Mountain Biker's Forum

Lorien

Lorien

Nose to the Grindstone
Moderator
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Dec 5, 2005
Messages
26,527
I don't think that there's a specific mountain biker's forum anywhere around here, so if you are a mountain biker, have been a mountain biker or, most importantly, want to be a mountain biker, this thread is for you.

Your host, (me) bought his first Mountain Bike Action magazine in 1987, saved up for a year, and had his first mountain bike the following year. I have worked in the bike industry since the mid nineties, and owned my own store for 16+ years, but have since changed careers and now am a full time knife and sheath maker and cutlery designer.

During those years in the business, I was always a bike mechanic. I also fitted bikes, sold shit, paid employees, led group rides, created a bike club, advocated for mountain bikers and all kinds of fun and interesting stuff.

If you have technical questions, questions about setting up your bike and riding it, sling em my way. I'm always down to help a brother out.

This is Bob;
IaQPFva.jpg


This is me;
qHqIGkn.jpg


My shop, which I had to leave in 2020 due to the owners selling it off. Sure wish I could've pulled off a mortgage but I guess it wasn't meant to be
0FcGSCW.jpg
 
Last edited:
I bought my first “mountain bike” in 1984 or ‘85. Before that, I had a Schwinn beach cruiser I’d take anywhere—bent a whole lotta forks in those days! I never got into the BMX thing as a kid.
My life revolved around MTB, and subsequently road riding, until about 1998, when real life happened.
Kept it on the back burner, almost dormant at times, for nearly 20 years. Now I’m all in once more.

I made my first MTB trips to British Columbia this year, a couple of trips to Fernie and a visit to Revelstoke. I’ll be adding Silver Star to the list next summer. I hit Moab every fall (rode a ton there when I was young) and I try to hit southern Utah at least once in the winter (but I don’t know the place real well yet)

I hope more MTB’rs find this spot.
 
Last edited:
I haven't been mtb'ing nearly as long as you two, I think maybe 7 years now. I started out commuting a little during college and then a lot after when I realized I wasn't as rich as I thought in my 1st job and sold my truck and rode ths bike for 2 years year round. That 1st winter was really enjoyable and I jumped headlong into cyclocross and gravel racing and then road, and finally mountainbiking.

I had quite the reputation for crashing the 1st year or 2. All speed and no skills. I couldn't figure out how to handle the flatbars over a drop bar for some reason and couldn't clear the same trails on the mtb that could on the CX bike.

I now have a norco sasquatch and giant anthem, the anthem I out together from the frame up. I've only been out on the mtb a few days this year, re-loving the road bike this year, but kast year I think I have 20+ days on the trails and did my 1st mtb event in 3 years, a 55 mile fundraiser event for the local IMBA/MMBA chapter.

We don't have too many hard trails in Michigan but many are pretty fast, which works out well for my desire for mild to moderate tech for crosscountry and higher speeds. One trail near me is not that at all, super slow and all hills and turns. Every downhill is tight and twisty, but you get a massive workout. I think it's 3.5 hrs to finish the whole trail and last time I did it on the fatbike my froins were all bruised up from the bike bouncing around so much. It makes a strong case for getting a dropper post, but I have the fatbike setup so it can easily handle hauling kids in the trailer, commuting, and trail-capable bikepacking. It's the one I beat up on so aim for simplicity and reduced maintenance.
 
Lorien said:
I'd say dropper seatposts are one of the single most impactful technologies in mountain biking
Click to expand...
Great idea for a thread, thanks!

Agreed on the droppers.
Along with improved geometry!
I lost count of the faceplants suffered on those 70ish degree head angles. :rolleyes:

But I bought my first new mb in the late 80's, a Specialized Stumpjumper and been riding ever since.
All rigid back in those days...
Teal and magenta for that Miami Vice vibe on the trails.🤣
Fast forward to the present and probably a dozen new mountain bikes since then.
Had a Knolly Endorphin 4 or so bikes ago, I might shop around for another Knolly for next season but not the Endorphin, got to have 29" wheels on this one unless the Endorphin has been redesigned, need to look...
Anyway, I'm riding 29+ these days, dropped the 3" tires for 2.8" Maxxis Rekons for a weight reduction along with a narrower rim, haven't gone carbon yet though, lots of hard chunk where I ride, makes me nervous about the investment.
And I ride a lot.
Every day during the season, but I do take winter off and train indoors, not my favorite venue for 3 months but it does allow me to heal up a bit from the 2000 or so miles of singletrack I rack up seasonally.
Enough chatter, I'll look around for some pictures of my 2 current rides, 2020 Trek Full Stache 8 and a 2020 Stache 7, both have been upgraded a bit since these pictures were taken, wheels just don't last forever unfortunately.



And then there's the all important trail maintenance bit...
Not all fun and games.;)
 
Last edited:
Barman1 said:
…but I do take winter off and train indoors, not my favorite venue for 3 months…
Click to expand...

Winters are rough on me. I can’t stand spending more than 30 minutes indoors on a bike. My fitness really suffers, and now that I’m an old fart, it takes forever to get into shape. If I’m lucky (and barring injury), I start feeling pretty good in July.

I get out for some classic nordic ski when I can, but sadly that’s not often enough! I haven’t taken to night skiing or skate skiing, but perhaps that’s next.

Unfortunately running to maintain fitness isn’t an option; I had some issues that dorked up my hips when I was a kid.
 
BD_01 said:
Winters are rough on me. I can’t stand spending more than 30 minutes indoors on a bike. My fitness really suffers, and now that I’m an old fart, it takes forever to get into shape. If I’m lucky (and barring injury), I start feeling pretty good in July.

I get out for some classic nordic ski when I can, but sadly that’s not often enough! I haven’t taken to night skiing or skate skiing, but perhaps that’s next.

Unfortunately running to maintain fitness isn’t an option; I had some issues that dorked up my hips when I was a kid.
Click to expand...
sounds like you need a fat bike
 
Barman1 said:
Great idea for a thread, thanks!

Agreed on the droppers.
Along with improved geometry!
I lost count of the faceplants suffered on those 70ish degree head angles. :rolleyes:

But I bought my first new mb in the late 80's, a Specialized Stumpjumper and been riding ever since.
All rigid back in those days...
Teal and magenta for that Miami Vice vibe on the trails.🤣
Fast forward to the present and probably a dozen new mountain bikes since then.
Had a Knolly Endorphin 4 or so bikes ago, I might shop around for another Knolly for next season but not the Endorphin, got to have 29" wheels on this one unless the Endorphin has been redesigned, need to look...
Anyway, I'm riding 29+ these days, dropped the 3" tires for 2.8" Maxxis Rekons for a weight reduction along with a narrower rim, haven't gone carbon yet though, lots of hard chunk where I ride, makes me nervous about the investment.
And I ride a lot.
Every day during the season, but I do take winter off and train indoors, not my favorite venue for 3 months but it does allow me to heal up a bit from the 2000 or so miles of singletrack I rack up seasonally.
Enough chatter, I'll look around for some pictures of my 2 current rides, 2020 Trek Full Stache 8 and a 2020 Stache 7, both have been upgraded a bit since these pictures were taken, wheels just don't last forever unfortunately.

View attachment 1966717View attachment 1966718

And then there's the all important trail maintenance bit...
Not all fun and games.;)

View attachment 1966719
Click to expand...
been riding Endorphins for years! Such a great bike
Dae7cLj.jpg
 
last time I rode was about a month ago and I screwed my back up a bit. I got out today, though, and had me a good one! A little injury, but nothing too ridiculous- not like the time I tore my abdominal muscle allowing my intestine to poke through. Hernias suck, btw.

Anyway, it was pretty wet and wild and it was good to get out before the temperature drops and the snow hits, which might be tomorrow.

UXdEZlw.jpg


8cW3ROo.jpg


uDxMsvT.jpg


aTm78bp.jpg



 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top