All Things Bikes and Tacos! (...and every vehicle imaginable)

I agree, the price of anything nowadays is pretty annoying.

I could think of so many analogies of why your assumptions on full suspension bikes are misguided but I will refrain. I will just tell you to look across all mountain biking disciplines (xc, downhill, enduro, etc.) and you will find that all are riding full suspension bikes because they are better when counting seconds. Hard tails are great and many of us came of age on them. However, that doesn’t make them a fundamental building block to bike handling skills. Someone who gives a care about technique will practice no matter what type of bike they are on. Do I think that a lot of riders who ride clipless can’t do real bunny hops? Yes! Does it matter? No, because they got over the obstacle just the same as you and I.

 

My background is in BMX too, which is why I landed on a 27.5 instead of a 29, and wanted a hardtail but landed on a full squishy just because that's what came up for sale and the timing and price was right. I haven't taken it for a full swing about yet, but my first shakedown ride - it felt like I was just bulldozing over everything, compared to my HT where I can actually feel the trail more. Plusses and minuses, some people want to feel the trail, some want to get up an obstacle, and the tool makes them able to and feel better about it

I'm sure it'll be fun once I can get on it and actually have some trail days. Definitely need to firm up the rear though, it's way too flexy.

 

The answer is one of each...even though I haven’t touched my full suspension in like a year

 

Same. My Chromag is quickly becoming my go-to

 

Yeah hard tails are just fun, obviously a time and place for each but for my riding I love the hard tail

 

The full suspension bike really mutes the trail. This is excellent for gnar but casual weekday rides are so much more fun getting bucked around on the hardtail. With our rain lately I have really been riding my dirt jumper alot, too. A focus for me recently is my on-bike body movement and reaction speed, DJ seems to help with both of those.

 

Exactly haha. I would like another DJ...wish I never sold my old Kona shonky. I’m pretty sure that bike has made its rounds up here, it’s on pink bike every once in a while. I noticed hitting dirt jumps and pump tracks was super beneficial for my trail riding.

 

Find the right wife and it's usually...

Had no plans to go anywhere this week, then wifey told me to get my shit packed and get out the door. Impromptu camping and riding to finish off the year, yes. please!

 

Sadly Phil, you and a few others on here are the exception to the rule it seems.

Buddy waved me off on a ride yesterday because 'my wife said I had to install a ceiling fan today"

 

My problem is work not the wife... "my work said I have to write this report today"

 

going from a 29er hard tail to 170/160 27.5 is incredible. its just lean back and hold on.

it took some time to learn how to control the bike rather just be on it, but once you get the hang of it, its amazing. the bike definitely made me faster too, no question. hard tail riding for years on local trail gave me a good sample of segment times, all while trying to get faster. the full squish shaves time on both climbing and descending.

while price vs performance does plateau, I would say an expensive full squish fixes your dollar riding skills

 

For real. I think I rode my sentinel a few times just because I felt bad. Otherwise, it's been Stache 24/7 on the local trails.

Think I had 1 legit day that I needed my Sentinel riding Vertigo laps with @SenatorBlutarsky and @ginseng27

 

I have a Giant Revolt. It's a fun alternative to a trail bike sometimes. I live on a dirt road, and can get some good mileage before hitting pavement. I also don't have to worry as much about traffic on the dirt roads.

I also live close to a mountain toll road that is known for being comparable to Alpe D’Huez (one of the famous Tour de France climbs). The road is only open to cars certain hours during the day, so if you go first thing in the morning, you have the road to yourself. It's a pretty steady 8% grade, so you get a workout, but then you get rewarded with miles of downhill.

 

Time to hit up LCC Enduro rides then! hahah

 

Dang that looks like an awesome road!

 

anyone do any enduro races in the past? looking to try my hand at BME Glorietta and Winter Park next summer, granted travel and all that is safe and I get a vaccine.

Looking for advice on what to expect and what I should be training for. Been doing a gravel grinder workout on Zwift for some low cadence climbs, but wont help with descending. Just ride a bunch?

 

Ride with dudes faster than you. Interval training

 

This, follow someone faster. In retrospect, I should have followed you down more in Pisgah this year.

 

I’m surprised you didn’t say you should have followed me. Shocked really.

 

Thats only if the enduro course is fully covered in leaves