![]() |
Originally Posted by big john
(Post 22594997)
Cool! You guys both ride XC hardtails. I thought about one before I bought the thing I have in 2018 but I was afraid it wouldn't like the rough rocky stuff. With the stuff I do these days an XC bike would be fine.
|
Vice Grip Garage just finished a trip from Tennesse to Winslow, Az. using as much of the old Route 66 as possible in a pick up truck. The number of abandoned towns and buildings was amazing. Some of the businesses hung on longer than others.
|
Originally Posted by Eric F
(Post 22595038)
Yep - a couple of old guys on lightweight hardtails. During our ride, my friend and I were talking about a mutual good friend who recently got a new 120mm FS bike. We agreed that HTs were a better choice for us. We don't need to ride faster on rough terrain, or increase the magnitude of the rough terrain we are able to ride. Both of those things increase the damage risk when you make a mistake, and making it home in one piece is a very high priority. We are both good riders with decent tech skills, but being the fastest idiots on the hill is no longer a concern (I do chase climbing PRs, sometimes). Basically, if it's too steep/rocky/challenging to ride on a HT, I probably shouldn't be riding it.
I also liked McGill trail on Mount Pinos but it's been "discovered" because you can shuttle most of it. Don't like climbing the trail when idiots are shuttling it. Old bike @9000 feet: https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...44b1c3728c.jpg New bike @ 1200 feet. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...4016192372.jpg |
Oh, yeah.."old guys" lol.
|
Originally Posted by genejockey
(Post 22594947)
Pour gasoline down the hole and light it. What's the worst that could happen?
I hear the underground fire in Centralia PA is still burning, BTW. 60 years, all from a fire in a landfill. |
Originally Posted by Mojo31
(Post 22594994)
Double entendre time?
|
Originally Posted by big john
(Post 22595077)
Oh, yeah.."old guys" lol.
That KHS looks pretty squishy. If it works for you, that's what matters most. I've always had a preference for hardtails, and have fabricated a justification for it ;) |
Originally Posted by big john
(Post 22595040)
Vice Grip Garage just finished a trip from Tennesse to Winslow, Az. using as much of the old Route 66 as possible in a pick up truck. The number of abandoned towns and buildings was amazing. Some of the businesses hung on longer than others.
|
|
Originally Posted by genejockey
(Post 22595014)
One of my favorite songs when I was a wee lad was Peter, Paul, and Mary's version of "The Ballad of Spring Hill".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebJFulmETMA |
Originally Posted by rjones28
(Post 22595097)
NPAOTD
datlas https://bringatrailer.com/wp-content...size=620%2C413 It's for sale. ;) No Reserve: 49k-Mile 1995 Saturn SC1 5-Speed for sale on BaT Auctions - ending August 1 (Lot #80,288) | Bring a Trailer |
Originally Posted by DougRNS
(Post 22595113)
Springhill, Tennessee home of the saturn?
|
Originally Posted by Eric F
(Post 22595087)
I'm not claiming we're the oldest guys around, but 50+ is older than a large majority of the folks I come across on the dirt.
That KHS looks pretty squishy. If it works for you, that's what matters most. I've always had a preference for hardtails, and have fabricated a justification for it ;) |
Originally Posted by big john
(Post 22595133)
It's squishy for sure but when you hit a square edged hole or cross a 12 inch rut it just soaks it up. It's really good on loose rocks, too. The 2.8 tires help there. The downside is the weight when climbing. And pedal strikes. With 150mm of rear travel there will be pedal strikes. Of course, it has lockouts on both ends. I really like it, but I think about something else these days.
|
Haven’t learned all the details, but a guy I used to volunteer with for our local MS 150 ride just died. We volunteered together in one capacity or another for more than a decade. He was in charge of the route. Later in our collaboration I put out road signs starting at 6 am the day before the event.
From what I have learned so far, he had recently retired from an engineering firm. I am now contemplating my own retirement plans even more. |
Originally Posted by Eric F
(Post 22595146)
A Trek Supercaliber is my dream bike, but was out of my $ reach. It's a pure XC machine, but includes a 70mm of rear travel. I would consider it more of a "softtail", rather than FS That said, I'm extremely happy with my Procaliber. I almost pulled the trigger on a new BMC hardtail, but was looking at a long path of upgrades to get it to the spec I really want. Buying my Procal on the used market got me all the upgrades, and more. At 21 lbs, it sure likes going uphill.
My first full suspension bike was a soft tail, I think it was 80mm? I had a custom shock made for it and it worked pretty well. Took the edge off, as we say. |
Originally Posted by genejockey
(Post 22595025)
Part of me wants to ride it, because of the nostalgia and curiosity and part of me rebels at the idea of riding through an unlit tunnel over a mile long.
|
A good day.
Wordle 408 3/6 ⬜🟨⬜🟩⬜ ⬜⬜⬜🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 |
Originally Posted by big john
(Post 22595177)
21 pounds! My Gunnar road bike is a bit more than that! I wanted an Ibis Ripmo but the KHS was so much cheaper and it actually fits me, which is hard to do.
My first full suspension bike was a soft tail, I think it was 80mm? I had a custom shock made for it and it worked pretty well. Took the edge off, as we say. |
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...e8fc1f2ca.jpeg
Originally Posted by big john
(Post 22595177)
21 pounds! My Gunnar road bike is a bit more than that! I wanted an Ibis Ripmo but the KHS was so much cheaper and it actually fits me, which is hard to do.
My first full suspension bike was a soft tail, I think it was 80mm? I had a custom shock made for it and it worked pretty well. Took the edge off, as we say. I prefer lightweight - so back in the day went with this Litespeed with an AMP rear ... added 'long travel' kit (80 mm ?) to the RS Judy I also have a Risse shock for this bike - but used the stock shock which has a titanium spring this bike was a blast to ride - weighed somewhere around 22 lbs with 1.9 tires this bike has been sitting for a while |
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...b6a25d761.jpeg
Originally Posted by indyfabz
(Post 22595178)
When I was planning to ride it in
2013 a guy who had ridden it told me to follow the median stripes, which you can still see, albeit they are faint. A good light is a must. A windbreaker is also helpful as the tunnels are cool. Both times I rode through it was warm and humid. They were refreshing. The one thing I refused to do was look up at the ceilings for fear of seeing bats. a few of my old time dirt bike friends rode there - but I never did at one time we rode near (and at times on) the railroad tracks in Franklin PA - traveled over some trestles and through a couple of tunnels (on the tracks) the long tunnels were a challenge - tough to just maintain your balance the train tracks in that area were transformed into rails-to-trails ... we have ridden some of that area with our bicycles but have not ridden through the long tunnel on the Allegheny River trail ... we did ride through the shorter tunnel on the nearby Sandy Lake trail (pictured above) . |
Originally Posted by t2p
(Post 22595210)
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...e8fc1f2ca.jpeg
have just one full suspension bike - Litespeed Obed FS I prefer lightweight - so back in the day went with this Litespeed with an AMP rear ... added 'long travel' kit (80 mm ?) to the RS Judy I also have a Risse shock for this bike - but used the stock shock which has a titanium spring this bike was a blast to ride - weighed somewhere around 22 lbs with 1.9 tires this bike has been sitting for a while |
Originally Posted by genejockey
(Post 22595217)
I do sometimes wonder about all the old Ti MTBs. I mean, it was pretty straightforward to update my 27 year old Ultimate into a modern road bike, because wheels, brakes, derailleurs etc. all still fit and all. But MTBs have changed a lot in that time, from 26" wheels to 29", and a lot of other changes. A 27 year old road frame with modern components is a modern road bike, but I don't imagine the same is true of a 27 year old MTB frame.
the older stuff is now mostly obsolete and/or better suited to more casual riding but many small riders - including me - prefer the smaller 26" wheels and some others do also - including one of my kids that is now 6' ... he prefers the smaller 26" tires ... he has a bmx background that Litespeed is a 14.5 - can't imagine it with 29" tires ... ? ... |
Originally Posted by t2p
(Post 22595216)
years (and years) ago this was a popular area for dirt bikers / woods riders
a few of my old time dirt bike friends rode there - but I never did About the two people in the tunnel: I had my riding glasses on, and they were shining lights towards me. I only saw two people. In camp that night I looked at the day’s photos as I was sitting around the fire. An intense chill came over me when I realized there had been three people. What made it more scary was that I was the only one in the fairly large campground. |
Originally Posted by t2p
(Post 22595234)
agree - off road bikes have changed a ton
the older stuff is now mostly obsolete and/or better suited to more casual riding but many small riders - including me - prefer the smaller 26" wheels and some others do also - including one of my kids that is now 6' ... he prefers the smaller 26" tires ... he has a bmx background that Litespeed is a 14.5 - can't imagine it with 29" tires ... ? ... https://i.imgur.com/B4hGOxe.jpg I didn't limit myself to casual/easy riding. I can ride almost all the same stuff on this 26" singlespeed that I do with my much-newer 29" HT. Small female MTB pros don't seem to be hindered by 29" tires. |
All times are GMT -6. The time now is 08:46 PM. |
Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.