Returning to mountain bikes after 10 years away.

[brocklanders023]

Yeah you're right. Back in the day whatever bike we had we did everything and anything on it and in most cases our only bike! :O I've built a few all rounders with 100 - 125mm forks from 2000-2011 with fairly traditional geo 69/70/71 degree head, fairly short CS 415-425 trying to get the Goldilocks model. All 26. I do like the big wheels now, so interested in ideas for some with bigger wheels and ideally steel frame.

Might be worth looking at an older Cotic Solaris?

 

[brocklanders023]

Just to add that clutch mechs and narrow/wide chainrings really are an improvement.

 

[Kieran-b]

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.

I really thought the oval Chainrings were new. Must not have been paying enough attention.
I have also learn't that the dropper post is a lot older than I thought.

 

[FluffyChicken]

Yeah, mid 80s to start of the 90s, oval kicked off (probably again?) with Oval, actually they were not round/not oval but shape profiled Ovaltech (Sugino/SR/Suntour) BioPace (Shimano).

 

[novocaine]

Yeah, mid 80s to start of the 90s, oval kicked off (probably again?) with Oval, actually they were not round/not oval but shape profiled Ovaltech (Sugino/SR/Suntour) BioPace (Shimano).

mainly in the road world though, so I think we can forgive the OP on this one. fecking roadies.

 

[FluffyChicken]

Yeah but MTBs where just road bikes that someone thought needed comfy wider tyres and flat handlebars and so needed to change the brakes from callipers to U-Brakes so they would fit.

Actually all Shimano groupsets on MTB had BioPace as default in the Deore/XT-II era, turn of the 90s you couldn't pick up a shite bike 200GS/Exage without BioPace.*
Can't remember about Suntour if it was the default, would take three secs to look it up.

*Marketing needed this so they could add a sticker next to the 7speed SIS/21 gears and STI ones.


... always blame the roadies, it is always their fault.

 

[novocaine]

... always blame the roadies, it is always their fault.

agreed. *



* noting that the majority of my miles are on road these days.