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FWIW - I once broke a titanium handlebar. With my shin.
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New XC MTB for me!
- Thread starter Doug Briggs
- Start date
FWIW - I once broke a titanium handlebar. With my shin.
ouch!
i Broke my fall with my wrist
i Broke my fall with my wrist
And there was a fair bit of that back in the day. Remember how many pedal spindles broke?? I think that was more stupid light parts though. And poorly engineered. I don't have any problem using carbon. But I'm going to be careful with inspections. And treat some of those parts as disposable.
Thread Starter
TS
I've broken a CrMo bar just riding. No wreck until after it broke. I was lucky to simply roll my way out of the crash without injury. Long walk back, though.
Thread Starter
TS
I'm surprised/impressed at how quickly he got up. I know, armour and all that, but still. I generally try not to move much until I've done at least a cursory full body check. Of course in my recent incident, others were doing the body check before I woke up. ;-)
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You don't really have a lot of suggestions here yet do you? My advice get a carbon bike, or an aluminum one in 27.5 or 29". My test riding this year told me that plus size is frustratingly slow, so I'd avoid that. Of course some bikes give you the choice of switching from 27.5+ to 29, but to do that you will need another wheel set and possibly some small parts. Decide if you want a bike that complements your strengths, or one that masks your weaknesses. I think what you probably want is an "all-mountain" bike or "trail bike", when you say XC, it sorta implies a race bike which is probably not what you are after. Yes, get 1x drivetrain, nothing wrong with 2x except that if you are buying a nice bike, you'd have to go out of your way to get a 2x, and you don't need it. Get a dropper seatpost.
Let's make you a demo list, I recommend the Santa Cruz Tallboy, the Intense Recluse, and the Evil Following MB. Or just take it on faith and buy the Evil Following MB.
Let's make you a demo list, I recommend the Santa Cruz Tallboy, the Intense Recluse, and the Evil Following MB. Or just take it on faith and buy the Evil Following MB.
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I think he was just lucky - and tough. He's probably not wearing very much armor, that's pretty passé these days.
Okay, ONE more comment about carbon vs aluminum or steel (and yeah, how many current bikes are steel?) : As long as I've been mountain biking (ie, early 2000s), there have been people saying that X or Y manufacturer is crap because they broke their bike while "JRA" (Just Riding Along). Almost none of these were carbon. Of course, if you followed all of their advice, you could never buy a bike at all.
I'm sure you guys are right that carbon is susceptible to damage. Back in the day, people also complained that aluminum couldn't easily be "bent back into shape" like steel, so an aluminum frame would be totaled. My only experience with that is when a car backed over my bike, and I really wouldn't expect any bike to withstand that.
I hope my carbon bike holds up!! I tip a fair bit, but true falls and crashes are rare. They've happened. This may be a stronger argument for me getting a separate, non-carbon park bike than any claim about needing more travel for jumps.
I'm sure you guys are right that carbon is susceptible to damage. Back in the day, people also complained that aluminum couldn't easily be "bent back into shape" like steel, so an aluminum frame would be totaled. My only experience with that is when a car backed over my bike, and I really wouldn't expect any bike to withstand that.
I hope my carbon bike holds up!! I tip a fair bit, but true falls and crashes are rare. They've happened. This may be a stronger argument for me getting a separate, non-carbon park bike than any claim about needing more travel for jumps.
Your carbon bike is fine. But if you bin it, look for cracks!
EDIT: If I could afford one I'd totally be on one!
Thread Starter
TS
That's interesting about armor. I thought it was pretty standard to have some body protection when racing and running DH. Are there different levels/degrees of armor?
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There's a lot of great stuff out there, but I'd say that the only thing they all wear is knee guards with some shin protection and a full face helmet. Neck braces (such as Leatt) are pretty common. Probably less common is chest and back protection, that can vary from a D3O type of shirt to a hard plastic lobster shell or something more like a roost guard.
I obviously don't downhill very hard objectively, but I have a chest/spine/shoulder protector ("pressure suit" style). I hate it and stopped wearing it a while ago. It doesn't fit well, and I look like a linebacker. It makes everything more annoying. I figure my camelback will protect me some if I ever fall on a pointy rock back-first. I do have a G-Form tee that has shoulder and I think belly and back patches of that compound that supposedly hardens on impact. I can barely tell it's there when I'm wearing it.
I do have a Leatt, and when it's properly fit, it's surprisingly comfortable and somehow incredibly confidence inspiring. It's one of those things where it looks really silly wearing it for mellow stuff - but of all the protection you could choose, it's probably the second most important piece of safety gear you could use - right after the full face helmet.
And not least, unlike every other piece of gear, the neck brace doesn't make me feel sweaty and overheated. When it's fit properly, it's like it's not even there.
Every time, it was "is my bike OK?!" Happy to report that he switched to Five Tens and flat pedals, and he LOVES them!Save the derailleur!!!
That is always the million dollar question--strengths vs. weaknesses. It's so easy to 2nd guess my decision to go with a 29er, but damn that bike does SO many things REALLY well, and I do think that a lot of my handling issues are MY issues, since I can rail left switchbacks, but right ones I suck at, and I seem to want to blame the bike, when it's clearly NOT the bike!
And yes to the dropper! I feel so much more connected to the bike with mine. You're able to lower your center of mass so much more.
Doug, me thinks you need to demo
Doug, me thinks you need to demo
He can't just yet, I believe ... that's why it's all on paper right now!
Thread Starter
TS
I'll be demoing as soon as I can. (yes, yes, yes) I did get on a pair of Intense demos, Spider 27.5" and Primer 29" and a 2018 Trek Remedy 29"(?). all felt really nice on the parking lots I rode them in. I like the new slack and more upright body position the new bikes offer. When I'm more healed, I'll be taking some bikes out on the trails. First I need my ribs to not hurt as much. Basically any lifting or use of strength in my upper body is very uncomfortable.
All the shops round Summit are putting their demos on sale right now, so the choices are good. I am really wondering what benefit a guy like me who puts on 500 miles or less a year get from a $5K bike vs a $2.5K bike? I know the more expensive bikes have better components and are lighter, but geometries in particular models will be the same, right?
I'm not going to know if I want 29 or 27.5 until I actually ride them but I think that geometry and handling will be my driving criteria over wheel size.
<tangent>
Yesterday I went 24 hours without prescription drugs. I have been trying CBDs orally and topically. I'm not sure that they help that much but I'll have them on hand for less serious injuries and report back then.
</tangent>
All the shops round Summit are putting their demos on sale right now, so the choices are good. I am really wondering what benefit a guy like me who puts on 500 miles or less a year get from a $5K bike vs a $2.5K bike? I know the more expensive bikes have better components and are lighter, but geometries in particular models will be the same, right?
I'm not going to know if I want 29 or 27.5 until I actually ride them but I think that geometry and handling will be my driving criteria over wheel size.
<tangent>
Yesterday I went 24 hours without prescription drugs. I have been trying CBDs orally and topically. I'm not sure that they help that much but I'll have them on hand for less serious injuries and report back then.
</tangent>
Thread Starter
TS
Correct-o-mundo! I've been contemplating rec path riding sometime this week because there will be little to no shock through the upper body. I need to keep moving to keep my lungs clear and my legs engaged. It is weird but expected I suppose that lifting with the right side affects the left side so much so I have tried to avoid any asymmetric or heavy lifting altogether. It is weird asking a client to move a 15 pound PC or when unloading the dishwasher is a potentially pain inducing chore.
I'll bet you're anxious! You are doing the right thing gathering info now. I also question whether I really need carbon, but since I have ACCESS to it for a good price, it's kind of a no-brainer. It's a valid question for you to ask. My initial reaction is to suggest you go with aluminum and then get the best components you can/do a custom build how YOU want it.
@Doug Briggs - I see that 29ers have crept into your list of possibilities! Opens the field a bit.