Would you be a MTBer now?

[markoc]

I'm not sure tbh. Would I have a bike, absolutely. Would I get as hooked as I was - I don't think so.

Back then it felt more like a community. There was cool new stuff happening every year with kit releases - it was an exciting time. I wanted to read the mags, see the stuff - follow the riders and keep up to date. It made the world a smaller place in a time without the internet and social media. Picking up MBUK, MBI and MBR once a month was my window into a world I'd recreate as a teenager on my low rent gate of a bike.

Now it feels very corporate, few innovators and boutique companies. I haven't got a clue about modern kit. You can't find an ano bolt for love or money.

Now we're divided into cliques, too many variants of what is essentially pushing pedals to make progress. Back then it was just MTB. Everything's more complicated, more expensive, needs more maintenance. I enjoy my singlespeed retro for pootling around, and my roadbike gets a decent amount of use. I find trailcentres intimidating now, and my modern doesn't get out much.

Stop the world, I want to get off.

 

[Russell]

Now it feels very corporate, few innovators and boutique companies. I haven't got a clue about modern kit. You can't find an ano bolt for love or money.

I think this couldn’t be further from the truth. There are lots of small companies pushing the boundaries and bringing new ideas to the table.

I’ve never known a time with so many ‘Fred in a shed’ hand built bike companies.

 

[novocaine]

I'm not sure tbh. Would I have a bike, absolutely. Would I get as hooked as I was - I don't think so.

Back then it felt more like a community. There was cool new stuff happening every year with kit releases - it was an exciting time. I wanted to read the mags, see the stuff - follow the riders and keep up to date. It made the world a smaller place in a time without the internet and social media. Picking up MBUK, MBI and MBR once a month was my window into a world I'd recreate as a teenager on my low rent gate of a bike.

Now it feels very corporate, few innovators and boutique companies. I haven't got a clue about modern kit. You can't find an ano bolt for love or money.

Now we're divided into cliques, too many variants of what is essentially pushing pedals to make progress. Back then it was just MTB. Everything's more complicated, more expensive, needs more maintenance. I enjoy my singlespeed retro for pootling around, and my roadbike gets a decent amount of use. I find trailcentres intimidating now, and my modern doesn't get out much.

Stop the world, I want to get off.

A good friend has just bought a nice new spezh. Whilst he's riding thar, I intend to continue on my SS steel frame inbred and see just how good these new toys are really.

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

Are we in the area of every generation thinks their music/bikes/fashion etc is best trap? We sound like narrow minded, grumpy old men I include myself in this description before anyone gets stroppy
Plenty of choice today, steel, ali, ti, carbon, rigid, hardtail, full sus, fixed, ss, 1x or trad double and triple. Guess what they all work better too, my modernish cx is way more ergonomic, better braked and geared than my 1977 Falcon which I love. This isn't to say you can't have a good ride or fun on vintage. Choice is better now, with the added benefit of 30+ years of development. I wish I was 30+ years younger to really take advantage of it. Just my opinion, get your pitchforks ready.
PS I hate disc brakes.

 

[Lhatch4]

I was born in 1978. I split my childhood between northern California and Colorado. Mountain biking is in my blood. I live in the mid-west now but there are plenty of trails here and I get out as much as I can. If you live anywhere along the rocky mountain region you can find bikes at any price range on the 2nd hand market and trails are everywhere.

 

[brocklanders023]

I think this couldn’t be further from the truth. There are lots of small companies pushing the boundaries and bringing new ideas to the table.

I’ve never known a time with so many ‘Fred in a shed’ hand built bike companies.

Yep, agree with this, there are loads of low volume frame/parts manufacturers about.

Thing is, there are so many sub sections now so you need to choose your preferred style then go digging around the internet as there's no big coverall like MBUK used to be. Take gravel bikes for instance, once you start down that path it has a very old school MTB feel to it and plenty of people are making interesting stuff, you just need to find it.