cccorlew

I'm a roadie in my soul, but I took my mountain bike out today. It could have gone better.
Blog post at https://ccorlew.blogspot.com/2016/06...im-roadie.html

But my question here is about my bike. It's a Cannondale F500 from the mid 90s. Its an 8 speed triple with front suspension that's just a spring in the head tube. (bike photo below)

Can I, or should I, upgrade the suspension, or is that just throwing away money? I know Cannondale has an odd size headtube which might factor in. If you answer "upgrade," please offer a suggestion (I know nothing about mt. parts)

I ride it like I'm a older roadie. No air, no bombing descents. Fire trails and legal dirt paths, but steep climbing.

If upgrades are pointless, can you suggest a bike with low gears, light weight (sort of) and high in the traction department? I don't need a high end bike, just something reasonable.


@cccorlew rides Black Diamond. With #mtdiablo in the distance. Old school Cannondale, 1995-ish vintage. by curtis corlew, on Flickr

Retro Grouch 

How do you plan to use it?

The road you took the picture at isn't real mountain biking. I'd think your headshock should be fine for that kind of riding.

If you plan to get into more technical single track riding, I think you would be better served with a newer bike with a fork that has good damping. It is hard to describe how much difference a good suspension fork can make.

Kindaslow

Really good forks run $800-2000, and they are all going to be for disc brakes. If you want to MTB more and you like hardtails, you could get a complete hardtail that would have many advantages for $1500-2000 that would be very nice (it would not have one of those previously mentioned forks, but the overall package would be very good).

Darth Lefty 

You can upgrade the suspension. But it will probably cost about as much as the bike is worth.
Cannondale, Professional and Trusted Lefty and Head Shock Service Performed by Craig Smith
Lefty/Headshok Parts

I'd love to make an excuse to get a new MTB but I've decided for now to maintain the poopy one I've got. If I were going to the bike store for a trail bike I'd take a long look at the Specialized Fuse and/or its direct competitors... Plus size tires, medium travel (4-5 inches) fork, slack head tube, dropper seat post. Either that or a Rockhopper, a line drive down the mainstream of what mountain bikes are each year.

John E

That photo shows my (roadie) kind of mountain biking. My trusty old red-white-and-blue non-suspension Schwinn serves me extremely well in this sort of application.

cccorlew

That was just the bike photo. Indeed my bike rocks sections like this. Heck, my commuter bike does fine here. This road is how I get to to the actual mountain biking part, dirt at double digit inclines. I'm sure it isn't dramatic for real mountain bikers, but it rattled me so much my arms hurt.

Are you giving me an excuse to go photograph the actual mountain bike part? Well... maybe.

Gerryattrick

Much as it pains me to admit it, as a retro mtb lover, modern suspension is much better than the stuff from the 90s. Nothing wrong with that stuff in its day but technology has improved.

If you like the non technical, single track riding then a hard tail is perfectly fine, even if you do a lot of climbing. I'm not sure about fitting a conventional suspension fork on to one of those Cannondales (perhaps you'd get better responses from the mtb forum) as they may have a 1.25" steerer. If it can be done I'd go for it as you are likely to see a big improvement in the comfort of the ride.

If you do go down the modern bike route then there are many good mid-range options around in the major names such as Giant, Trek, Marin, Specialized. As with road bikes, look around and try them out.

deapee

If you're leaving your saddle in that position while you're mountain biking, that means you don't need serious suspension, etc.

If you're railing so hard that the saddle gets in your way, then I'd look at upgrading.

My mountain bike was around $500 or $600 brand new...I originally picked it up just so I could ride the canal towpath with my wife when she wants to ride...that being said, all I ride are paths like you pictured, so there's just no real reason for me to have upgraded to anything else.

It was kind of intimidating to go look at mountain bikes without doing a ton of research first...but in the end, I'm happy with my purchase.

I would say if you do decide to go get one, read the reviews and some forum posts about it and see where you end up budget wise.

Basically if your budget is $1500, spend all of it...and if your budget is just $600 there's no reason you can't get a nice machine with that as long as you don't do crazy trails/downhill.

NYMXer

I would leave that bike the way it is, ride it often and with others too. When you ride with others, ask to test out their bike and see how you like it. When you find one that you are really impressed with, go to a LBS and buy it.

cccorlew

I'm a roadie, so I have no idea what this means. Railing? What is that? My saddle is as it is on (shockingly enough) my road bike.

I'm sure I don't need serious suspension, but something less comedic might be nice.

Now I have to figure out if I like this mountain this enough get another bike.

NYMXer, all my friends are roadies. I know no mountain bikers.

Gerryattrick

With the mountains and trails you have in California, particularly the SF Bay area, you are potentially missing out great opportunities for fantastic rides if you only ride roads. I would love such rides.

N+1 is even better when it includes MTBs.

Rick@OCRR

Curtis, you know me. I'm a roadie first, just like you. Still, I enjoy mountain biking on a very, well, almost "beginner" level. My bike is a '98 GT Zaskar, i.e. hardtail with a SID suspension fork. Nothing fancy. Yes, I used to race mountain bikes back in the 90's but that was so long ago.

Still, even though I don't take chances, sure don't try to get "air" and ride what I consider to be very conservatively, I recently (May 14th, 2016) crashed on an "easy" (i thought) descent on a Jeep road mind you, not single-track, bad enough to break a clavicle, bruise some ribs and get a mild concussion. Oh, and lost a lot of skin too. And it was on a Jeep road I'd ridden numerous times before.

I'm just saying . . . be careful out there! The biggest change I notice is that the surface we're riding is not solid. It can and does move. So that takes some getting used to. Yet, it is do-able.

Good suggestions above regarding your Cannondale bike. I would stay stick with it until your mountain bike skills exceed that bike's abilities on your local trails.

Rick / OCRR

BluesDawg

Fist of all, do not waste a dime trying in vain to upgrade the suspension on that bike. I'd ride that one as it is for a little while until I figured out what I want to do. You say you don't know any mountain bikers, but if there are trails around, there are people who ride them. Maybe a nearby shop can connect you with some beginner friendly riders who could help you out.
If you decide you want to get more involved in mountain biking, good hardtail bikes with decent components and forks can be had for under $1500 new or considerably less used. Learn more about forks and brakes before you choose one.

EDIT- After reading your blog posting - Along with better equipment, many of your complaints would be significantly addressed by learning more technical skills.

cccorlew

Thanks all. After reading the advice here I think I know what I need to do.

Stay on the road.

I'm heading out today for a road bike ride from South Lake Tahoe to Portland, going over Mount Lassen, Shasta, Crater Lake and Mount Hood.

Skinny tires all the way.

Rick@OCRR, I read about your crash on FB and wished you well from afar. You have me thinking that I may not be interested in investing the broken bones and blood it takes to go about "learning more technical skills" as BluesDawg suggests.

Rick@OCRR

In fairness, I should point out that it was the only time I've broken a bone on a mountain bike ride. Most of my mountain bike "offs" have caused a loss of a little skin at worst.

I just wish I could remember what caused the crash!

Rick / OCRR

BluesDawg

The only bone I've ever broken while riding a bicycle was the hairline fracture of my tibia resulting from when a car hit me while riding a road bike.
I'm only suggesting learning some basic simple bike handling skills so that you could not have some of the problems you reported like losing traction or having your front wheel lift while climbing. Not the crazy, technical, dangerous fun stuff.

osco53

My Bike does not hold me back If I decide to 'Drop In' to a pit or rail a berm.
I to don't get air unless I have to,, but then again having a bike that can get me out of trouble when
I get In over my head is kinda nice I will admit....

Modern mountain bikes are better than,,'Classics' by a country mile I swear

Steve B.

I've only ever broken a front rib on a mt. bike, but also a kneecap on my road bike.

Falls are falls and IMO no worse on a mt. bike, just more small falls and more often. That goes with the territory.

The more you mt. bike, the better you get at it if only because you get used to riding on a sketchy surface. It can help to ride with other mt. bikers who will do your pace and show you some skills. Skills are VERY important on a mt. bike.

That said, my first question is why are you riding terrain that is as difficult as you describe ?, especially when you admit to not having skills and/or much time on the single track ?. Why not choose some easier stuff that would be more fun ?. I can't believe it doesn't exist.

When I started biking 28 years ago, it was 50/50 mt. biking to road biking and I don't consider myself either, just a cyclist. Now that I'm 61 I do not attempt the stuff on mt. bike I could do when I was 35. I don't like getting hurt, it interferes with the rest of the day and my skill level as well as confidence level is not as good. That just comes with the ageing territory and I'm fine with it.

So keep the C-Dale and re-think where you are riding so the trail isn't kicking your butt.

johntrev

I typically ride on the roads; on trails I ride my rigid fork hard-tail 1988 Stumpjumper Comp I've had since new. I too am tempted to upgrade, but only ride on trails a few times a year, so stick with my old bike.

Still, I'm up in Tahoe this weekend, and will watch with some jealousy as my brother bombs the downhill washboard section coming back from the Flume trail, and I will more slowly and cautiously make my way down, fearful of losing control as the trail shakes my arms off.

On climbs, I keep my butt on the seat to maintain traction while leaning forward to keep the front wheel on the ground. Lower tire pressure also helps traction, and I keep my seat a little lower than on the road bike.

woodway

Don't give up on mountain biking, it's a great workout and will improve your road bike handling skills. Don't waste money on that old bike, get your self a decent hardtail and go have fun. Even gravel grinding can be a nice change up to riding on the road.

Around here (Pacific Northwest) mountain bike falls generally don't hurt as much as road falls - the landing is softer

Kindaslow

+ 1

Go for it!

Cyclist0094

Your traction issue wasn't your choice of bike that was your tires. lower the PSI first. Modern suspension has greatly improved. My son was away in Thailand for 8 months in 2014 and left me his Stumpjumer FSR IMO it is technologically light years beyond my 1988 custom rigid bike but it didn't go uphill any faster. Down hill the FSR was a dream, it soaked up the bumps and dips at much higher speed than I could ever ride that trail on my rigid bike. The down side is when(not if) you crash you are hitting the ground a lot faster also.