@ Tommy, I think there's still the expensive bike snobbery in MTB...
I bought a mountain bike for about 350 notes back in '95, nothing fancy but with a bit of care and maintenance it's lasted over 12 years. I've thrashed it to within an inch of it's capabilities, commuted on it, ridden 60 mile road rides several times, pulled a kiddie trailer, jumped it, raced it and loved every minute of it. I know this bike so well it's like a part of me.
Earlier this year I succumbed to temptation and splashed almost 3x as much on a nearly new, top spec MTB. I've used it about 5 times :( I still wince at the thought of spending all that cash on something that'll sit unused for most of the year.
Until a couple of weeks ago I have still used my old bike (now SS 34x13) for everything - especially my 37 mile round trip commute a few times a week. This just goes to show that although my own riding habits, needs, and distances have changed over time I've been able to accommodate it all with the same frame and set of wheels I paid for all those years ago. I cringe when I look at those ad's in MTB mags that show 450 notes for suspension forks. I've ridden crazier stuff than a lot of MTB'ers on my old rigid bike and think my riding style has benefited from it - ride light, anticipate obstacles, look ahead.
This bring me to fixed. Those same skills transfer to riding fixed, which I have finally managed to start doing a few weeks ago. Absolutely loving it, anything that rekindles that magic of learning new tricks and skills on a bike is welcome in my view - I feel like I did as a kid on my BMX when I was 12. I'm not promising I'll still be riding fixed for my commute in 5 years but I know even now that I'll always have a fixed gear bike of some sort for when the mood takes me.
There's something special about a fixed gear bike that makes you feel more connected to the machine and the way it handles. I get the feeling there are a lot of you here that experience your cycling in a similar way to me, something my wife, family and friends could never understand. Something to do with the 'at-one'ness of riding that seems to be more accessible on a fixed-gear bike.
Having said that about my family I was taken aback when my Dad after having only glimpsed my bike for seconds spotted it was fixed. I was sooooo impressed - it transpires he'd fixed his old BSA when he was about 16, back in the day! How cool is that?
Warning! Long Friday night post...
@ Tommy, I think there's still the expensive bike snobbery in MTB...
I bought a mountain bike for about 350 notes back in '95, nothing fancy but with a bit of care and maintenance it's lasted over 12 years. I've thrashed it to within an inch of it's capabilities, commuted on it, ridden 60 mile road rides several times, pulled a kiddie trailer, jumped it, raced it and loved every minute of it. I know this bike so well it's like a part of me.
Earlier this year I succumbed to temptation and splashed almost 3x as much on a nearly new, top spec MTB. I've used it about 5 times :( I still wince at the thought of spending all that cash on something that'll sit unused for most of the year.
Until a couple of weeks ago I have still used my old bike (now SS 34x13) for everything - especially my 37 mile round trip commute a few times a week. This just goes to show that although my own riding habits, needs, and distances have changed over time I've been able to accommodate it all with the same frame and set of wheels I paid for all those years ago. I cringe when I look at those ad's in MTB mags that show 450 notes for suspension forks. I've ridden crazier stuff than a lot of MTB'ers on my old rigid bike and think my riding style has benefited from it - ride light, anticipate obstacles, look ahead.
This bring me to fixed. Those same skills transfer to riding fixed, which I have finally managed to start doing a few weeks ago. Absolutely loving it, anything that rekindles that magic of learning new tricks and skills on a bike is welcome in my view - I feel like I did as a kid on my BMX when I was 12. I'm not promising I'll still be riding fixed for my commute in 5 years but I know even now that I'll always have a fixed gear bike of some sort for when the mood takes me.
There's something special about a fixed gear bike that makes you feel more connected to the machine and the way it handles. I get the feeling there are a lot of you here that experience your cycling in a similar way to me, something my wife, family and friends could never understand. Something to do with the 'at-one'ness of riding that seems to be more accessible on a fixed-gear bike.
Having said that about my family I was taken aback when my Dad after having only glimpsed my bike for seconds spotted it was fixed. I was sooooo impressed - it transpires he'd fixed his old BSA when he was about 16, back in the day! How cool is that?