Quote :

"Warrior Creek was super fun! Well set up, I was even able to do some drops off the rock formations without imminent fear of dying. We did Headwaters on Sunday, that's what we get for assuming we can do an advanced trail. I think we walked about 40% of it, did the overlook ride. We plan on going back and doing Dark Mountain/OVT next month. What other trails are in that area? Does Bandits Roost have any? "

I'm fairly technical, but our group decided to skip Headwaters based on others' experiences.

OVT runs from the Kerr Scott visitor center parking lot to the Bandits Roost campground gate, 5.7mi one way. It has two loops off of it then you can also ride to add more mileage. One is Shiner's Loop and is marked, and the other is relatively new with no name or signage. I'm not aware of any other trails in the Wilkes area besides those 3. You could always drive 25-30 minutes up the mountain and try Rocky Knob.

This is probably a long shot, but anyone else do the time trial race at Crabtree on Sunday?

[Edited on June 9, 2014 at 8:13 PM. Reason : quote]

6/9/2014 8:12:52 PM

after 13 years on an old Gary Fisher Tassajara, finally went and bought a 29er.



2016 Trek x-caliber 9.

Took it out on some Richmond area trails today and had a blast. the bigger wheels are much more stable than I ever was on the 26er. as a tall dude, cornering is much better too. i'm gonna love this shit.



[Edited on July 8, 2015 at 10:02 PM. Reason : .]

7/8/2015 10:01:22 PM

That's an awesome picture! I find the 29ers too bulky for me. I like how nimble a 26er is, but I think the next bike I'm going to get is a 650b. I look forward to hitting the trails again this fall. I loved my 2009 Gary Fisher Marlin, but I think its time to go with something from REI.

[Edited on July 8, 2015 at 11:31 PM. Reason : .]

7/8/2015 11:29:35 PM

I'm riding an 06 enduro... i need to go through and take it out of its freeride state. right now she's sitting on downhill tubes and tires with a rockshock totem RC so she's kind of a pig right now... i'm still really fast on it but i'd like to pick up an air sprung fox with a 20mm axle (so i don't have to build another wheelset)

7/9/2015 8:08:08 AM

I am looking to get into mountain biking. Never done it before though I rode bikes all the time as a kid. I don't want to blow a ton of cash on a bike to find out I don't really enjoy it that much and I have no idea what bike to get or even what to look for other than a front suspension.

I have no problem dropping real money down the road if it becomes something I am obsessed with but I don't feel like taking the risk on a first bike. At the same time I don't want a piece of shit that will be the reason I am turned off from it.

Any suggestions?

2/19/2016 5:56:35 PM

Buy something decent used and you'll be able to sell it for what u bought it for.

2/19/2016 6:51:01 PM

Ended up getting a 2015 Novara Ponderosa 29er from REI. It was on clearance for $550 (previously $1100) so I would say that is a pretty solid deal.

2/22/2016 7:19:06 PM

The mountain bike that I built from the frame up was recently stolen. I reported it stolen to the police, but I have some doubts about it being recovered through traditional means. Hence, this post:

Below are two pictures of the bike - the first is the frame (pre-build) and the second is the completed bike. If you see my mountain bike on the trails, at pawn shops, on craigslist/ebay, or anywhere else, I would greatly appreciate it if you tell me about it. I will provide some type of reward to the person who assists in the recovery of my bike.




Thanks!

8/20/2016 12:50:08 PM

So, I picked up a Fuji SLM 2.1 and have been loving the ride. It surprised me how nimble and responsive this 29er is.

Just upgraded to a RaceFace Narrow-Wide front ring and dropped the front shifter. Now rocking a 1x10 (from a 2x10) and LOVING it. New rear SRAM GX derailleur, KMC Chain, and front ring and the bike feels like new. The Narrow-Wide has made a significant difference in feel and confidence. Would recommend.


[Edited on August 22, 2016 at 3:59 PM. Reason : /]

8/22/2016 3:55:59 PM

Alright, I was hoping not to come here just to type, "what should I buy", but after researching lightly, calling around to stores to see what's on sale, and then researching again, I'm feeling both more informed and more confused than before. So...what should I buy?

To try and keep this as brief as I can, I live near a beginner single track trail, but one that's at least technical enough that my BMX bike did not cut it. I'd like enough bike that I can tackle this no problem and possibly other trails around should I really get into this, however...I have 2 young kids that haven't learned yet, so the amount of time I'm going to be able to dedicate to this isn't enough to justify a really expensive bike. I'm feeling like this is putting me in the 750-1,000 range.

Calling around to the shops, I've found these, and also other stuff that I've seen recommended online, or just ignore and tell me what I should get

Specialized Rockhopper Sport - $550
Specialized Rockhopper Expert - $800
Giant Talon 3 - $550
Trek Roscoe 6 - $860
Salsa Timberjack - 15% off web prices
Fuji Nevada 1.9 - $650
Diamondback Hook - $700
Mongoose Tyax - $775
Coop Dirt 1.3 (REI) - $800

4/4/2020 8:41:27 PM

Have you do considered a used bike?

Can get a lot of bike for that money in the used market.

4/4/2020 11:20:46 PM

yes, but I'm in New York, not too far from NYC, closer to New Rochelle, living with an over anxious wife, so I need something that doesn't require me to go meet people and inspect a bike closely

4/4/2020 11:30:23 PM

Makes sense

[Edited on April 5, 2020 at 12:03 AM. Reason : Women are smarter than us]

4/5/2020 12:02:36 AM

I would think of it as buying the bike shop instead of the bike. Pick the shop that's most convenient, most highly recommended, or was the friendliest during the shopping process. Any decent bike shop is going to include a year of basic service, so make sure it's a place you want to go back to.

I would avoid the online options unless you are comfortable doing your own basic maintenance tasks. There will definitely be things to work on. New cables stretch, you will wreck and break things, etc.

All of those options sound fine. I think the Timberjack is a good value. I was really close to buying one, but then my local shop started carrying Santa Cruz and I fell in love with the Chameleon.

4/5/2020 7:29:20 AM