All Around Mid Fat Full Suspension MTB

Quit stalling...

Did you find $2500 in your couch cushions yet?

Marc did you put a dropper on that bad boy yet

gonna start begging the wife for the new Yeti sb130

Get the 150. If your going for it do it big

https://www.bikemag.com/gear/mountain-bikes/kona-releases-process-24/


Found the bike for your daughter. Oh man it's going to be a ripping family.

Harvey wrote

How did you break it?

To be honest, rider error. It was at the end of a rock garden and I was riding too slowly for the terrain. As a result, my front tire caught something and it caused me to fall toward one side and the seatstay struck a large rock. It broke my fall; I ended up leaning against the rock with the bike still weighted. I could hear the break. The impact sounded different than when a rock gets kicked up and hits the frame.  

JasonWx wrote

Marc did you put a dropper on that bad boy yet

 The new (last October) rig came with a dropper. But, I hate to admit it, I rarely use it. I may switch it for a solid carbon seatpost.

I think when we rode I may have still had my old Kona, no?

Marcski wrote

The new (last October) rig came with a dropper. But, I hate to admit it, I rarely use it. I may switch it for a solid carbon seatpost.

I hear this a lot from riders who rode most of their days with fixed posts.  A dropper isn't one of those things you just slap on the bike and it instantly makes you a better rider.  Yeah it can help you survive certain steeps and tech, but to really get the most out of it, you need to change how you ride.  If you never rode BMX then this might be odd and most XC mountain bikers don't have a shred of those skills.  But if you learn how to ride with a low seat, and when to shift it, I guarantee you'll be a better rider.  Learn how to really pump and lean a bike, and you'll never go back.  It took me a good 6 months of dedicated practice to really feel comfortable with how to ride like this.  One of the main things you need to do is learn how to crouch and not stand lock-legged when descending or cornering.  The bike will be crazy and wobbly at first, but once you get used to letting the bike move more, leaning and keeping your CG low, it will be better.  Almost every pro in XC has now got this figured out too.

Riding park has taught me a ton.. Like Cedric Gracia says..Load the front fork!!..

Some time on a pump track, skillz course and slalom course did me a lot of good.

Cunningstunts wrote

Marcski wrote

The new (last October) rig came with a dropper. But, I hate to admit it, I rarely use it. I may switch it for a solid carbon seatpost.

I hear this a lot from riders who rode most of their days with fixed posts.  A dropper isn't one of those things you just slap on the bike and it instantly makes you a better rider.  Yeah it can help you survive certain steeps and tech, but to really get the most out of it, you need to change how you ride.  If you never rode BMX then this might be odd and most XC mountain bikers don't have a shred of those skills.  But if you learn how to ride with a low seat, and when to shift it, I guarantee you'll be a better rider.  Learn how to really pump and lean a bike, and you'll never go back.  It took me a good 6 months of dedicated practice to really feel comfortable with how to ride like this.  One of the main things you need to do is learn how to crouch and not stand lock-legged when descending or cornering.  The bike will be crazy and wobbly at first, but once you get used to letting the bike move more, leaning and keeping your CG low, it will be better.  Almost every pro in XC has now got this figured out too.

Yes, I'm a dinosaur.  I admit it.

I've heard what you said before...but alas, it is hard to teach an old dog new tricks.  However, I am not dumping it just yet, but like I said, the stock one (Rockshox reverb) requires maintenance way too often. (every 50 hrs of riding) and apparently, it has to be done at the factory, not in a LBS.  (mine has already developed some play). So, I was thinking of instead of putting the 4 bills or so towards a better seatpost, the money might be better spent first on a set of hot carbon hoops.  And, I do know that now most XC racers are riding with a dropper now.  I just read an article that they are usually relatively small (50 mm) and they are either up or down.  Nothing in the middle apparently because they don't have enough time to be fussing around with minor height adjustments during a race.

A reverb, oh gawd, those things are awful!

Yeah, a lot the XC ones are short travel, up or down, and super light.  They have different requirements but I've ridden with 75, 100, and 125mm travels, and frankly, I feel about the same on all of them.  About 60-75mm really is enough to get the saddle out of the way to turn and crouch a bit.  Bigger travels help on steeps though - you can stay more centered.  I don't ride anything that steep for any sustained amount of time.

Carbon rims are cool, but pricey, for good ones at least.  Don't go cheap or they'll probably break.

And if you feel good riding without a dropper, have at it.  I did it for years and so did anyone else who rode mountain bikes more than 5 or so years ago.  Personally I found a couple things I couldn't do at a skills course without my seat lowered.  That kind of ticked me off a bit as I used to like to think I was better than I am.  So anyway, I've fully embraced the dropper and now I feel super weird if I try to ride stuff with my saddle high.

Edit to add:

Just a tip if you do keep yours and you feel like you're always waiting for it to come back up.  What I do when I'm transitioning from down to up in XC terrain is just stand up and start pedaling, hold the button and as soon as I feel the seat touch me, let go and sit down and spin.  A little practice and you can do it pretty seamlessly.  My descending/cornering position is a similar thing.  My default position is crouching an inch or so above the seat, so I just hold the button and put myself into the lowest crouched position, then let go of the button, and pop my body up an inch or so.  I'm so used to these positions it's easier than shifting gears.

I also use the intermediate positions on skinnies and tech rocks.  I'll drop maybe an inch or so, just enough so I can move a little but still sit and put weight on the seat when I need to while pedaling.  That's a little more advanced, but once you get it, pretty awesome.

Fox Transfer all the way..with a wolf tooth remote...
i couldn't ride the steep stuff without my dropper..

JasonWx wrote

Fox Transfer all the way..with a wolf tooth remote...

I endorse this message.

This just came up today and is/was relevant to this conversation. I think it's a pretty good perspective on how a bike shop has to run these days.

That guy is highly evolved and has a better chance of surviving in this world, IMO.

Right on bro!

I don't know if Harvey is convinced he should buy a Jeffsy, but I think this thread convinced me I should buy one.  I'd like to get a GG but If I don't have an extra grand before next spring I'm gonna go Jeffsy.

Here's the bike I ride --- it does everything I need it to do

2013 Specialized Carve Comp 29'r

I'm convinced.  I actually reached out to yt marketing to see if they wanted to work something out. It's been a few days so I'm thinking they aren't interested.

I want the Aluminum, I feel like I need to test drive a 29er of any make before I make that decision.

It will probably be spring.  

The list of equipment I need right now is daunting.  Shaman has always loaned me his Stihl blower (sometime he does the work too:), but I feel like I need a blower, a bike carrier for my aero rack, a roof box, and MTBs for me and my daughter.  That's a big list.

Harvey wrote

I'm convinced.  I actually reached out to yt marketing to see if they wanted to work something out. It's been a few days so I'm thinking they aren't interested.

I want the Aluminum, I feel like I need to test drive a 29er of any make before I make that decision.

It will probably be spring.  

The list of equipment I need right now is daunting.  Shaman has always loaned me his Stihl blower (sometime he does the work too:), but I feel like I need a blower, a bike carrier for my aero rack, a roof box, and MTBs for me and my daughter.  That's a big list.

I know this may be more than you want to spend, but I'd highly recommend a hitch-mounted bike rack that holds the tires.  Loading bikes on a roof sucks.  Having to figure out how to clamp your frame sucks.  This solves both those problems.

How tall is your daughter?  I'm serious about CL.  And actually now isn't a bad time to look because people want to clear crap out of the garage before storing it for the winter.

As far as a test drive, I don't think you'll have any trouble with 29in wheels.  Everyone is doing it.  It might feel strange at first but if you aren't an experienced rider, you probably won't even notice any difference.  My recommendation would be go with your gut and get a 29er unless it's unavailable when you're ready to buy, then get the 27.  They will both be great I'm sure.

Where do you live?  If you are downstate like JasonWx, you should go ride some of the places he has talked about, they look great and you'll definitely get to be a better rider on that type of stuff.  Fitness too.  That'll probably be the first thing that kicks your ass.  MTB takes an incredible amount of energy.