Hardtail with silly wheels...Stanton Switchback
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reanimation
Retrobike Rider
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Nice I had a go on a 650b bike, a nicely sorted Norco which flowed and hopped about with confidence and realised I don't like my many bikes! Debating if I'd buy a hard tail or not but one of these still on my lust list.
The lure of shiney new things!
Joking aside, I'm a big fan modern geometry. I know that's heresy on here, but I don't miss steep head angles and high bottom brackets one bit!
I wouldn't be without a hardtail again. If I had to sacrifice a bike, it'd be the Rune I think.
Joking aside, I'm a big fan modern geometry. I know that's heresy on here, but I don't miss steep head angles and high bottom brackets one bit!
I wouldn't be without a hardtail again. If I had to sacrifice a bike, it'd be the Rune I think.
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reanimation":2bhf5yvw said:
Silly silly silly - trying out fancy new gear that makes you question all your lovely old gear, elementary mistake!
Just bury your head in the sand quick before your wallet suffers the consequences... 
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I have to bring up geometry here. Modern frames all cater for a long travel fork/larger wheels and so always look bolt upright. Older 1980's frames were limited to the availability of frame parts so unless you custom manufactured your own lugs & drop-outs you only had a few options, mostly road based. That obviously changed quite quickly as tubing manufacturers brought out MTB specific tubing/ lugs/ drop-outs
Into the early 1990's it was arse up nose down fast XC, still very road biased with the odd high BB model for low speed technical terrain.
As suspension travel/ quality improved, a separate branch of the mountain bike family took over leaving a bike like a steel Orange Clockwork looking very out of fashion despite its capabilities.
I've ridden a few of the current designs and find them too bolt upright. I'm a child of the late 80's and early 90's so a new bike feels too short and upright
So its not heresy as such but history - its another country - they do things differently there.
Into the early 1990's it was arse up nose down fast XC, still very road biased with the odd high BB model for low speed technical terrain.
As suspension travel/ quality improved, a separate branch of the mountain bike family took over leaving a bike like a steel Orange Clockwork looking very out of fashion despite its capabilities.
I've ridden a few of the current designs and find them too bolt upright. I'm a child of the late 80's and early 90's so a new bike feels too short and upright
So its not heresy as such but history - its another country - they do things differently there.
Re:
Modern frames have a much longer reach than older bikes but are shorter overall because of short stems although this is usually partially offset wider bars.
The longer wheelbase brings greater stability too.
I personally feel much more confident on modern bikes when riding the steeper, technical terrain that I enjoy. They don't climb as well, but that's a necessary evil to get yo the good bits!
It'll be interesting to see how I get on with my old Beast of the East when it's up and running after a few years on long, slack bikes.
Modern frames have a much longer reach than older bikes but are shorter overall because of short stems although this is usually partially offset wider bars.
The longer wheelbase brings greater stability too.
I personally feel much more confident on modern bikes when riding the steeper, technical terrain that I enjoy. They don't climb as well, but that's a necessary evil to get yo the good bits!
It'll be interesting to see how I get on with my old Beast of the East when it's up and running after a few years on long, slack bikes.
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