Modern trend for extremely low gearing

[flake99please]

Or they use a generic tube that’s also used on other frames.

It’s a carbon frame. I would assume it’s a more complex manufacturing process to incorporate the optional FD mount than without.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

I'd also have to agree that most MTBs are capable of vastly more than their rider uses them for, and that something like a rigid 90s MTB would be more appropriate for a lot of people.

If you've not tried one, I'd recommend renting a modern MTB from a trail centre and having a thrash around on one. Once you get over the silly wide handlebars I'll bet you'll enjoy it and find yourself and to ride terrain you'd never considered possible before.

I don't dispute for one minute the modern MTB's are more capable on really rough terrain and can be ridden much faster because the suspension absorbs some of the beating a fully rigid bike would dish out to the rider.
What I find really strange is that I see the riders of such machines doing exactly the same with them as what I do with my bikes; riding them on the roads, then getting off the tarmac on to a gravel path and maybe riding around some dirt banks with the odd bump, dip, and tree root here and there. The types of bikes people are often using are complete overkill for the kind of riding they are doing, and on easy terrain they are at a disadvantage compared to me because their bikes are heavier, bigger, and more draggy to propel around..

 

[Jody]

What I find really strange is that I see the riders of such machines doing exactly the same with them as what I do with my bikes; riding them on the roads, then getting off the tarmac on to a gravel path and maybe riding around some dirt banks with the odd bump, dip, and tree root here and there. The types of bikes people are often using are complete overkill for the kind of riding they are doing, and on easy terrain they are at a disadvantage compared to me because their bikes are heavier, bigger, and more draggy to propel around..

You might find that because you live in a mainly flat, concrete jungle surrounded by parks and canal paths?

I'm lost as to why you always show up on MTB threads to push your view of cheap utilitarian and urban cycling .

We get it. You don't like spending money and don't like new technology.

Out of interest, how often do you ride the brecons, peaks, lake district Etc? Maybe one day we could meet up and you could show us what your skip finds are capable of

 

[Blue Hills]

@SkipdiverJohn in the specific case of MTBs used for "proper" off road riding, I think technology, geometry and riding styles have changed quite substantially over the last twenty years, so regularly swapping or adding bikes is not quite so crazy as replacing a perfectly good tourer/commuter every few years.

EG a modern slack angle 29er hardcore hardtail will be a totally different experience on the same trails to an older short travel xc full susser. Pretty much any well maintained MTB will get the job done, but these aren't really supposed to be purely practical machines, they're big boys toys, and I don't think the variety of bikes on offer is a bad thing for the consumer (even if they do only exist to push more sales!).

In the specific case of 1x12 drive trains I completely agree with your post - probably cheaper to produce, parts are crazy expensive to replace and there was never any consumer demand for it that I'm aware of.

Other innovations I have to grudgingly admit are worth the silly price tags, particularly dropper posts - it's not all emperors new clothes.

I'd also have to agree that most MTBs are capable of vastly more than their rider uses them for, and that something like a rigid 90s MTB would be more appropriate for a lot of people.

If you've not tried one, I'd recommend renting a modern MTB from a trail centre and having a thrash around on one. Once you get over the silly wide handlebars I'll bet you'll enjoy it and find yourself and to ride terrain you'd never considered possible before.

liked, but what's the female equivalent of big boys toys?
Liked yours and skipdivers posts as I'm pretty sure that many of these more extreme modern MTBs do very little serious bouncy off road stuff (written as an ex ride leader who once lead a very mixed bunch of riders London to Brighton, including a banker on a vast collection of expensive springs he desperately swapped mid-ride with a friend

 

[screenman]

liked, but what's the female equivalent of big boys toys?
Liked yours and skipdivers posts as I'm pretty sure that many of these more extreme modern MTBs do very little serious bouncy off road stuff (written as an ex ride leader who once lead a very mixed bunch of riders London to Brighton, including a banker on a vast collection of expensive springs he desperately swapped mid-ride with a friend
[/QUOTE

My daughter-in-law has more bikes than myself, I only have 6.

 

[ChrisEyles]

liked, but what's the female equivalent of big boys toys?
Liked yours and skipdivers posts as I'm pretty sure that many of these more extreme modern MTBs do very little serious bouncy off road stuff (written as an ex ride leader who once lead a very mixed bunch of riders London to Brighton, including a banker on a vast collection of expensive springs he desperately swapped mid-ride with a friend

Hmm, good point... "big human's toys" doesn't have quite the same ring to it and "adult's toys" best avoided altogether...

Now you've made me ponder this, mountain biking does seem to be much more male dominated than road cycling (probably with more beardy manly man types too). Wonder why that is - marketing must play a part but presumably they'd target a female audience if they thought there was money to be made? My wife would say "cause women have more sense"

 

[johnblack]

I don't dispute for one minute the modern MTB's are more capable on really rough terrain and can be ridden much faster because the suspension absorbs some of the beating a fully rigid bike would dish out to the rider.
What I find really strange is that I see the riders of such machines doing exactly the same with them as what I do with my bikes; riding them on the roads, then getting off the tarmac on to a gravel path and maybe riding around some dirt banks with the odd bump, dip, and tree root here and there. The types of bikes people are often using are complete overkill for the kind of riding they are doing, and on easy terrain they are at a disadvantage compared to me because their bikes are heavier, bigger, and more draggy to propel around..

Swiss army knife bike. I can ride my 29er to the pub or on the roads for a few hours, then take the same bike on the gravel, bridle paths, woods and forests, downhills and really technical off road. It can do everything (within reason) It's far more capable when I need it to be and loses very little in less demanding circumstances.

 

[Tripster]

liked, but what's the female equivalent of big boys toys?
Liked yours and skipdivers posts as I'm pretty sure that many of these more extreme modern MTBs do very little serious bouncy off road stuff (written as an ex ride leader who once lead a very mixed bunch of riders London to Brighton, including a banker on a vast collection of expensive springs he desperately swapped mid-ride with a friend

I use my hard tail MTB for a lot of stuff. I like the wide bars for leverage and hate the feel of drop bars off road like the current gravel bikes. I ride in the lake district and trail centres and everything up to technical stuff ( steep dh Rocky expert level descents) . What I also do is use it on the promenade with my kids, or the cycle path to take them for a butty. Totally overkill and unnecessary but comfy and easier than putting on shoes and clipping into SPD on other bikes. Maybe the riders skip diver sees are doing the same ? Just have the one bike and use it for everything. How are we to know they don’t hammer the serious trails other days ?

 

[Jody]

Liked yours and skipdivers posts as I'm pretty sure that many of these more extreme modern MTBs do very little serious bouncy off road stuff

I'd say the more expensive and extreme bikes are almost exclusively ridden for their intended purpose. You don't see many DH bikes on canal paths because they are absolute pigs at anything other than pointing downhill and getting airborne.

 

[ColinJ]

So what’s with the fashion of tiny front ring and dinner plate cassettes? That’s seriously low gearing, 30-51 for instance?
Do they really ever get used, I mean I could probably walk really slowly and still be faster than pedalling the bike.
Maybe there’s a case for serious mountain up hills but round a trail centre or buggering about round the countryside?

I just accidentally found a photographic example!

My sister has moved to Devon so I hope to be having a lot of post-Covid cycling holidays down there. I have been busy checking out interesting-looking routes for future epic rides and was just using Streetview to virtually grovel up Porlock Hill when I spotted a mountain biker doing it for real. He is using exactly that kind of gear - 'tiny front ring and dinner plate cassette'!

It looks a damn hard climb. When I have a go at it, I will be using the lowest gear that I have, and it had better be lower than 1:1!

 

[fossyant]

I don't dispute for one minute the modern MTB's are more capable on really rough terrain and can be ridden much faster because the suspension absorbs some of the beating a fully rigid bike would dish out to the rider.
What I find really strange is that I see the riders of such machines doing exactly the same with them as what I do with my bikes; riding them on the roads, then getting off the tarmac on to a gravel path and maybe riding around some dirt banks with the odd bump, dip, and tree root here and there. The types of bikes people are often using are complete overkill for the kind of riding they are doing, and on easy terrain they are at a disadvantage compared to me because their bikes are heavier, bigger, and more draggy to propel around..

I see the kids locally messing about on 'reasonable' entry level stuff and even some good bikes - but it doesn't break, it's tough enough, but it won't do what even an older middle agged bloke with limited 'skills' expects out of his MTB. My son's Carrera is fine for him, has been great. It won't be good for me, no young 'bravado' here, and I hit the off road stuff far harder than he can because he doesn't ride much. He won't come out on a local 8 mile loop with me, and it's not technical. He loves his car.... it's better than my car...

 

[ColinJ]

Hmm... I just looked at the toll road alternative. That looks a lot more sensible and more scenic. I will have to climb up the A39 for the challenge, come straight back down, and then climb the toll road for the views!

 

[Ajax Bay]

grovel up Porlock Hill

I was going to point out to you the toll road option (£1). It is a delightful graded climb with only the odd car on a wide well-surfaced road with superb views once out of the woods. You can also go via Porlock Weir further to the west on a narrower road marked 'toll' (but I've not been that way yet). I note several single chevrons.

 

[Blue Hills]

I was going to point out to you the toll road option (£1). It is a delightful graded climb with only the odd car on a wide well-surfaced road with superb views once out of the woods. You can also go via Porlock Weir further to the west on a narrower road marked 'toll' (but I've not been that way yet). I note several single chevrons.

You have roads down there you have to pay a toll on when cycling?

 

[Ajax Bay]

Yes. I went through the first time, assuming cyclists were 'free' (it's a long way from the sign to the toll hut) but the second time (months later, on a hilly 200 from Bridgwater to Croyde and back) the bloke stepped out and I surrendered a pound. Well worth it though. The main road is no fun going up with labouring motors crowding round the corners and general holding up traffic (which I'd normally not 'worry about'). And the toll road is as I described earlier: just superb.
The other toll road on the 'coast road' for cars though is after the Valley of the Rocks, at Lee Abbey. There's an honesty box in the middle of the road.