but I just can't see myself changing. Good luck with those SPD's geek - let us know how they go.

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Plasticspastic Friday, 20 May 2022 at 9:57am
Constance B Gibson wrote:

Is this the mid life crisis thread?

And to think I nearly went to Rojava a few years back...

Fuck yeah. Also it's admiting that you are no longer top of the pack surfwise, and looking for alternatives... I USED to get set Waves when it was Solid at Burliegh, I USED to be able to wrangle a set wave at snapper..... now I have to rely on cunning and stealth... I still surf heaps but aviod Crowds.. which are non-existant MTBing wise...

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Plasticspastic Friday, 20 May 2022 at 10:02am
freeride76 wrote:

$1500 for a second handy!

Jeezuz christ.

Thats 3 boards gone.

The more you pay for a good Dualy, the longer they last. I had a specialized Stump Jumper that lasted 15 years... with alot of riding... yes it was $3500 back in early 2000's but worth it. My wife bought a "cheap" dualy ($800) and we snapped the frame and munted the back coil on a meduim sized drop 6 months after we bought. Taking it back to the shop, they said ti was not meant for Offroad riding!!!!..

freeride76's picture
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freeride76 Friday, 20 May 2022 at 10:15am

I'm hearing the words PS, but I can't quite get my head around it.

stunet's picture
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stunet Friday, 20 May 2022 at 10:41am

There are lots of people, in surfing and in mountain biking...hell, in all walks of life, that have no regard for money.

Shocks the hell out of me when I see people selling a $7K bike on FB because they "bought it sight unseen and it's the wrong size" or any of the hundred other reasons I've read. On one hand the media tells us we're doing it tough, on the other hand people blow money in the most ludicrous ways.

However, keen players will understand how this can work in their favour. You may not be getting that $7K bike, but there are enough people with no idea (or care) about value to secure really good deals if you're patient and shrewd.

Last good deal I got was presented with shithouse photos, surface rust on every exposed metal surface, and "no back breaks". Price it was at had me thinking I'm heading to buy stolen property, however the kid just didn't have a clue: I bled the brakes, bought a new chain, and replaced some bolts, and my wife got an absolute steal.

If you see a good deal, try and lock it down straight away...but the trick is not to look so eager that they realise what's happening. Use PayPal and as soon as the money goes through ask them to take the ad down. If something happens between exchanging money and picking it up, you can always get your money back with PayPal.

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zenagain Friday, 20 May 2022 at 11:39am

Shrewd advice.

Poor kid. His dad was probably furious.

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stunet Friday, 20 May 2022 at 12:16pm
zenagain wrote:

Shrewd advice.

Poor kid. His dad was probably furious.

He wasn't that young. I'm like Martin Potter in that I call everyone under the age of forty "this kid".

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Plasticspastic Friday, 20 May 2022 at 6:07pm

Stu I agree, I have XC bike aswell, Merida 3000 Pro, carbon frame, got it for $400 needed a bit of TLC and I have an epic bike. There was a bit of a bump through Covid where everything was really expensive, but I think their maybe a dip, where everyone thought they were into it, then realised they weren't and try and sell there bikes. Same thing happens when a rider on a different bike wins the tour de france, and the previous brand goes out of fashion.., So FR sell ya board and bide your time, you should get a good one...

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nickca Friday, 20 May 2022 at 9:02pm

What’s to lose? I’ve had an average bikes for years ie $1500 new Merida and Giant and always good for a ride around the shell grit trails on the Bellarine and a surf check. The missus the same. I’ll open myself up to ridicule but prior to that had a $400 Huffy from Kmart did the the job, admiddedly wasn’t crashing berms jumps etc. Rode that Merida to work 200 days a year as well.Plenty of onshore days when it’s a great option to get out and about. Seems to be quite a few options about second hand as I’m observing a massive trend toward electric assistance with some of the older crew and the other recreational riders. And good on them for continuing to get out and about. Truthfully like surf craft as you evolve so will your machine. Happy Trails…

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Plasticspastic Tuesday, 31 May 2022 at 2:16pm

fellow MTBr's how has the last couple of months treated your pieces of dirt? Have had the majority of recent races (MTB rogaine) cancelled due to track degradation. currently in SE QLD Kooralbyn, Mt Joyce, Goolman, hiddenvale all closed and needing a fair bit of repair.. local trails Nerang and Border trails bared up reasonablly well.

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mitchvg Thursday, 2 Jun 2022 at 8:49pm

Too many dry spells in the wet season up here for good digging conditions, but may has been good.
3-DA7-EBE7-4-B12-4603-AC6-B-AAD92-CF5-AB08

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Plasticspastic Friday, 3 Jun 2022 at 8:45am

sweet. where are you again Mitchvg? - alot of our trails are still drying out..