Can retro MTBs still be ridden hard?

[d8mok]

Suppose what you class as hard ? The same riding as you probably did in the 90’s. Yeh no problem. But even a Red grade trail centre would be hard work to ride quickly on a retro now.

Riding has changed in the last 20-30 years. It’s become more extreme and the bikes have evolved at the same rate.

 

[legrandefromage]

Ah, the old trail centre...

Unfortunately here bikes and trail centres have evolved around each other and as YouTube and Tik-Tok demand more extreme action bikes have got HUUUUUUUGE to cater for their demands

30 years apart

 

[The History Man]

A couple of weeks ago I got “air” on this. Combined age 88 years. Nothing more to be said. Lock it.

 

[M-Power]

Heres me and my resting bitch face riding a £25 car-boot sale 1989 MBK Trekker HiTech in the Peak District - the rear tyre is original...

I miss that type of terrain so bad

 

[doctor-bond]

Red routes are a good test. Dalby is fine and fun on old steel bikes - doesn’t matter if you’re 50 or 12. At the end you feel tired, as you should.

 

[jonjones13]

Ok, convinced. So, anyone selling anything sweet in mint condition ? (Clockwork, Preatige, DOGSBOLX etc) size 17/18”?

 

[madjh]

Ok, convinced. So, anyone selling anything sweet in mint condition ? (Clockwork, Preatige, DOGSBOLX etc) size 17/18”?

Yeesss, here it is: The holly grial. New, 1992 Klein attitude. All brand new. https://m.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s-a...-1992-modell-sammlerstueck/648613741-217-4531

Ok, I know, it is not your size. It is the story of our life. The size is the problem.

 

[2manyoranges]

That’s outrageous even for NOS.

I mean, you could buy....well, a Klein for that much.....

However, back in the real world, of bikes which will actually get ridden - JonJones a good, late P7 would do you very well. It can take some decent forks such as Race SIDS, you can load it with some good disc brakes - Shimano will be fine but you could do more than that and go Hope. Modest rise wide bar and that will be a very capable bike. It will take reasonably wide rims, but there are plenty of Hope hub with Mavic 23mm rims around which are good enough...

 

[Tootyred]

But even a Red grade trail centre would be hard work to ride quickly on a retro now

Yes....quite right...its what i always yell at the full suspension crowd as i wizz past them doing the 20 mile cross country route.

Yes it horses for courses, but how much " tic dic" (or whatever the platform you choose), style riding are you actually doing? Personally i ride 2 to 3 times a week and its cross country....50% roads ( or what passes for roads here...most have degree of grass) and 50% farm tracks, forests trails etc.

So for me....and im sure many others suspension and discs are just wasted additional hastle and weight.

If you live in the centre of the peak district national park in a bothy im sure that's a different matter.

Or...just ride it coz you love it...we are all different...or this would be a very boring website.......oh look the 425th marin Eldridge this week!

 

[trailstar82]

Or...just ride it coz you love it...

THIS! If it’s on two wheels I’m there!