Have developments in MTB'ing made you a better rider?

[letmetalktomark]

Bear with me on this.....

I've been riding MTBs now for about 15yrs and in that time have owned several bikes - more recently bikes thats have more modern kit on; hydraulic discs, suspension forks etc.

Although during this time I'm not aware that these developments have made me a better rider :?

I feel just as happy thrashing a fully rigid frame on the same trails as my more modernized bikes and feel just a s quick.

Now recent developments has made the ride more comfortable and with sealed bearings, better fitting frames etc and better seals more reliable but am I a better rider....hmmm.

Just keen to have peoples thoughts on this. Many of you have or have owned modern bikes alongside retrobikes....so what have you found?

Cheers,

Mark

My first real MTB:

Specialized Rockhopper with canti mounts fitted, painted yellow and wearing Kona stickers :roll: Circa 1995

 

[gregsy]

He's the man with the stick!!!!

Ive only got old steel mtb's so unfortunately I cant give a sensible comment..

 

[JeRkY]

Modern bikes have caused me many more injuries than I used to get in the old days.

My 08 Specialized Epic gives me so much confidence whilst riding that it often out paces my actual tallent, which explains why I have had 2 quite serious off's on it in the last 18 mnths, whilst never suffering much more than bruised ego in the 15 years preceding that, riding my older bikes.

 

[cchris2lou]

no it hasnt , BUT that might have to do with lack of fitness and i dont take same risks as i used to . I have 3 young children and use my brain a bit more .

I have never rode a full sus for long time , my more modern bike is 1998 but with decent forks and modern brakes .

i enjoy it so much that i am having a custom frame made .

 

[messiah]

Are you guys serious?

I am a far better rider than I used to be and I am improving all the time. I may have been fitter and faster a few years ago (when I raced) but I can ride some mental stuff now which is down to the quality of the bikes I am riding and the skills I have built up over the years.

I enjoy the retro thing but my main love is bikes - and decent powerful disk brakes, larger/better tyres, wider bars and suspension have changed the game completely where I ride.

I had my retro rigid SS out last night and it was super fast and super fun - but the route I took was limited by the bike I was riding.

 

[letmetalktomark]

Are you guys serious?

Well this is what I mean.

I maybe mistaken but my riding style now is just as "balls out" now as it was back then.

Plus I will happily take out my rigid bike with canti brakes and thrash it just as hard as my front suspension bike with discs - its just easier on the latter due to angles, equipment etc

Keep up the debate though

 

[cchris2lou]

I guess it depends o how you define better rider ? is it faster , better at jumping , on techincal trails etc...

 

[Scrat]

Depend on how you define better?

It takes more skill to ride an old bike fast so I would argue that Modern bikes make you worse

 

[letmetalktomark]

It takes more skill to ride an old bike fast so I would argue that Modern bikes make you worse

Oooh controversial but understandable

Lots of the modern magazines; MBUK etc suggest that folk that have only ever ridden full squish should hone their skills on a hardtail so I guess that logic stands up.

 

[perry]

A decent old bike back in the day that was made correctly would have cost quite a few quid , as the years roll by and with the trickle down effect a meager outlay will get a bike that would have cost a lot more years ago .

So I don't think the stuff is better , but you can buy better stuff now than you could have for the same £££ .

Geometry and quality of manufacture is all I'm concerned with . It's not that bikes are better , better bikes are more available .

The people pushing riding further are in the minority , the majority still rides at the same pace and with the same level of excitement as they always had . The people pushing it just that little bit more are the people giving us the forks that work and frames that dont bend but us who are the average majority only feel the benefit in the pocket and with less time injured from snapped steerers and rims that aren't worn out .

I'm no quicker on a new bike than an old one , the difference is time has given me the opportunity to say " hey 22" bars are awful and i dont want an 18" frame ." I can pick and choose the elements of the past that suit me now .