Returning to mountain bikes after 10 years away.

[Kieran-b]

So... now we have gravel bikes and a thing called boost? Eh?

 

[swannymere]

Welcome, everything has changed but the old stuff has stayed the same.

 

[FluffyChicken]

Yes.

Gravel bikes are here because
uncomfy roadies, they altered road bikes a bit to make them comfy, realised that they wanted to go off road a bit as they're now comfy, so added wider and wider tyres, realised they wanted other better things as they found mud and it clogs things up, looked at cyclo-cross and pinched the bits they liked, looked at canti brakes, went feck that and moved to discs.
Now they realise that they want more comfort, so they're adding 50mm suspension...
Some are even wanting flat bars as they don't like to be head down and riding on brake hoods isn't so comfy all the time.

Quite by chance they're looking like old 90s bike with bigger wheel and of course modernised materials/looks..

If only the late 80s/early 90s 700c Hybrid bikes had evolved a bit of MTB tech at the time, like 700c Rockshox and Smoke tyres and had a cool name other than Hybrid.

 

[Kieran-b]

Yes.

Gravel bikes are here because
uncomfy roadies, they altered road bikes a bit to make them comfy, realised that they wanted to go off road a bit as they're now comfy, so added wider and wider tyres, realised they wanted other better things as they found mud and it clogs things up, looked at cyclo-cross and pinched the bits they liked, looked at canti brakes, went feck that and moved to discs.
Now they realise that they want more comfort, so they're adding 50mm suspension...
Some are even wanting flat bars as they don't like to be head down and riding on brake hoods isn't so comfy all the time.

Quite by chance they're looking like old 90s bike with bigger wheel and of course modernised materials/looks..

If only the late 80s/early 90s 700c Hybrid bikes had evolved a bit of MTB tech at the time, like 700c Rockshox and Smoke tyres and had a cool name other than Hybrid.

Seems like they are just a reduction in wheel size away from, well, a mountain bike.

 

[greencat]

Gravel: Roadies wanted some of that sweet, sweet, sweet off road action - but couldn't bear the shame of buying a mountain bike.

 

[novocaine]

Funny, I thought gravel was a mtb biker want to do something other than get dat rolling down hills and though hay, those road bikes are quick, but I can't touch my toes so I'll modify it a bit, also, I don't want to be seen on the road, there are cars and they are scary, so I'll run slightly chub by tyres and ride along the gravel trails instead, i know my way round those.

Or, and here's a Real possibility, the marketing guy at some big bike brand thought "what we need is another niche of bike to sell, no one is buying new bikes".


10 years, yer, everything you thing you know has been replaced by a new standard, everything that was good then isn't now and everything that was just about affordable then isn't anymore.

Welcome, hope you enjoy. I'm staying in my hole with old bikes that I know and love.



Any opinions expressed within this post are intended to be read by the reader woth tongue jammed firmly in cheek. No offence is intended nor applied.

 

[brocklanders023]

Welcome back! Just sold my gravel bike as I didn't get on with drop bars but they are great fun it got me out riding much more than I had been doing. Replaced it with an XC MTB to do the same stuff (29er, 1x, and boost of course!).

 

[Kieran-b]

I've just read about what boost actually is. Turns out it isn't something to make you go faster.
I wonder how many Chainrings we are going to see on the back wheel before someone comes up with the idea of putting two (or three) up front (again) allowing a reduction in the rear axle width which would be better because.... (Let's leave that to the marketing people).

Here's another new (to me) one:
Oval chainrings!

 

[PhillB]

Welcome back! For me gravel is where you go easy on the front brake, and Boost is a rather tasty chocolate bar...

 

[novocaine]

I've just read about what boost actually is. Turns out it isn't something to make you go faster.
I wonder how many Chainrings we are going to see on the back wheel before someone comes up with the idea of putting two (or three) up front (again) allowing a reduction in the rear axle width which would be better because.... (Let's leave that to the marketing people).

Here's another new (to me) one:
Oval chainrings!

oval rings are more of a side line to the main stream so don't fret that one, they've been around for ever. currently MTB is teeny granny size ring up front with 1 million rings going from 9 to 400 tooth, it's the main reason 29 won .
don't forget you have to have a dropper and you must run tubeless otherwise you'll never ride down that hill.

boost, because "******* wide" didn't pass the test group.
a few things to watch for
compliance - wet noodle
modern geometry - cruiser with suspension
elevated - we can't get it to work without a work around
stiffened - we can't get it to work without a work around
Eagle - give me all your money
E-bike - up hill is hard work.

enjoy, try not to let it get to you, buy a bike, ride it, that's all there is to it.