New bikes are Huuuge! Zaskar trigger warning!

[brocklanders023]

Are there places/opps for properly demo'ing bikes these days? I'd like to try a couple of modern geo bikes, on a trail, to see what the deal is....but buying one on a flyer is beyond laughable for me - if i did like one it would likely be a multi-month/year saving and selling + campaigning and influencing effort at home...

Orange have a section on their website that says when the upcoming demo days are.

 

[retroJIM]

Orange have a section on their website that says when the upcoming demo days are.

Sonder do them too - https://alpkit.com/pages/sonder-demo-bikes

 

[madjh]

Pff ... eerrr .... pssss ...I don´t know?

Size is not important ...

 

[xtaffa]

Orange have a section on their website that says when the upcoming demo days are.

Sonder do them too - https://alpkit.com/pages/sonder-demo-bikes

Could be busy next summer! Also last tea break turned up this https://richmondcyclecentre.co.uk/shop/surly-krampus/ - the bike I've had some big questions about for some time now: Think I may be getting on a train up to that there London...

 

[eri]

Ta! Previous searches over last couple of years never returned much - probably pandemic and supply issues mind. Google now just returned a few shops, understandably, charging a fee for demo rides. Some taking fee off purchase. Best I found were these guys; try four bikes for £80, fee comes off the purchase with trails close by.

https://dirtworks.co.uk/mountain-bike-demo/

The main thing about modern bikes... the fit is quite different. Twice now I 'knew' my size by heart when I went to buy a newer bike and bought something completely wrong. Once was going from a 90s fit to a 2012 bike, but I did it again buying a used modern hardtail. When I went to buy a used ibis I was luckily informed enough to buy based on the size I needed so chose the XL over the L even though I've never ridden an XL in my life - that particular model had a stupid short top tube.

Is true the mtb fit pendulum has swung strangely in the past decade but there's a lot to like.

My advice is before buying you should read this guys fit theories. When riding standing up (descending, manuals or climbing steeps) there's an important dimension called 'RAD' that nicely encapsulates how your body can efficiently apply force to the bars.

https://www.leelikesbikes.com/rad-bike-setup.html
Modern fit is a matter of getting RAD correct while also having a comfortable sit position.

I can't say any of the various rad type fit equations are perfect for everyone but they magically worked well for me. When I discovered rad I went and measured my bikes and found they were ALL within a few mm of each other: road bikes and mtb. I think thats pretty cool and is the reason I'm an advocate.

WRT to buying or even demoing a bike. Unless you're super lucky most bike shops have no idea how to properly fit a bike. You should show up with your RAD measurement and demo bikes that come close. Easy for store to swap stems.

What you'll find is that the bike feels strangely 'good' but you won't know why until you learn to properly ride a modern bike - certain amount of trust you'll need to learn before you can take advantage of modern suspension, tires and short chainstays.

 

[Darren66]

Ive got to confess, im starting to think my back might love me again if i bought an xl 29er......of dear lord help me.

As we are a similar height, I think an xl wouldn't be big enough, this is my xxl 29er.

 

[Tootyred]

this is my xxl 29er.

What model is that out of interest ?

 

[Darren66]

What model is that out of interest ?

x caliber 9, I believe the Trek Marlin and X caliber range are offered in a xxl, but the Roscoe just an xl.

 

[torqueless]

When I discovered rad I went and measured my bikes and found they were ALL within a few mm of each other: road bikes and mtb. I think thats pretty cool and is the reason I'm an advocate.

Yeah but road bikes with drop bars have three distinct hand positions- tops, hoods and drops. Which are you measuring to?
Fwiw both my bikes (mtb 30+ years old & road bike 40+ years old) measure up pretty close to this 'rad' thing. (if road bike is measured to tops.)

 

[eri]

Yeah but road bikes with drop bars have three distinct hand positions- tops, hoods and drops. Which are you measuring to?
Fwiw both my bikes (mtb 30+ years old & road bike 40+ years old) measure up pretty close to this 'rad' thing. (if road bike is measured to tops.)

Yes just to the hoods. Isn't it interesting?

Bike fit has sure come a long way. Remember when tt length was static and we fit using st length? Barbaric!