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06-07-2021, 12:28 PM #1
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.
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06-07-2021, 12:38 PM #2
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!"
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06-07-2021, 12:40 PM #3
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.
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06-07-2021, 12:43 PM #4
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
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06-07-2021, 12:45 PM #5Registered User
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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
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06-07-2021, 01:06 PM #6
Double your budget if you want in-stock and full squish that isn't a "bad" bike with shitty components.
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06-07-2021, 01:36 PM #7Registered User
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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
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06-07-2021, 01:54 PM #8
^ 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.
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06-08-2021, 10:53 AM #9
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.
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06-08-2021, 12:03 PM #10Registered User
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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 decomissionedLee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know
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06-08-2021, 12:16 PM #11Registered User
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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!!!!
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06-08-2021, 12:23 PM #12Registered User
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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 monthLee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know
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06-08-2021, 01:10 PM #13
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!
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06-08-2021, 01:15 PM #14Registered User
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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.
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06-08-2021, 02:57 PM #15
Also see the What's my bike worth? thread going on now WRT the cost of things.
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06-08-2021, 03:43 PM #16
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06-08-2021, 04:06 PM #17
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.
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06-08-2021, 07:24 PM #18
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.. . .
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06-08-2021, 07:32 PM #19Registered User
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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 noobLee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know
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06-08-2021, 09:06 PM #20Registered User
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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.
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06-08-2021, 09:33 PM #21
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.
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06-09-2021, 04:12 AM #22
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06-09-2021, 09:18 AM #23
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06-09-2021, 09:56 AM #24
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06-09-2021, 10:13 AM #25
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