I don't want a Trials bike...I don't want a jump bike, I wan

[Harryburgundy]

Let me explain....I'm rubbish at riding off road Steep things have me rigid with fear
I need practice...and I have a local wood that has some nice little tracks...some very rooted, or stoney/rocky etc. It seems a good place to learn some skills (if indeed you can teach an old dog new tricks).

So I'm thinking I want something small and light, maybe not 26" wheels.
Trials bike...seems a bit to core and anyway, wheres the seat?
Jump bike....too heavy???
What do I want?
Cheers
Carl

 

[Pickle]

Re: I don't want a Trials bike...I don't want a jump bike, I

What do I want?

You want to man up a bit, thats what

 

[lewis1641]

dont like to pidgoen box but what about an all mountain bike or a downhill hardtail?

i have a 16" "jump" frame i need to move in if you want something cheap and cheerfull to give it a go?

 

[Harryburgundy]

Re: I don't want a Trials bike...I don't want a jump bike, I

What do I want?

You want to man up a bit, thats what

Grrrrrr...why I oughta....shakes fist in manly way.

Thanks for the offer Lewis....seeing what is around at the moment...and what I would be doing is slower trialsy type stuff

 

[lewis1641]

sorry, heads a shed this morning. i read steep, rooty and thought downhill and assumed speed!

i guess you need something with plenty of standover but still rideable.

how about something like an on one? long top tube so not a downhill bike but with decent geometry and a top tube well out of the way

 

[Ziggy]

Something like a trailstar?

 

[legrandefromage]

how about something like an on one? long top tube so not a downhill bike but with decent geometry and a top tube well out of the way

on-one?

he said 'small and light'

 

[Andy R]

What Pickle said........

A frame with plenty of standover clearance is a good confidence booster and something that has a long enough top tube to give a decent riding position with a sensible length stem (IMHO no more than 70mm).

On-One 456 frame? Relatively slack head angle and a 16" would probably be plenty big enough.
Other things that work for steep, technical stuff are brakes that have lots of modulation and are predictable and effective (so discs then), wide-ish bars ( over 625mm, unless tree clearance is an issue), high volume tyres (2.35") run at lowish (25psi) pressures. Maxxis HR's, Panaracer Rampage, whatever.

A lot of people will say that using flat pedals instead of SPD's is the way to go but I've tried this and, after having used SPD's since they first came out, I just can't get on with flats. I'd say go with whatever you're comfortable with.
Do you know any riders near you who are good at the sort of stuff that you want to improve and who would be willing to pass some of their skills on to you (without it just turning into a willy-waving fest obviously... :roll: )
Often, just watching someone ride through or over something that you thought difficult or impossible makes a huge difference - especially if they are willing to then coach you through the same section.

This is one of the disadvantages of the internet, of course - if only it was as easy as saying "well, let's get out for a couple of hours this Sunday, and we can ride here, you can try this bike of mine etc."
Then bench-race over a beer or two - superb!

*Disclaimer* - I'm no riding god, of course, and the views expressed, especially re. brakes are purely my own

 

[Pickle]

^^^^^

 

[lewis1641]

how about something like an on one? long top tube so not a downhill bike but with decent geometry and a top tube well out of the way

on-one?

he said 'small and light'

dont you start.

they are not excessively heavy