[MaddSquirrel]

Hi all,
My wife is entering graduate school at Texas State and we will be moving in either June or July ( I assume it will be really miserable outside). I am currently planning my first bike build and am trying to decide between building a HT or a FS and was curious as to what the riding is like in the area. I have checked out the Austin trails website and the pics show some interesting limestone outcrops, but they look doable on a HT. Any suggestions as to what type of bike to build and the amount of travel would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[Fat Bob]

That depends greatly on what kind of bike you want to ride. If your wife if going to Texas State, Austin is a bit of a drive. Will you guys be living in Austin, San Marcos, New Braunfels? There's plenty of riding in Austin to justify any kind of bike you want. If you end up in NB or SM, I'd suggest a road bike. There's not much "off road" stuff in either of these two areas, but the road community is very strong here. Check out bikemojo.com, there's a section dedicated to Texas State cycling. Good luck with the move, This part of Texas is pretty nice. Before you leave TN, take a last look at creeks, trees, and grass. We have all that here, but it's Texas style, also enjoy the last good southern pork BBQ if you're into that stuff, cause it's mostly brisket & sausage here, plus Texan's don't know there are any other kind of beans other than pinto or charo beans. You'll learn to love all this stuff in time. Plus you can get Fat Tire here!

 

[MaddSquirrel]

Thanks for the replies. I plan on getting a job in Austin and probably rent an apartment in San Marcos until we can find a house to buy. While we were there we looked at houses in Kyle which would seem like a better compromise between the two. I may already have a job in San Antonio, so we would move somewhere between the two, possible New Braunfels. It really is going to depend on where I find a job before we move. I really hope to get a job in Austin. Thanks for the info.

 

[ama99b]

i say go with the dually

hey maddsquoyle--i a lived for a while in esat TN, and i still wanted a FS bike. howver, i do love me lots of suspension. i was riding a nomad as my xc bike, but heave recently switched over to a maverick ml8. anyways i also lived in new brauns, and rode all the trails around there and in SA and especially austin. i honestly think you will find the trails in TX much more rocky and techy than those in TN (east or west). dependin on how aggressive you want to get or if you want to race, i personally think a five inch bike is the bike of choice, something that climbs well though...like santa cruz blur long travel. anyways, thats just my opinion.

 

[austin_bike]

When I was younger I rode everything in Austin on a HT with little or no front shock.

As I got older, I went FS. FS allows me to ride longer and enjoy the ride more. right now I have 4" of travel and it is plenty. I laugh when I see guys with 5+" of travel on their bikes, but I am probably headed there one day as I get older.

I've seen people ride all the trails I ride on a fully rigid singlespeed, so as Bob said, it depends on the rider.

 

[MaddSquirrel]

Thanks for the info.

 

[BikeMojo]

good stuff in Central Texas.

I have checked out the Austin trails website and the pics show some interesting limestone outcrops, but they look doable on a HT. Any suggestions as to what type of bike to build and the amount of travel would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Lots of rock. And as austin_bike mentions, you can get away with just about everything. Although the predominant bike in Austin is a 4" bike. I personally prefer hardtail.

Fat Bob brought up Mojo. Be sure to check it out, there is a wealth of stuff there.

 

[barton29er]

A HT (steel :thumbsup: ) 29er is an idea.

 

[Mtc]

I'd pick far south Austin (or far north SA). Otherwise you'll have a bit of a trip to trails. From Slaughter Ln. San Marcos is 15 miles away(against the heavy traffic). SA to SM is much further.
As for bike, FS or 29 is the way to go here. Yes July will suck for you, brace yourself, but don't avoid it.

 

[dburatti]

right now I have 4" of travel and it is plenty. I laugh when I see guys with 5+" of travel on their bikes..

I was wondering what that sound was coming from the back of the pack on our group rides, John, as I'm cruising on my Heckler.

 

[trailsurfer]

When I was younger I rode everything in Austin on a HT with little or no front shock.

As I got older, I went FS. FS allows me to ride longer and enjoy the ride more. right now I have 4" of travel and it is plenty. I laugh when I see guys with 5+" of travel on their bikes, but I am probably headed there one day as I get older.

I've seen people ride all the trails I ride on a fully rigid singlespeed, so as Bob said, it depends on the rider.

You need to try the ML8, it will change your mind. Although, I just picked up a hard tail 29er. I can't wait to try it out, once this weather finally passes.

 

[Chaffer]

A HT (steel :thumbsup: ) 29er is an idea.

I second that opinion! A shock absorbing seatpost seams to add the right amount of cush. I am getting tired of my thudbuster shedding bearing sleeves, tho. There are several On-One Inbred 29ers [geared and single speed] running around. I'm on a Soma Juice. Willits is in town fabricating steel and titanium 29er frames. The Zion 737 29er frame on JensonUSA is getting favorable reviews. Also, there's a healthy number of Surly Karate Monkeys on the trails as well.

As far as July is concerned, you still August, September and parts of October to soak up more of that sauna-like Central Tx experience....

Good luck with the move!

 

[el jefe42]

Austin - San Marcos Commuting

I live in Austin and commute to Texas State for graduate school. There are 10 buses per day that go between Austin and TxState, and it costs about half the cost of gas alone. If you live in SM and commute into Austin, be prepared for traffic to SUCK in the morning. If you don't have to commute at normal hours it's not too bad, but when I'm cruzing on the freeway to SM, traffic is often backed up to Buda, going north. Afternoon commute is only marginally better. I can't recommend Buda or Kyle as far as towns to live in either. Yes the houses are a little cheaper, but they are all brand new yuppie hives, really boring, and Kyle is going to run out of water, because they pull all their water out of a high point in the Edwards Aquifer. For the size of Austin, the traffic is suprisingly bad. Somebody else recommended south Austin, which is a decent alternative. San Marcos is an o.k. town, but there's way more to do in Austin, and besides the bars close at midnight in SM.

As for the bike. It depends on where you are going to be riding. I own both, and it depends on what trail I'm going to be riding. Oh wait, ride? I'm in graduate school....

 

[SunDog]

HT or FS?

I just finished an 8 month stint in CENTEX and rode BCGB often on both a HT and an FS. Both are fine, but its definately more physically challenging on a HT, particularly when ascending the plentiful numerous choppy limestone rock infested ascents. I found it far less punishing to ride on the FS, not in a way suspension seatpost would help either as those do nothing for traction on technical ascents and rolling up and over the square edged limestone rocks. I say if you ride a lot and your not into punishment consider a light and fast steering 3-5" FS rig.

 

[MaddSquirrel]

Thanks, for the replies. I want to go FS and it now looks like I will have the money to buy one.

 

[txn]

How much are you looking to spend. This deal is hard to pass up - Demo Motolite. I'm not connected to the shop, but I have borrowed it before. Wish I had the $$$.

 

[MaddSquirrel]

Hey, thanks for the heads up on that Motolite, I am going to build up a Transition Preston FR. A little bit more of a do all bike for me. That is a nice deal.

 

[austin_bike]

I bought my bike from Hammerhead and couldn't be happier - a year and a half later.

Titus makes a very solid bike, and if I wasn't married, I'd probably be plunking down the cash for this one as a backup. Great deal and good people to do business with.

 

[Evil Patrick]

I laugh when I see guys with 5+" of travel on their bikes, but I am probably headed there one day as I get older.

Cough! We both ride the same Austin area trails, yet I don't think we've ever ridden together.
I wonder why that's true?

 

[austin_bike]

Probably because you're a better rider than me.

I can say that confidently without having ever ridden with you.