Mountain bike at 43, 2nd childhood - Page 2

Jakedog · May 12th, 2008, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheDoctor

As for BMXs, never had one as a kid - was confined to a 2nd hand Chopper. Would love to get one now and try and learn all the stunts my mates were doing in my youth. At 6' 1 I think I'd struggle with it though.

You'd be surprised. It would probably take some adjustment though. I'm 6', and about 190 lbs. I'm also 35 years old. I never rode any kind of bike BUT a BMX growing up. Never got a bigger bike. I tried a mountain bike many years ago, but it felt really big and awkward. Not any fun for me. I got back on a BMX after all these years off, and it was almost like I never got off at all. Felt perfect for me.

Remember too, that none of the pro riders are kids, per se. A whole lot of them are as big, or even taller than me, and some of them are almost as old.

I say go getcha one! It's fun!

Jake

Colo Springs E · May 13th, 2008, 01:04 AM

.....been mountain biking the better part of 15 years. I don't care for full-suspension, I'm a hardtail guy. My bike--which I'll get a pic up of shortly--isn't real expensive, but serves my needs well. It's a $500-ish Ironhorse w/Deore components and a nice Marzochi (sp?) shock. I'd liken it to the MIM Classic Series.

I'm not so fast at downhill, but I'm one of the better 'technical' (navigating rocks, drop-offs, etc) riders in my circle of friends. A friend of mine who recently moved away was awesome at the 45-minute uphill grind... wish he was still here to punish me (I won't do it without peer pressure!).

Weather's warming up... gotta figure how to get the Ironhorse on my Mazda Miata! LOL

-E

TheDoctor · May 13th, 2008, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jakedog

You'd be surprised. It would probably take some adjustment though. I'm 6', and about 190 lbs. I'm also 35 years old. I never rode any kind of bike BUT a BMX growing up. Never got a bigger bike. I tried a mountain bike many years ago, but it felt really big and awkward. Not any fun for me. I got back on a BMX after all these years off, and it was almost like I never got off at all. Felt perfect for me.

Remember too, that none of the pro riders are kids, per se. A whole lot of them are as big, or even taller than me, and some of them are almost as old.

I say go getcha one! It's fun!

Jake

thanks for that info! Might well give it a whirl ;-)

nasonm · May 13th, 2008, 12:35 PM

I have a Marin Hawk Hill Mtn bike with Road tires as my main mode of transportation. Once I get home today, i will have logged 200 miles in the past 4 weeks just by commuting to work via bike.

Glenn D. · May 13th, 2008, 12:35 PM

Here's my baby:

g-Paul · May 13th, 2008, 01:40 PM

I have a Proflex 857 with mainly XTR hardware. The original compression suspension siezed up so I replaced the front with a Girvin carbon fiber fork - just left the rear as is, so now it's a hard-tail.

I have an extensive wooded area with a river flowing through it just a 2 minute ride from my house. There's nothing quite like blasting through the woods on a mountain bike to bring back those kid feelings!

SenorWences · May 13th, 2008, 05:48 PM

Cool Thread! I'm currently modding my 90's Raleigh Technium MTB into a single-speed townie for local errands and stuff and I'm waiting for the DHL truck to deliver my Cadillac cruiser with the NuVinci Hub system....maybe I'll see if I can get my old paper route back.

imwjl · May 14th, 2008, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glenn D.

Here's my baby:

Sweet. A Heckler is on my short list should my wife resume trail riding. My wife is same height as me, so it makes sharing bikes possible.

Any comments on your seat height adjuster?

Thanks.

freddie · May 18th, 2008, 03:59 AM

Hi All,

Very cool to see some others interested in this here. I do have a couple of probs/questions though.

I bought my bike thinking it was an adult bike, but it has 24 inch tyres. Does this matter? It was one my wife and I could easily get on, it is about the size of an 18' adult bike. I'm 5 '7 (and a half lol...) and my inseam is about 30-31 so some of the adult bikes I could not even stand up with. My wife is shorter than me, but has a longer inseam.

I notice on this bike I own that it has disc brakes. They work well, but the front cannot align properly. There is a distinct about a quater of an inch difference from the center of the handlebars to the front tyre. It cannot be adjusted out as there is a bolt that moves the tyre over with the disc brakes.

The full suspension seems odd to me, maybe this is the real trouble with me at around 175 pounds getting on this bike, am I topping the suspension out? (thus making it harder to steer...ride?????) I don't know that I like the back suspension at all, seems to make the bike hard to ride, other friends of mine, children of the 70's are saying they got bikes with full suspension and hate it too lol.... They have said to get a bike with a comfort type of seat??? I dunno I'm confused.

I've thought about getting a different bike while this one can still be returned.

i like like this one:

http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/in...=12604&brandID

thanks,

freddie

Apok · May 18th, 2008, 07:54 AM

I do a bit of free ride and downhill riding around here and I've been to Whistler a couple of times which is always a blast. But here's my bike

It's an 01' Brodie Thumper with a mishmash of parts on it including my prized 00' Junior T QR20 in the rare green paint (came on an old Kona DH bike, Stinky Deluxe maybe?). Like the telecaster its all bolt on, lol.

May 13th, 2008, 01:04 AM	#42 (permalink)
Colo Springs E Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Colorado Springs Posts: 5,174 5 Photos	I'm a fairly serious mountain biker.... .....been mountain biking the better part of 15 years. I don't care for full-suspension, I'm a hardtail guy. My bike--which I'll get a pic up of shortly--isn't real expensive, but serves my needs well. It's a $500-ish Ironhorse w/Deore components and a nice Marzochi (sp?) shock. I'd liken it to the MIM Classic Series. I'm not so fast at downhill, but I'm one of the better 'technical' (navigating rocks, drop-offs, etc) riders in my circle of friends. A friend of mine who recently moved away was awesome at the 45-minute uphill grind... wish he was still here to punish me (I won't do it without peer pressure!). Weather's warming up... gotta figure how to get the Ironhorse on my Mazda Miata! LOL -E __________________ Think I'll pack it in and Buy a pickup Take it down to LA...

May 13th, 2008, 12:35 PM	#44 (permalink)
nasonm Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Bangor, Maine Age: 31 Posts: 1,690 16 Photos	I have a Marin Hawk Hill Mtn bike with Road tires as my main mode of transportation. Once I get home today, i will have logged 200 miles in the past 4 weeks just by commuting to work via bike. __________________ "i have learned to just grit my teeth, change the subject, consider their deep total ignorance, fondle the thumb picks in my pocket and go on my way" - bender-freak It's been lonely in the saddle since my horse died

May 18th, 2008, 03:59 AM	#49 (permalink)
freddie Tele-Meister Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Portsmouth, U.K. Age: 44 Posts: 186	Hi All, Very cool to see some others interested in this here. I do have a couple of probs/questions though. I bought my bike thinking it was an adult bike, but it has 24 inch tyres. Does this matter? It was one my wife and I could easily get on, it is about the size of an 18' adult bike. I'm 5 '7 (and a half lol...) and my inseam is about 30-31 so some of the adult bikes I could not even stand up with. My wife is shorter than me, but has a longer inseam. I notice on this bike I own that it has disc brakes. They work well, but the front cannot align properly. There is a distinct about a quater of an inch difference from the center of the handlebars to the front tyre. It cannot be adjusted out as there is a bolt that moves the tyre over with the disc brakes. The full suspension seems odd to me, maybe this is the real trouble with me at around 175 pounds getting on this bike, am I topping the suspension out? (thus making it harder to steer...ride?????) I don't know that I like the back suspension at all, seems to make the bike hard to ride, other friends of mine, children of the 70's are saying they got bikes with full suspension and hate it too lol.... They have said to get a bike with a comfort type of seat??? I dunno I'm confused. I've thought about getting a different bike while this one can still be returned. i like like this one: http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/in...=12604&brandID thanks, freddie Last edited by freddie; May 18th, 2008 at 05:25 AM.

May 13th, 2008, 12:35 PM	#45 (permalink)
Glenn D. Tele-Meister Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Fort Collins, CO Age: 47 Posts: 165	Here's my baby:

May 13th, 2008, 01:40 PM	#46 (permalink)
g-Paul Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Leafs Nation Age: 48 Posts: 132	I have a Proflex 857 with mainly XTR hardware. The original compression suspension siezed up so I replaced the front with a Girvin carbon fiber fork - just left the rear as is, so now it's a hard-tail. I have an extensive wooded area with a river flowing through it just a 2 minute ride from my house. There's nothing quite like blasting through the woods on a mountain bike to bring back those kid feelings!

May 13th, 2008, 05:48 PM	#47 (permalink)
SenorWences TDPRI Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Whittier Posts: 30	Cool Thread! I'm currently modding my 90's Raleigh Technium MTB into a single-speed townie for local errands and stuff and I'm waiting for the DHL truck to deliver my Cadillac cruiser with the NuVinci Hub system....maybe I'll see if I can get my old paper route back.

May 18th, 2008, 07:54 AM	#50 (permalink)
Apok Tele-Meister Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Newfoundland Age: 21 Posts: 104	I do a bit of free ride and downhill riding around here and I've been to Whistler a couple of times which is always a blast. But here's my bike It's an 01' Brodie Thumper with a mishmash of parts on it including my prized 00' Junior T QR20 in the rare green paint (came on an old Kona DH bike, Stinky Deluxe maybe?). Like the telecaster its all bolt on, lol.