Kapusta

That design has no pedal kickback, and it does not stiffen under pedaling load. If anything, it bobs. It is essentially a URT design.

The design kinda sucks but not for the reason you state.

But seeing the bike out there is still freaking awesome.

Kapusta

Huh. I grew up in Sparta. Maybe I will see this vintage gem out on the trails next time I am visiting family with my MTB.

thehammerdog

funny u say that as I'm in lk mohawk.
the old schwin is alive and well n sparta.
c u on trails.

roskobosko

Neighbors got new 29ers full suspension $3k bikes and I was jealous. - so you bought a 22 year old 26er and now you aren't jealous? Then you are set.

Bend0matic

I’m riding a 26 inch hard tail with a nashbar aluminum frame and free pedals the bike store gave me because a prior customer just didn’t want them anymore. No shame in what you are riding as long as you are having fun and it is safe to ride for the type of riding you do.

Amt0571

It's a bike. It's made for riding. Just ride it. If somebody laughs at it, it's their problem, not yours.

vespasianus

That is the sweet spot suspension design by John Castellano. The two major companies to use this were IBIS and Klein -although there were others as well. The idea was that it was plush when seated but completely rigid when standing (cranks were uncoupled). In theory (this is the 90's we are talking about!) it sounded good but think about how you ride downhill on a hard tail - with your butt slightly off the saddle and knees bent (again this is the 90s!). That would lock out the suspension and make it useless. You needed to keep you weight on the saddle and just go with it. With the Klein - you had something like 5 inches of rear travel (which was crazy high in those days) and the key was to use tons of sag to give a nice plush ride when seated but firmed up when you wanted to climb - which you had to do out of the saddle! I spent lots of time on a Klein Mantra and never got on with it but knew others that just loved it. He rode everything and was a climbing fool on that bike.

I think the IBIS bowtie commands a nice price today as well.

thehammerdog

the more I ride the more I figure out how best to ride..out of saddle is not good Bob's like crazy..but it goes great when seated and spinning glides over stuff. not bad for $200.
I have decent fitness from the road so I do ok. I just lack the mtb skills.

vespasianus

That is very odd to say the least.

thehammerdog

please explain. curious.

vespasianus

Sorry, that was a vague response on my part.

That suspension design basically uncouples the two parts of the frame - the front triangle and the rear triangle with the shock connecting the two halves. The shock actually bears your weight when you are in the saddle. But when you are off the saddle, all your rear weight is off the saddle and on the peddles - which should bypass and unweight the shock. At that point, it should become really stiff - almost locked out. Bobbing all over the place may indicate a blown shock. When you are sitting, your body weight is actually acting as a damper to the coil spring.

OldsCOOL

If you ride trails within your capability you will have zero teasing remarks about your bike. I ride a 97 Trek 7000 (aluminum frame) 26er, full rigid. The only things I can’t do with this bike is stuff I really don’t want to do anyways...like big drops and sends, downhill rock gardens. Get out on the singletracks and shred that thang!

beermode

New bikes are more forgiving if you pick the wrong line. And when you do pick the right one, you can go in really fast. It just means it's easier to gain confidence when building skill.
Just make sure it's in good repair, and have a blast.

big john

Yes, just have fun and stay within yourself. People are riding gravel bikes off road, if they can do it, so can you.