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

I won't be going carbon, probably ever honestly. That's just a personal decision.

what do you love about the steel/TI bikes?

 

lol not getting anything, just thought it'd be a fun topic for discussion. one day.

see that's kinda my dilemma. I have the "big" bike, so what makes a smart +1 purchase. I don't want to buy something crazy similar, because then why would I ride both?

heck, maybe selling the stumpy one day and getting a shorter travel bike like a ranger, spur, etc makes the most sense? but that'd still be a one horse stable.

 

This is my expert opinion based in zero expertise. I know that you are hypothetically shopping for a 2nd bike so take my "expert" advice for what it is....not profound.

Don't buy a HT and spend that money on a bike vacation! Take your new wife to Sedona or Moab and sneak a few rides in while she's at the spa.

There is no need in owning two bikes unless you race xc, ride trails for fun and ride DH frequently.

Most of the folks that have two bikes or more do it for a "keep things interesting" fix because they ride five days a week. I think you are more of a "keep things fun" type.

If that is the case:
1. Do nothing
2. Sell your stumpy and buy a new stumpy EVO
3. Take that cash, go on a vacation that will last forever in your memories.

 

hey now, stop it.

I said what would you get as a #2 complimentary bike! I'M NOT FOLLOWING THE N+1 RULE AND IT FEELS WRONG




but you're right. I am a keep things fun type. I'm not riding to train, I'm not riding to race, I'm not riding for any reason other than to have fun.

but I'm not going to get another stumpy, I want to try different, if I sell mine or not.

 

I'm gonna be that guy. Don't get the slackest HT for those rowdy lines. Be honest, are you really gonna reach for your HT when going to send it bra....yea, me either. Those super slack long boats won't be as ideal on the more rollie flow trails you're more likely to ride that untold HT on anyway.

Get whatever tickles your pants, but if you get a HT most any of the modern (moderate...aka mainstream geo) frames will punch your ticket. Or look into the short travel rigs more (Spur/Rebel), maybe even a new Epic.

 

is that a +1 bike recommendation, or are you saying the short travel rigs INSTEAD of owning my stumpy?

does my stumpy PLUS a Spur/Ranger type bike make actual sense? or is that gonna be a case where my stumpy collects dust...lol

 

Like I said in my previous post, I own a 170mm enduro (cannondale jekyll) and a 130mm full squish (santa cruz tallboy). They are radically different and its enough to make trails feel different. The 170mm bike likes to be ridden fast and take the fastest line. The 130mm is harder on the body at those speeds and the suspension gets upset when pushing it through rough terrain. But the bike weighs 5 or 6 lbs less than the 170mm bike, so it accelerates faster and feels more playful at slower speeds. I prefer to ride my 170mm at high speed, but near my home is very flat and there's very little gravity to go high speed so I prefer the 130mm here.

 

Both...neither...up to you.

I think we all like the thought of having a bike for every environment. Some have the means to make it happen, and the varied terrain to justify it. You just need to decide where you fall on the spectrum.

 

That is the dilemma. Which is why I usually go for the in-betweener and stick to one bike. It's even worse considering your "big bike" is just a trail bike with a big fork. I just don't get to ride enough true big bike terrain to justify a second bike for 10% of my riding. One of those what I want to ride vs what I actually ride situations. My perfect world would be me riding big bike terrain on every ride, but it's just not my reality right now.

 

Oh and 1 more thing in addition to this post. My Santa Cruz Tallboy in the evoc travel bag is less than 50lbs. I removed the cassette, crank arm, and rotors. I strapped my knee pads around the frame and it weighed 49.5lbs so it checks for free on most airlines. I don't think my Cannondale would ever get under 50lbs in the bike bag. Just another benefit of a bike that isn't built like a tank for gnar

 

both correct lol. I fall in the, don't really ride enough to own more than one bike category, but I can.

with the new flow trail loop being built locally I do think a sweet hardtail would have some fun out there. my 99% trails I ride though, full squish or bust.

my current bike def lets me ride everything decently, but it's not an expert at any of it, I think.

I do also think a nice hardtail would teach me even more about riding than my bike does.

 

Yeah, well that's "Spruce" not "Green", ya pinecone

 

HA GOT ME

I could go for a "pinecone" colored bike. Like a gradient brown? would that be cool?

 

You know what you want. No need for interweb confirmation. Go get yourself a HT and enjoy.

 

It's so much easier to quiver with skis when each setup can be had for $500-1000. Much harder with bikes where it takes $3k to get anything decent used and it's probably already obsolete.

 

You would ride a poo colored bike.

 

haha I don't know what I want actually! I just wanted ideas. Somewhat sadly, my bike falling into that "kinda do all" category stinks sometimes.

SHIT YEAH

 

That and it’s much easier to justify. If you live where there’s snow, you spend time in varied conditions (side-country, resort, touring, pow skis, rock skis, gapper days...shall I go on).

 

My guess....you'd get a Ranger and never touch the Stumpy again. The Ranger will likely be just as capable as the Stumpy (or very close) but more fun on all but the fastest chunk type of trails.

Someone else mentioned it already, but a HT or short travel FS bike doesn't really limit what you can ride, just the speed you ride it at. Slow techy chunk? You really don't gain much with more travel. It's when you want to go fast down techy chunk that more suspension really helps you out.

 

Get yourself some kneepads son! I won't ride without them.