Let's offroad / mountain bike / mtb / ride dirt

Mtb’ers then and now(ish): ok this is from 2022

https://youtube.com/shorts/3nfOg_55irw?si=My2pSpcLRDhUzAwc

He's right though. I never rode one until I bought one though, and I only did that because pedalling up to the top of Golfie for a week was hell, while all my mates were lapping it and giggling like idiots.

It was self-applied peer pressure, I admit.

Cerro Abajo Genoa was quite fun.

I should probably just ride the bike that I already have

Nobody does this

Sorry, I totally forgot what forum I was on for a moment. I will immediately get a bike custom built to an unsuitable specification as pennance.

24" wheels and a 58 degree head angle are what you need

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Any excuse to bring out the endurotourer

Was considering building up my old Genesis Vagabond back up as a 'mostercross' 29er as it didn't sell on here, but this morning it suddenly occurred to me that a hardtail will probably be more fun and capable for not much money (probs looking at least £500 for brifters, new bars etc).

Might be preaching to the choir in regards to it being more fun, but it there anything a hardtail can't do* that an offroad tourer can? Might want to pull a trailer once in a blue moon, and get involved in social 'gravel' rides again, but even there half the attendees were often on MTBs.

I know nothing about MTB but as I understand it current advice is to just look for something with good modern geo and replace bits as they wear out?

• * I Should say 'can't do as well'. Obvious you can do most riding on any bike if you really feel like it
  

full length mudguards, and low-cost luggage capability? there are obv plenty of options for fitting racks/bags to mtb now, even on suspension forks and fitting to through axles etc, but it might mean buying stuff if you don't have it

Sometimes im tempted to put the squishy fork back on my winter grav/atb tourer bike, but i use fork bags a lot if im commuting

Yes fair point. I have a dad/commuting bike with rack & guards that I'm considering selling too as I'm now full WFH but will need to carry the nipper around now and again. Got my eye on a couple of 2nd hand Terns that might cover that base and would allow me to sell the wife's bike (garage space likely to be decreasing as we're converting half of it). Vagabond could potentially do both but I imagine swapping wheels and guards will get old quite quickly.

Stopped imagining owning a bike and went out on the bike I do own. Beautiful day out there, although I dressed assuming blue skies meant it would be chilly and therefore almost sweated to death. Trails are running super nice, had a ton of fun.

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That looks rad. Can't see what the benefit of a hardtail would be.

No, I’m coming round to the hardtail talk being the ramblings of a moron. Probs will just spend some money on some nicer wheels for this: the hunts are pretty heavy and the freehub is apparently made of cheese. Bike deserves something better.

How do you like the frame and what size are you/ the frame? I’m tempted by something like this and cotic appeal as they’re local enough to go and test ride, collect and take back for any issues!

I do absolutely love it. I’m not anyone’s idea of a skilled mtb-er, and this is the first full sus I’ve owned so I’ve not got a huge amount to compare it to, but it handles v nicely and inspires a lot of confidence without feeling overly plush and boring. I’m 177cm, it’s a medium, fit is great. Though Cotic don’t do small / medium / large sizing anymore.

I strongly suspect Cotic are going to announce a UK made 853 Solaris tomorrow.

New alu hardtail option from Mason
https://masoncycles.cc/shop/categories/macro

Wonder how much lighter than the Stanton it is?

Not much when fully laden.

Or they've finally got their motors delivered from Shimano, 4 years later

I wouldn’t like to guess how much they’d be charging for a UK made Solaris, the current model is pretty pricey as it is.

I forgot that they doing an E-bike, it was so long ago they announced it!

Their aesthetic doesn't lend it's self to carrying a battery IMO, which is why I guess they'd gone for a very generic looking aluminium frame.

I'm not always in bikepacking mode.

I was also thinking about this as an option for my partner so we'd both be on 29ers during events/tours.

E-bike I think

The BB area looks distinctly eeb-y, but frame doesn't look much like their aluminum prototype from a few years back. Really hope they've managed to make it steel after all

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