[ButtGumbo]

So, being a gear geek about everything I do I am simply spellbound by the myriad options/choices/parts/etc. about MTBing today. I am also amazed at the knowledge and coolness factor of the MTBR forum folks (props:suck up).

I'm an old dood now...gonna be 35 soon, and finally got back on my newest old bike to get my sad arse back in shape. I'm still on the flabby side, but i think I'm officially not a Clyde anymore (no offense to my Clyde brothas ;-)) @ 6'1 @ 192 lbs.

Anyhow...I started MTBing in 1986 or so when we were converting old 2-4s and 2-6 BMX cruisers into multi-speed trail bikes. I suspect they weighed around 35+ lbs. Back then I had just started working in the "shops" and we were kind of rebelling against the up and coming road-snob, gram-counting culture. We used to blast state park multi use trails like pirates before it became a political issue. Beer was a major part of our culture. Cigarettes were allowable then, as were other smokable natural products I remember riding NORBA "stock trials" events on my 12 spd Panasonic MC4500 that had road pedals and toe clips/straps in my Pony turf shoes. I remember using motorcyle brake levers and cables (on cantilevers) placed inside of my old thumb shifters, because we "invented two finger braking". I also remember the "Height-Rite" seat post springy thing

I sold out in 2000 when I actually purchased a bicycle that had ::shudder:: a suspension fork.

My unconcious exile and perfunctory reentry into the MTB world seems to have been timely, as now it seems cool to be "into" single speed off road bikes with steel frames and rigid forks. Cool like a Pabst trucker hat.

Am I cool or am I still a douchebag?

BTW, I'm not griping or anything, I'm just kind of reflecting on a simpler, more rebellious time for us off-roaders...I'm also fond to hear any of my fellow retro-grouch compadres' old-school stories/inovations.

Long live the hard-tail!

-Kev

 

[slowrnhell]

I'm an old dood now...gonna be 35 soon

-Kev

OOOh Kids! You always make me laugh! You oughtta save this post then look back on it in 20 years it will make you smile.

 

[wooglin]

Did you say 1986?

 

[ButtGumbo]

Did you say 1986?

Hahahha! Yeah! I think you stole my pedals/toe clips!

What kind of bike is that?

 

[wooglin]

Heh. 30 odd pounds of 4130 Jamis Dakota love. Currently (much to its chagrin) my commuter.

 

[Rollin' On]

HOW old?!

Hey Butt, listen to your elders... I'm so old I've been to a Jefferson Airplane concert.

You've got to let go of cool. "Hip" is beyond you now. The best we can do to wow the guys who still have hair is to flout our maturity. I've discovered that as long as I clam up they think I have more than they do.

Still, I never tell them I've got Yo-Yo Ma or Fleetwood Mac on the headphones. And I hate it when they offer to push my bike up the grade.

 

[Bodhi3]

Height Rite

[
Anyhow...I started MTBing in 1986 or so when we were converting old 2-4s and 2-6 BMX cruisers into multi-speed trail bikes. I suspect they weighed around 35+ lbs. Back then I had just started working in the "shops" and we were kind of rebelling against the up and coming road-snob, gram-counting culture. We used to blast state park multi use trails like pirates before it became a political issue. Beer was a major part of our culture. Cigarettes were allowable then, as were other smokable natural products I remember riding NORBA "stock trials" events on my 12 spd Panasonic MC4500 that had road pedals and toe clips/straps in my Pony turf shoes. I remember using motorcyle brake levers and cables (on cantilevers) placed inside of my old thumb shifters, because we "invented two finger braking". I also remember the "Height-Rite" seat post springy thing

I sold out in 2000 when I actually purchased a bicycle that had ::shudder:: a suspension fork.

My unconcious exile and perfunctory reentry into the MTB world seems to have been timely, as now it seems cool to be "into" single speed off road bikes with steel frames and rigid forks. Cool like a Pabst trucker hat.

Am I cool or am I still a douchebag?

BTW, I'm not griping or anything, I'm just kind of reflecting on a simpler, more rebellious time for us off-roaders...I'm also fond to hear any of my fellow retro-grouch compadres' old-school stories/inovations.

Long live the hard-tail!

-Kev[/QUOTE]

I still have mine. I would mount it on my 2002 Big Hit if I could. RIde whatcha got. If you are riding with turned up handlebars on a 20 year old Sears 10 speed and have a smile on your face then you are cool.

It's all in the attitude.

 

[billybobzia]

i am your age and started ride a few years later, you'll probably hate the rest of this.... i have no problem saying i am really, really, really, really glad the full suspension bike has become the norm....i probably wouldn't be mtn biking anymore without it, saves my old back so much pain...it revived my love for mtn biking a few years ago so much that i ride like it is 1990....i still relish in knowing i rode some hard ass lines that i wouldn't ride today on a fully rigid bike...

 

[ButtGumbo]

i am your age and started ride a few years later, you'll probably hate the rest of this.... i have no problem saying i am really, really, really, really glad the full suspension bike has become the norm....i probably wouldn't be mtn biking anymore without it, saves my old back so much pain...it revived my love for mtn biking a few years ago so much that i ride like it is 1990....i still relish in knowing i rode some hard ass lines that i wouldn't ride today on a fully rigid bike...

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against FS bikes or their riders...my original post was half tongue-in-cheek. Truth be told, I have a screaming desire for a kickass freeride bike but KNOW I now lack the balls to really put one to use. Any FS XC bike I like I simply can't afford or justify since I have a pretty cool hardtail.

Sometimes I get all misty-like thinking about the good ole days...a sure sign of aging

After I get my full-on retro schwerve on with a steel SS, I'll probably jump the gap into FS.

 

[billybobzia]

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against FS bikes or their riders...my original post was half tongue-in-cheek. Truth be told, I have a screaming desire for a kickass freeride bike but KNOW I now lack the balls to really put one to use. Any FS XC bike I like I simply can't afford or justify since I have a pretty cool hardtail.

Sometimes I get all misty-like thinking about the good ole days...a sure sign of aging

After I get my full-on retro schwerve on with a steel SS, I'll probably jump the gap into FS.

check out the Specialized SJ FSR - while it may not be the coolest, boutique bike, it sure is a sweet ride for a very reasonable price, upgrade as you go.

 

[DeeEight]

someone needs to discover the vintage forum.

 

[Rev Bubba]

Old? Sh!t, you haven't even reached puberty @ 35.

You want old? Come ride with me and Retro Fred and Bobolita and TurboB!tch and all the others I ride with. We'll give you old!

Crips, youngun', we were riding in the woods long before your parents even met.

The best thing about getting older is your kids are finally toilet trained (out of the house if you're lucky) and you can afford even nicer toys.

 

[meloh1]

Old?

Add 17 years to your total and you might start thinking about being old. My first foray into suspension was a Softride suspension stem on my Miyata Valley Runner (now my commuter). I've got every frame I've ever owned since 1972 (except my Cannondale SuperV 900 which I gave to my son) and all but one are still in use. That's a Panasonic converted to a road single speed, a Cannondale R400 (also a SS), the Miyata commuter (Biopace and all), Softride Solo beam boinger, Giant XTC NRS1, Raleigh Professional (Campy), Santana Rio off road tandem and a no name French frame hanging on the garage wall. Arthritis slows me down some but doesn't stop me. I'm riding more mountain than ever and am a better bike handler now than 10 years ago as a 42 year old whipper snapper. My body reminds me I'm not as young as I used to be but my mind isn't listening. I hope it remains deaf alot longer.

 

[vermont]

33 here...10 years of riding and still getting out 4-5 times a week. Still on a hardtail....mostly cause i have 3 kids and need to be thrifty. I see guys i went to school with who look like they are 45 with beer bellies and bald spots...while i still get carded for beer (happens less lately but still happens...
ride on bro's its a great life

 

[billybobzia]

33 here...10 years of riding and still getting out 4-5 times a week. Still on a hardtail....mostly cause i have 3 kids and need to be thrifty. I see guys i went to school with who look like they are 45 with beer bellies and bald spots...while i still get carded for beer (happens less lately but still happens...
ride on bro's its a great life

4-5 times a week with 3 kids!! either you are unemployed or loaded with a nanny. or maybe an insomniac that rides at night.. good for you, but get a fs bike, it saves many aches and pains...

 

[vermont]

4-5 times a week with 3 kids!! either you are unemployed or loaded with a nanny. or maybe an insomniac that rides at night.. good for you, but get a fs bike, it saves many aches and pains...

i ride tues and thurs with my local group usually 2-3 hrs...then i ride weekends whenever i can get out usually early in AM. I have a 3 day weekend every other week so then i ride fridays during the day..usually a long epic ride.
i used to dis the disc's now i have em and love em
i'm sure my next bike will be f/s i just bought my wife one...lol we each have 3 bikes, a road bike, a commuter and a mt bike...she rides too so is very understanding we get friends/family to give us time together out there keeps us strong..gonna be 11 years married in Aug
Ride on bro's

 

[rockcrusher]

representing as a retro-gouch i am. Love my full rigid independent deluxe circa 1996 (my ss now) loved my mantii bikes ('90 profloaters and '88 XCR-EC) and loved my ol' '86 ritchey deluxe with under the chainstay ubrake and 4 finger XT levers. But really love my bullit, all spv and 6" single crown and 8" disks and 2.3 DH tires and riser bars. Love it the same as I loved my other bikes. Ride it just as much and never gouse on old technology but respect where I've been 'cause it has led me to where I am. Be who you are not who you were.

 

[Philo Beddoe]

Single speed has gotten carried away

with "cool" now too. Just check the forums out. Dedicated single speed frames, hubs and cranks all costing more than normal stuff. Geez a rock ring costs 60 beans just because it says Ethirtheen on it.
I have a full suspension and I love it. But I still have my old stumpy hard tail too- and I just bought a rigid fork for it today!! Not going to convert to single speed, no need to yet, I haven't caught that cool factor bug yet but figure I may as well go all the way and get a total different riding experience out of it. Good on the road too.

 

[billybobzia]

with "cool" now too. Just check the forums out. Dedicated single speed frames, hubs and cranks all costing more than normal stuff. Geez a rock ring costs 60 beans just because it says Ethirtheen on it.
I have a full suspension and I love it. But I still have my old stumpy hard tail too- and I just bought a rigid fork for it today!! Not going to convert to single speed, no need to yet, I haven't caught that cool factor bug yet but figure I may as well go all the way and get a total different riding experience out of it. Good on the road too.

personally i respect the folks that ride the SS bikes, but i can not visualize it as any fun at all - especially here in denver, it seems most of our rides start with a 30-60 minutes granny gear climb, i would die. i love all my gears!!

 

[billybobzia]

i ride tues and thurs with my local group usually 2-3 hrs...then i ride weekends whenever i can get out usually early in AM. I have a 3 day weekend every other week so then i ride fridays during the day..usually a long epic ride.
i used to dis the disc's now i have em and love em
i'm sure my next bike will be f/s i just bought my wife one...lol we each have 3 bikes, a road bike, a commuter and a mt bike...she rides too so is very understanding we get friends/family to give us time together out there keeps us strong..gonna be 11 years married in Aug
Ride on bro's

Impressive!! i hope to get my wife back on the bike soon - she just delivered our 2nd kid (a boy) 2 weeks ago, i'll give her another week or so. lol...