Help me think aloud about mountain bikes...

So now I'm stuck in the vicinity of my family home, my dad wants to do some mountain biking when it gets too shit out for the road stuff.

He's got some awesome something-or-other already. But his old MTB was given to my uncle, and not sure if I can get it back...

So if I can't (or even if I did)...

I'm wondering about these fixed or ss options on mtb. I appreciate my limitations with fixed/ss on the road/track, but on mtb I'm lost, except that fixed must be great for technical stuff, which I doubt he's planning (more churning out the miles on bridleways...)

Could a fixed balloon bike work I wonder? What ratios are you lot using?

55gi on my one speed off-roader.

Lots of inspiration for you on this thread:

SSMTBs

get your dad a fixed if you want to murder him and make it look like an accident :)

fixed offroad is kinda intense if you leave gravel bridleways.

SS or geared to start with.

It never 'gets too shit for the road stuff'

^^ is that one of "The Rules" :)

Lotsa people seem to have lotsa fun on fixed mtb but I can't imagine anything worse! Especially on anything technical. Feet at 6 n 12 and constantly moving when you're trying to balance...not for me!

Singlespeed however...wouldn't ride anything else off road. Rigid with big (balloon) tyres is also a hoot.

"fixed must be great on technical stuff"

no. no. no.

Singlespeed however...wouldn't ride anything else off road. Rigid with big (balloon) tyres is also a hoot.

I think I found a destination for the steel Colnago Ibex I've got in my shed. :-)

Sorry, I did mean slow obstacles, not a fast technical descent by the way. I'm sure I remember seeing a video once of a guy using fixed so he could track stand between obstacles, hopping between rocks and so on. I definitely didn't dream it (also, wouldn't dream of being able to either).

Should have phrased better.

Looks like fixed is a no-no so far, but maybe ss.

I may need cycle training, but I have to really think hard about my feet when I get to a big curb riding fixed.

Can only imagine the terror of wet roots riding fixed off road.

Having done some singletrack in the dark (with a proper light) on a fixed road bike, its actually not bad. I can imagine doing it on a proper MTB just fine. Avoid jumps but otherwise its ok.

I was using 46/19 but that wasn't great on steep bits - then again, you probably wont be on 700c wheels. Stick to odd ratios so you don't shaft your tyres.

Hmm, maybe I'll try find something that takes Shimano HG, I can always swap the SS adapter onto it if I'm feeling lucky then.

Must try find a good deal on a disc brake bike, but also really liking old hardtails.