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

My advise is that buying bikes is never a bad idea if you're smart about it. If you can find a used fat bike at a good enough deal that you can ride it for a few months and then turn it to recoup most/all of your money if you don't like it or it doesn't work out, go for it.

 

This is the way.

I'm either on the trainer or on my sled. Fat bikes are fun like once a year. Otherwise they're slow, cumbersome, and look ridiculous.

This is coming from someone who has pretty ideal fat bike conditions most of the time. And a buddy with a SnowDog.

 

Meh, had sleds, lots of fun but riding around here is very limited. I`d have to trailer them a good ways to get to some decent riding. I`d get a 4wd atv before i got a sled because i coukd ride it much longer.

 

haha. yeah. i knew he did. I was pulling a fast one on them all.

I'm sorry. I think you meant a hard tail mountain bike with a fully rigid fork? that's the chamois hagar. let's be honest

 

I get over the "it's a gravel bike" notion by wearing baggies and my MTB helmet to preserve my MTB ego. Honestly, I've had way more fun on the bike than I would care to admit. It helps that the closest trail system to where I live (~3mi to dirt by bike) has trails perfect for getting sketchy on a gravel bike if I don't feel like pulling out the hardtail to actually ride the trails confidently, as they are boring by MTB standards. It keeps things spicy.

 

That is what drew me more towards a gravel bike - I have some pretty good trails within 5 miles of my house that are either fire roads, green single track, and/or long distance gravel rail trails. I have ridden my stumpjumper on them and its a bear at points - 10 miles is soul sucking on the full suspension (even locked out). I want to be able to ride from my house to get there instead of loading up the truck and driving.

Maybe I can still convince @Pugga to get one and do a bike packing trip some day.

 

Totally agree. The gravel bike is best for when I want to ride from my place and knock out a quick 15-20mi in the morning or evening. Not to say I don't go out for longer, more dedicated rides, but I love how I use it to just get out for an hour before sunset without having to get in the truck all of the time just to get outside and get some exercise.

It became something of a summer evening ritual on the weekends when it is too hot and crowded on the trails for me to want to MTB during the day. I'm lucky to have options.

 

Underbiking is a thing. A rather fun thing too. I've take all my gravel bikes over the years on singletrack excursions. To say they are limited to 'gravel roads' is untrue. Gravel bikes, especially ones that accept up to a 50c tire, are incredibly versatile in the hands of someone willing to take them places.

I've been fortunate to race for some well known 'gravel' brands over the last few years. The bikes I've ridden have been on every terrain possible and the smiles are never in short supply. Gravel bikes get my vote!

 

Everyone in this thread needs to go check out Rays MTB in Cleveland Ohio! They literally have something for everyone! I drove 6 hours each way the last 2 weekends with 2 different groups. It is an unbelievable one of a kind place! Hoping to get a couple more trips in before it closes for the season! Brought my Commencal ABSOLUT NS dirtjumper and my Fit BMX bike to throw around in the foam pit! Foam pit is far more intimidating than anticipated but at 9pm the last day there I decided to suck it up and go for the backflip! Got it 4th try! Threw my footage of the place on YouTube but it truly does the place no justice at all!
https://youtu.be/3GliMUhSZdg

 

I'd totally check this place out if I was ever near the area. Do they do rentals?

 

they rent trek ticket DJ bikes and bmx bikes for only like 18$!!!!! It’s well worth the flight in!

 

Rays is super fun. It’s been a while since I’ve visited but I’d go back for sure…if only isn’t wasn’t in cleveland

 

man I’ve been scouring the internet for cheap commercial property! Thought maybe Rockford Illinois would be the prime spot for a similar facility but sadly I think the time to purchase something that caliber and have it make sense is long gone!!! Really is unfortunate it’s so far and the residents out there are extremely lucky. The Milwaukee one folded up for similar reasons it was just far too expensive

 

I’ve been waiting for gravel bikes to come up again.

 

Yeah…. Seems like a lot of MTB guys are starting to ride gravel bikes. I’m a road guy…. That also rides gravel. Occasionally I’ll even ride my gravel bike on the road for comfort reasons since it sits more upright than my dedicated road rig. Right now I’m on a Jamis Gravel bike and a Litespeed (carbon) road bike

 

Nice looking bike… here is my Jamis on a trip to the Keys

 

Held off on getting a gravel bike for too long because shit like this is what came to mind when I thought of the “types” of guys that ride gravel bikes. Just felt like a hipster and trendy variation of biking. Then I just accepted it..

 

I see them as a good compromise. I love road riding and have no interest in MTB riding. But, riding gravel gives me a chance to get off the roadways and into places I would not otherwise go. My group travels around NC, SC, and VA to ride gravel trails.

 

Now I finally feel ok in my own skin when I put this on before a ride..

 

As a road guy…. I never leave home without it. I once forgot it on a 35 mile charity ride. Never gonna do that again.