does the bike make a difference? [Archive] - North Shore Mountain Biking Forums

synchro

07-16-2007, 09:18 PM

ya gotta love some of the "feel good" marketing the bike co's are using these days to push their product, but does it really matter at all. i mean honestly, who cares what type of bike you're riding just as long as it gets you up and down the hill safely.

check the poll

M@M

07-16-2007, 09:22 PM

jzogaris

07-16-2007, 09:41 PM

really depends if you take the sport seriously or just like it for the fun of it, when you buy the new product you usually end up saving on the repair bills so it really evens out when it comes to cost... although some people really abuse that by buying something new when there part is perfectly fine, i think ride what you got and when it breaks get the flashy stuff

[S]hore

07-16-2007, 09:43 PM

I think having a nice, new bike definitely makes the riding experience more enjoyable.

KenN

07-16-2007, 09:44 PM

The poll is binary, therefore not enough options to discern the truth. It's like asking someone the question, "did your mother cry when you told her you are gay?"

Yes or no answers don't always tell the full tale.

Kn.

rowdy01

07-16-2007, 10:05 PM

hore;1728604']I think having a nice, new bike definitely makes the riding experience more enjoyable.

i respectfully dissagree.....if your bike has a few miles on her, then you can ride for the pure fun of it, wheras if you`re on a new, shiny steed, then all your thinkin about is when the first good scratch gonna happen.

mudpuppy

07-16-2007, 10:05 PM

I like having new stuff...and have been suffering from newbikitis for a while now...but to tell the truth...my bike does it's job very well..nothing really wrong with it...it's just not the latest and greatest out there...I would love a Banshee Rune...with some Fox 36's, XO, Atlas cranks, some sexy wheels...and other components...but...do I need it to enjoy the ride...no.

enduramil

07-16-2007, 10:06 PM

Don't buy upgrades, Ride upgrades.

atb

07-16-2007, 10:24 PM

At the start of last winter i had a really shity bike. Sometimes i didn’t even want to go and ride because it was too much hassle to try and get the bike to work.

IFO

07-16-2007, 10:26 PM

sucker for new tech.

no point tryign to deny ima gear whore..no one would beleive me anyways..

Kossinnd

07-16-2007, 10:37 PM

I love my bike, but it feels like something is missing, but i don't know what. so I end up buying nothing, therefore i have minimal upgrades.

Wayne P

07-16-2007, 10:50 PM

Sharon

07-16-2007, 10:51 PM

absolutely.

Lee's legs look much better when he sticks to road riding...

Nelson

07-16-2007, 11:13 PM

I don't think it's so much a bike that is pimpin', but more a bike that runs really well and you know won't let you down.

SkunkworkS

07-16-2007, 11:51 PM

Thank you Nelson.

Although when stuff breaks, out comes the wallet for the latest et greatest.

[S]hore

07-16-2007, 11:57 PM

You can also ask yourself whether an Ipod, a Blackberry, a 52" TV, etc is important to you or not. If you say yes, then the latest greatest marketing gimmick is important to you. If not, enjoy the ride on whatcha got.
For me at least, my ipod is a necessity.
Someone who is a total gearwhore and always needs the newest parts probably isn't totally concerned about their riding experience as much as how cool they look sitting in the liftline or at the trailhead. It's nice to have new parts and they can certainly add to your riding experience but going over the top is useless.
But on the other hand, riding a totaly pos can make some people hate riding like atb said. But i guess for some people it doesn't really matter and that is DOPE.

DaveM

07-16-2007, 11:57 PM

I'm happy just as long as I'm out riding but I gotta have the latest and greatest.

Who says you can't enjoy both?

Lady Gravity

07-17-2007, 12:12 AM

i can't afford the latest and greatest, and honestly don't know that i'd flip bikes and buy new stuff all the time even if i did.

my ht is 6 years old, and my dually going on 3. i'm just happy to be on a bike :)

Furious

07-17-2007, 01:31 AM

freakonaleash

07-17-2007, 01:46 AM

To me times it matters, times it doesnt. 7" travel wouldn't make your experience any worse then 9" of travel IMO. But, v brakes would make your experience a hell of a lot worse then hydro disks

ESHER SHORE

07-17-2007, 05:21 AM

i got several ideas about this:

having the RIGHT bike for your kinda of riding is critical

nothing worse than having a bike that is overkill for your riding, or a bike that is not up to the job...you suffer either way

having a RELIABLE bike is essential, to keep you out of the workshop and on the trails

having a DEPENDABLE bike is also essential, for your confidence so you can ride harder without fear of your bike letting you down

no better feeling than when you get your bike "dialled", the frame and parts you have chosen, the suspension setup, tweaks to the cockpit all come together and it feels just right...maybe not the latest and "greatest" bike but a bike that makes you feel good to ride

Air Supplier

07-17-2007, 08:10 AM

I have to tell myself this every time I see ads for new stuff, making my bike even more outdated. however, I am still fully capable of making my way around at a decent enough pace that I don't hold anybody up.

ya I agree totally with you... but as long as everything works, I just like riding my bike. Although there are things like brakes and suspension and you should maintain in order to keep ur bike feeling nice

gary j

07-17-2007, 08:28 AM

my "opinions"

change your cables before they stretch/fray. always have good shifting
replace tires before the sidewalls are toast. fewer flats. and tubeless are better.
replace your bar every 100 rides MAX. no broken bars
fresh grips, and cleats/flat pins just feel good.
XO is smaller than X7. it will hit fewer rocks.

bottom line: i hate breaking down mid ride so i make sure everything is always running smooth.

am i a gear whore? HELL YES.
do i need the latest and greatest? not so much, but i ride exactly i want

biggles604

07-17-2007, 09:07 AM

It's already been said, if you are on the right bike for your riding style, and it's working well, then it doesn't really matter what the bike is. I used to think I was on the right bike with a Norco Shore, then I got my Six and realised it's lighter, steeper, quieter and just way more fun, it really did put my love of riding back where it should be and I now realise that it's a much better fit than the old one.

For me the #1 important thing is a quiet bike. If I am not wondering what the noise is, then I enjoy the ride so much better,

enduramil

07-17-2007, 09:09 AM

The bike will only help you with your riding and enjoyment of the ride to a certain point, which is a small percentage.

The biggest effect of one's enjoyment is one's mental view and attitude they have in daily life and while riding their bike.

No matter whether one has an 86 Stumpjumper or a Brodie Libido to ride, it is their own mentality and decisions they themselves make that will truly effect the enjoyment of their riding.

Everything else is just a distraction fom it.

dudski

07-17-2007, 09:15 AM

nootthing, i say nothing is as depressing and aggrevating as trying to flow on a bike with broken clanky shit on it and skips when you pedal. absolute worst feeling ever, rather stay home, get baked and watch simpson reruns than ride a broken/worn out bike. old bikes are fine if everything works and isn't cracked...but people that run bikes for years and years with that same old mrt are just jeopardizing their safety.

Marlowe

07-17-2007, 09:22 AM

I am riding a 99 Stab De-Lux and am still very happy with it. The frame is the only original part of the bike and I will not give it up until I brake the frame or ovalize the pivots.

I find the frame is the perfect length and build for riding skinnies and other technical lines and it can still tackle the high speed sections.

The bike you ride can make a difference but it does not matter if it is the latest and greatest. If you treat your bike well it will return the favour.

Rat

07-17-2007, 09:26 AM

the order in which I would spend my dough to impove a ride

Fork
Tires
Brakes
Frame

funny though how we all jerk off over the latest greatest frame though

rewoga

07-17-2007, 09:47 AM

My last bike was a 1996 Trek Y-33 with a manitou mach V SX fork - the only upgrades it ever saw were:

- shorter stem
- riser bars
- vee-brakes

I rode it for 7 years and had fun every ride. I always kept it in good shape (i.e. cables, chain, cogs, rings replaced regularly) and never had any big reliability problems.

My current bike is a 2003 Norco Fluid 1.0. Its had both rims replaced (the stock Sun XC's were total ass), its had the stem upgraded to an Axiom Dh and the seat-post changed to a telesopic. The rear shock has been swapped from the Fox Float to a Fox Vanilla RC. I use this bike everywhere - XC ish trail rides, shuttling, racing both XC and DH and park riding. I may not be the fastest or pull any tricks, but I always have fun and always find a trail I can rip just as fast as anyone else. Again, I keep all of the running gear in good shape.

Would I upgrade if I had some $$ - hell yeah! But I don't obsess about it - I'll probably be on this bike for another season, and am happy it keeps me honest (i.e. with a 5 x 5 bike, there's not much suspension to save yer arse when you screw up!)!

Kossinnd

07-17-2007, 09:48 AM

sometimes it does matter, because if a Tour de France rider was riding a older roadie, like think 70's (or a 9inch fully) that weighed say, 30 pounds. Yeye 30 pounds aint much but i hear them cervellos are weighing 13.5 pounds complete :eek:

biggles604

07-17-2007, 10:17 AM

I still ride a 1994 Norco steel hardtail for XC and I don't think I have ever had a bad ride on it, but it runs quiet and smooth (see my prior post).

forest

07-17-2007, 10:49 AM

my vote is for no, but having a bike with the minimum requirements is a must (good geometry, decent tires, etc.) As long as your shit works its always fun.

newgirl

07-17-2007, 10:56 AM

I think you get what you pay for mostly, but you have to do a little research. and same with helmets etc...I think in the component area you are paying for detailing and style alot. Maintenence is key.

The only thing i think is a waste of $$ is the amount that biking clothes cost. What a freakin' rip off. I just went to VV Boutique (Value Village) and bought about six different biking outfits (Dickies, carhartts and some awesome vintage tees) for like 25 bucks. So if they rip eventually? who cares..

I've had enough of expensive shit fraying after two weeks...

DARTHYOGA

07-17-2007, 11:19 AM

I chose to buy the better part to replace a broken when I need to. It doesn't have to be the newest and flashiest but it has to be reliable. Maintenance, as I have learned can save you a tonne of cash. I'm not sure if I would buy a brand new bike with so many cheap used bike out there unless I had alot of cash to blow.

FlipFantasia

07-17-2007, 11:20 AM

I have very little problem keeping up with most people on my '02 bb7, make sure you're keeping your critical equipment in check, handlebars, fork, etc... but other than that, it don't matter.....

Wayne P

07-17-2007, 11:33 AM

Gear whores should ride with my friend Jason Winters on his late '80's fully rigid that he's invested a total of about $40 on since he got it. In his prime he'd be happy to spank most riders riding the latest greatest. I love seeing guys like that.

gooch

07-17-2007, 11:48 AM

imo the latest and greatest makes the truly gifted just that much better, and makes riders like me able to somewhat keep up.

For lots of things I like my bike the way it is, but for others, I would like a new one, if I was a better rider I guess I could just suck it up, but I have been told I ride harder than was intended for my forks.

I DO worry about my frame exploding one of these days, alluminum doesn't last forever, that is the main reason I will get a new bike

bryce mcl

07-17-2007, 11:51 AM

i respectfully dissagree.....if your bike has a few miles on her, then you can ride for the pure fun of it, wheras if you`re on a new, shiny steed, then all your thinkin about is when the first good scratch gonna happen.
Don't you know? Your supposed to put one small scratch on it somewhere before you ride or else you may fall hard.:lol:Or atleast that is what I did.

M@M

07-17-2007, 11:57 AM

shit, thank you to all who mentioned bars, I just remembered mine started making a really nice creeeeeaaaaakkkk last ride :S

Bryce

07-17-2007, 01:00 PM

I prolly shoulda voted no, I don't NEED the latest n greatest. I'd still be happy riding on a piece of shit, but I'd be happier on something that works well

Hack On Wheels

07-17-2007, 01:28 PM

I am a complete gear whore and drool over all the latest and greatest. I would love to run full x.0 and all that, but no, it probably wouldn't make me enjoy riding anymore. I love tinkering and having nice stuff, but as long as my bike is working and I am riding it then I am having a good time. Not to mention, having a beater bike that still functions well is a lot of fun, nothing to worry about when you ride... until the frame starts ovalizing! So with that in mind, ideally everyone should have a beater/old steel hardtail that is overbuilt and reliable so they can just jump on and enjoy the ride without worrying about the latest and greatest.

Oh, and to whomever mentioned scratching... when I ride my bike, even if it is brand new, or has a brand new component, I am not worrying about scratching it. Worrying about scratches comes after the crashes if I have dinged anything important (stanchions, etc.) and also when I am storing or transporting bikes... wouldn't want to scratch my bike when I am not actually riding it!

Wayne P

07-17-2007, 05:32 PM

P.S. I'm a gear whore too for when it counts, but there's nothing like having a bike worth less than $10 and replacing broken parts with stuff you find in the trash. :lol: There's a sense of "fuck you bike industry" when you ride something like that.

smoochy

07-17-2007, 06:39 PM

no better feeling than when you get your bike "dialled", the frame and parts you have chosen, the suspension setup, tweaks to the cockpit all come together and it feels just right...maybe not the latest and "greatest" bike but a bike that makes you feel good to ride

's truth!
I'm a huge gear slut, and in spite of trying out whorish new, pimped, mackin', bling-ed, pricey bikes, i keep running back to black bertha, the most dialed, versatile and comfortable ride i've ever even heard of from anyone, anywhere.

http://photos.nsmb.com/showimage.php?i=16378&catid=newimages

redsdisease

07-17-2007, 06:53 PM

I always thought it was the rider that made all the difference.
I've been riding the bike park for 1 1/2 seasons on my Demo8.
Rode a buddy's Shocker and that's all I been thinking about since... :drool:
A whole lot faster and no extra effort
I'll take that Demo8 off your hands if you don't like it... ;)

I'm too broke for the latest and greatest, so I just ride a POS and pretend that I'm a soul rider or whatever.

skimtb1

07-17-2007, 07:17 PM

Kelika

07-17-2007, 07:41 PM

I am buying a new bike on thursday...mine got stolen, so i guess a new bike is better than a hot/non-existant bike!

synchro

07-17-2007, 08:06 PM

M@M

07-17-2007, 08:22 PM

good point, but not everyone can afford new stuff on a regular basis. some people can't even afford half decent stuff. if you can afford the good stuff then great, i just don't think it's necessary to have the best in order to have fun.

another good point. however, using skimtb1 as an example, seeing as he likes to go large, it would become a rather important matter of safety should he not replace his gear regularly. To him (im guessing) and many others, going big is fun, and going big means your gear is going to wear out very fast, to the point where you need to get new gear regularly.

the flying moose

07-17-2007, 09:20 PM

buy the best that there is every year. this will ensure you are at the peak of biking coolness and we all know that cool=more fun on a bike.

M@M

07-17-2007, 09:24 PM

buy the best that there is every year. this will ensure you are at the peak of biking coolness and we all know that cool=more fun on a bike.

+ sensible people can buy your hardly used gear after 5 months of use for a fraction of the price :rocker:

Slamigo

07-17-2007, 09:58 PM

I bought some nice gear a couple years ago and it still rocks, so I'm just stoked that it works well. It's nice to have a bike with no issues, but I also like to ride the crap out of it and get my money's worth.

(riding a 2004 VP-Free/2006 Marz 66RC2 and a 2004 .243/SC shiver)

I see no need to replace anything yet. When you buy quality gear, it lasts for a while.

shirk

07-17-2007, 10:35 PM

Fancy new gear won't get you up or down the mountain any faster. Thats the rider.

New bling won't make a shitty trail anymore fun. New bling gear won't make a great trail anymore fun.

My bike is ghetto anti-bling and it does the job just fine. The other week I got the first ride on a brand spanking new bike, first production model in North America before it was sent off to a magazine for testing and I can say that it didn't make my ride "OMG I gotta spend $4,500 on a bike NOW".

Dave K

07-17-2007, 10:36 PM

you've gotta switch the bike up every 2 seasons - it maintains a good portion of its value and nothing really starts exploding. i'd say that i am very meticulous when it comes to what is on my bike and how it rides. like DaveM said why not have the most ballin' shit and enjoy it?

I do have a kickass bike, but the frame is now on its 6th year. I remember the first time I rode it and it fit like a glove. I felt completely centered and comfortable on it. I replace stuff as it wears out (or if I just want some new parts).

Yeah, I could probably go a bit faster on a fully, but I don't think I'd have as much fun. And yes I have ridden some good full suspension bikes (several different Knolly's, Norco's and RM's). This hardtail rips.

So, if you see a guy on a well worn, fire engine red Dekerf Implant with a Travis Triple on it, that is me. The frame was a gift from my wife.

Rosscofat

07-17-2007, 10:39 PM

more money u spend the better. get on it!

cove_boy

07-17-2007, 10:52 PM

i ride a kona stinky jr 2004 with a marizocchi exr pro people say its just fine but the havent tried it so try it before u judge

bmor

07-17-2007, 11:38 PM

i need a brand new friend who doesn't bother me

redsdisease

07-18-2007, 05:31 AM

i need a brand new friend who doesn't bother me
Word. I feel you on that.

TheGiggler

07-18-2007, 10:09 AM

sure, i could ride a '01 VPS with crappy brakes, skipping drivetrain and dead suspension down the shore and you could probably hear me from the houses. and yes, it would be better than sitting in front of a TV.

but i'd much rather ride a bike with proper brakes, a drivetrain that holds a gear and suspension that works. a bike that is almost completelty quiet while going down. to me a noisy bike is incredidibly fuckign annoying. old beat bikes are loud. maintained dialled bikes are not.

Bryce

07-18-2007, 12:01 PM

I'm too broke for the latest and greatest, so I just ride a POS and pretend that I'm a soul rider or whatever.

:lol:

Its funny how we're like "I still have last year's fork" or "my 05 frame is ready for the bin". Whereas I still think of my '99 Nissan as a 'new' vehicle