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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
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    PC, UT
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    592

    What's new in last 15+ years? Need a new bike.

    In 2001-2005 I was completely immersed in the bike world. I worked at a shop, raced DH on the weekends, commuted to work on 2 wheels, etc. Then in 2005 my garage got jacked, all 5 bikes got stolen (Cannondale Gemini with Marzo Monster T, completely built out Surly Instigator, etc). I was neck deep in college and not riding much at the time, so I put the insurance payout towards a whole bunch of camera gear and got really into photography and I basically haven't ridden bikes since, aside from the occasional borrowed road bike for an afternoon lazy ride with the homies.

    I'm looking to start riding again. Will be riding around the Wasatch as well as the Roaring Fork area in CO (GF lives over there). I don't mind buying used. Mostly enduro oriented. Long climbs followed by long descents. Maybe some basic obstacles. No racing. 6'2", 195 lbs. Rode pretty aggressively back in the day. Still fit and lean, I suspect I'll want to continue riding somewhat aggressively (at least until my first big crash and broken collarbone).

    What new tech do I need to be aware of? What kind of things should I be looking for? What should I avoid? Looking to drop around $2k on the bike plus reserving another $500 or so for tools, parts, safety gear, etc. I have no problem buying used and can do most of my own maintenance as long as it doesn't require particularly specialized tooling. I'm not gonna pull a bottom bracket or anything like that.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
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    8530' MST/200' EST
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    It's a whole different beast. I started working in shops in 2005, stopped last year, and the tech in MTB is night and day. You want: boost spacing, wheelsize 27.5 or 29 depending on your preference, dropper post. any modern fork will be good, same with the rest of the goodies. KSL is the place to look, tough market right now especially in that price range with the clusterfuck the industry is in terms of inventory right now.
    "If we can't bring the mountain to the party, let's bring the PARTY to the MOUNTAIN!"

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
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    Hell Track
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    13,845
    Oh geez. A lot is new.

    Realistically, any mid-travel (140-150 rear travel) trail bike that was built in the last 3 years is probably fine for you. Probably something with a Sram GX or Shimano XT level component package. You're going to have a tough time finding anything worth buying for $2k right now - Covid has made everything impossible to get, and used bike prices are through the roof.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    CO
    Posts
    2,720
    Oh man you're in for a treat. I didn't upgrade my bike for over 10 years and then got on a modern trail bike and it is absolutely absurd (in the best way possible)

    As far as bike advice I agree with Phall. Beyond that if you ever want someone to show you around the trails in the Roaring Fork Valley let me know
    Quote Originally Posted by other grskier View Post
    well, in the three years i've been skiing i bet i can ski most anything those 'pro's' i listed can, probably

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    northern BC
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    30,885
    probably wana get an enduro bike with 5 - 6 inches travel

    29" wheels, 11 or 12 spd 1X clutch der with narrow/wide , seat dropper, tubeless, disc brakes all work > it did 15 yars ago,
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    panhandle locdog
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    7,836
    Double your budget if you want in-stock and full squish that isn't a "bad" bike with shitty components.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Posts
    637
    the biggest change in the last 15 yrs for you will be the geo for a taller rider

    your old xl bike would now be considered a medium

    reach has gotten far longer, seat tubes have gotten far steeper, as well as other changes that help taller riders like slacker head angles and the ability to run 200mm droppers

    to really take advantage of the changes over the last decade you will want a modern geo frame

    the problem with this is bikes didnt get this geo until pretty recently, and prices went crazy around the same time period, so finding a used bike with good geo for a 6'2'' rider isnt all that easy

    there are some smaller brands that were ahead of the curve and offered good bikes for tall people 7-8 years ago, but they were $$$ then and still command $$ now
    the larger companies caught onto the trend in the last 2-3 years so more available, but also newer so more $$$

    imo look for something around 480-500mm reach, with a nice steep seat tube and ability to run 170-200mm dropper
    drivetrains have been great since 1x10 so not worth stressing
    boost wheel spacing is silly and completely unnecessary in your price range
    forks are mostly good these days just make sure has a decent damper you can rebuild as needed
    shocks are still hit/miss but lots more tuning options and reliability has gone way way up

    for 2k your going to be very limited, but being on the xl side actually seems to have more options available since demand is a little lower

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Access to Granlibakken
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    11,184
    ^ agree. As a tall guy it’s ridiculous how small the “XLs” from just a few years ago were.

    Meanwhile the standover heights have gotten low across the board, which is generally good too.

    Also when shopping around, look at Stack not just Reach. Every 10 mm in stack difference equates to 4 mm less reach. Some brands are weirdly low in Stack in the so called XL size.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Elmore, VT
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    1,211
    And as the bikes have changed, so have the trails, trailbuilding techniques, the crowds...it's all good (sorta), but way more than just bike technology has changed. All the above advice about the bikes themselves is solid.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    northern BC
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    30,885
    Quote Originally Posted by milestogo View Post
    And as the bikes have changed, so have the trails, trailbuilding techniques.
    Up here in BC the gov is throwing money at mtn biking cuz it's good for the tourism

    since just about every existing trail was/is built on crown lands, trails/stunts built on the down low 20-30 years ago have to pass the " The Whistler Trail Standards " and so if the BC gov is happy with your proposal your local trail association can get free money, employ paid workers to build with mini-hoes, bridges & structures with with real dimension lumber

    which also means some sketchy shit might have to be decomissioned
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Posts
    3,230
    Subscribed.

    I will say this is at least the 4th or 5th thread started about the same thing over and over - including mine a few months ago. If I can find it I’ll bump it.

    And…search, JONG!!!!


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    northern BC
    Posts
    30,885
    Ask the same question with a slight twist then allows you to re-ask the question

    but ime we often learn someting new ( but not use of search function ) even if is the same question as last month
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    PC, UT
    Posts
    592
    Really appreciate all the info. Some of it is even brand new as a concept to me. I'm gonna have to hit the ol' google machine to even learn what "boost spacing" is.

    I'm also hearing that I'm going to have to (most likely) pump up my budget to really get something decent. I was hoping to also knock out my skydiving A license this summer, but I might need to defer that. I'm more interested in biking than jumping.

    Finally, on the topic of "Use search you JONG!" - I didn't actually search, but I did skim through the first 7 or 8 pages of this sub forum which took me all the way back to threads that were last updated in 2020, and I didn't see any thread titles that jumped out at me as being about this topic, so I figured this hadn't been discussed recently and it warranted a new thread. Regardless, thanks to everyone for indulging my JONG question!

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Seattle
    Posts
    3,726
    If you're willing buy 27.5 and aluminum, you should be able to find something decent close to your budget with GX. I'm the same size as you and I just bought used. I spent a lot more, but was surprised at how long many used bikes were sitting on the market and the ability to negotiate down. Most people selling "have" to sell because they already bought a new bike and need to get cash.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Exit, CO
    Posts
    748
    Also see the What's my bike worth? thread going on now WRT the cost of things.
    The older I get, the faster I was.






    Punch it, Chewie.

    Damn he seems cool.

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    PC, UT
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    592
    Quote Originally Posted by phatty View Post
    If you're willing buy 27.5 and aluminum
    I think I am, but why shouldn't I be? I assume the "preferred" alternative would be carbon and 29"?

  17. #17
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    Dec 2007
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    Quote Originally Posted by BrokeSomeRibs View Post
    I think I am, but why shouldn't I be? I assume the "preferred" alternative would be carbon and 29"?
    Carbon is lighter, and therefore more expensive. Whether it's better can be debated, but to the extent lighter = better, it's better.

    29 vs. 27.5 is mostly personal preference, although more people tend to prefer 29 these days. Either one is realistically fine, especially given that it's gonna be a bit tricky to find anything decent right now. It's a bad time to be picky.

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Dystopia
    Posts
    21,054
    OP is looking for an xl frame.
    Tall people need 29” wheels

    I’m a noob, but I am amazed by the difference.

    Short people can argue pros and cons. Or mullets. But it’s logic and geometry. And it feels good. Go big or go home.
    . . .

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    northern BC
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    Even short people who have no reason to live can benifit from 29,

    Sizing for 29 might not work below medium sizes depending on the brand

    I'm just going to agree with you on your being a noob
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Posts
    791

    What's new in last 15+ years? Need a new bike.

    I’m just getting back into riding and just got my first new bike in like 25 years. I had similar issues with supply and a limited budget. I went with a Polygon. They are direct to consumer and are pretty well appointed for the price. Lots of online reviews. I’ve only ridden mine a few times but it seems to be great for my needs so far. FWIW, the estimated ship times are conservative. I got mine a few weeks earlier than estimated.


    Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

  21. #21
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Posts
    693
    At 6'2 you're much better off with a 29er. That and modern geometry are what has made the biggest impact in the last decade or so... the wheels are actually proportional to your size and it's fuckin great.

  22. #22
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    Mar 2005
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    Dystopia
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    Quote Originally Posted by XXX-er View Post
    Even short people who have no reason to live can benifit from 29,

    Sizing for 29 might not work below medium sizes depending on the brand

    I'm just going to agree with you on your being a noob
    Yes. Noob status confirmed
    Nice Randy Newman reference

    Quote Originally Posted by dannynoonan View Post
    At 6'2 you're much better off with a 29er. That and modern geometry are what has made the biggest impact in the last decade or so... the wheels are actually proportional to your size and it's fuckin great.
    But yeah, that’s my point.

    Small frames on 29 have pros and cons

    On xl frame, xl wheels are obvious
    . . .

  23. #23
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
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    slc
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    17,891
    Quote Originally Posted by toast2266 View Post
    although more people tend to prefer 29 these days.
    Sometimes I wish Damian was still around so I could see his head explode.

  24. #24
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
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    Hell Track
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dantheman View Post
    Sometimes I wish Damian was still around so I could see his head explode.
    26" is just biding its time, prepping for the big comeback.

  25. #25
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Posts
    8,966
    Quote Originally Posted by toast2266 View Post
    26" is just biding its time, prepping for the big comeback.
    Hopefully it won’t take as long as the comeback for the 650B

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