Re: Re:
Maybe it varies from country to country? I notice for example, you're in Canada while I'm in the UK.
I do recognise what you're saying. I have some mountain biking friends who have all of the gear, specialised bikes etc - and are extremely good. They are, however, still welcoming of me who turns up wearing, and riding, something less than optimal. I draw the line at, for example, tapered suspension forks and those that don't use standard QR. My current go to ride doesn't have discs or suspension. For me, a mountain bike should be able to do anything - not need highly specialised boutique equipment. But damn, they considerably faster than me.
I dunno I just think generally mountain bikers are more accepting of someone starting out - but I'm not basing that on much more than a few anecdotes from friends and my own.
dirttorpedo":261qjwaz said:Interesting take on the whole mountain bike vs road bike culture. Locally I'm seeing a lot more people riding in regular clothes on road or street bikes. Yes, many of them are hipsters on single speed converted vintage racing bikes and others are riding touring bikes, city bikes, and whatnot. I've found that mountain biking is the branch that has become heavily specialized over the past 15 years with the move to single purpose downhilling, freeriding and all mountain style bikes. Those late 80's and early 90's mountain bikes were incredibly flexible with the swapping of tires and the adding of a few accessories you could go from trail to tour quite readily. Can't imagine doing that on a modern mountain bike with suspension. I do have to admit at the higher end of racing those bikes are pretty specialized as well, but there are lots of CX bikes and sport bikes and touring bikes with more relaxed geometry, braze ons for racks and fenders and lots of room for fat tires that are pretty flexible and can go from dirt to pavement quite easily.
Maybe it varies from country to country? I notice for example, you're in Canada while I'm in the UK.
I do recognise what you're saying. I have some mountain biking friends who have all of the gear, specialised bikes etc - and are extremely good. They are, however, still welcoming of me who turns up wearing, and riding, something less than optimal. I draw the line at, for example, tapered suspension forks and those that don't use standard QR. My current go to ride doesn't have discs or suspension. For me, a mountain bike should be able to do anything - not need highly specialised boutique equipment. But damn, they considerably faster than me.
I dunno I just think generally mountain bikers are more accepting of someone starting out - but I'm not basing that on much more than a few anecdotes from friends and my own.