Tell me about your hardtail mtb

1989 Nishiki Pinnacle elevated chain stay.  This was the model below the Alien and it uses all Suntour bits.  Black and crackle pick finish.  It’s as rad as you can imagine.  

eastpark said:

In reply to Woody :

Woody, do you have a dropper seatpost on the bike? I almost went over the bars on a steep decent because I was too lazy to lower my seat before going down that section of trail. It make a big difference in how to keep control. 

Yes, there is a dropper post on the Cujo, but I don’t remember if it was up or down when I fell. Probably down though. 

It’s funny that you asked that, as I came back here to say that I think that having a dropper post makes living with a hardtail a lot easier. 

My wife rides a 1996 GT Karakoram (rigid) set up with drop bars and Ultegra bar end shifters and 3x8 drivetrain.  With fairly smooth cross country tires, it's sweet on road and gravel, but a handful on singletrack.

I ride a Trek Xcaliber that has been modified a bit.  Hydraulic disks.  Surly Krampus rigid front end with a 29x3 tire usually.  I ride it single speed with a low rise bar most of the time, but I have a set of Jones bars and 1x10 set up that I can swap in about 30 minutes if I'm doing a really long ride (doesn't really happen any more).  Dropper post might be in my future, but last time I looked, I wasn't thrilled with the options for a 27.2 seat post.  I sold my cyclocross bike, fat bike, and mountain bike, and built this one in an effort to own less stuff.  So far so good.

Ian F (Forum Supporter) said:

In reply to eastpark :

I use my dropper post more often than I shift these days.

me too. oh wait, i don't do either. one, because my derailleur (rear) is needing replaced, and two, i don't actually have a dropper post...

Right now mine is on it's 3rd life. I just finished a rebuild with a fox 34 CTB 150MM travel from fork, Sram X1 Shifter and Raceface crankset, new XX1 11 gear 10-42T Cassette in the rear with a 44T Raceface front gear. I'm running continental Race King tires in 2.2" since most of my riding is hard pack. All of this is sitting on an old DB Syncer frame. 

It's great to run on the forest roads up here and some of the single track. I've gotten more into the exploration mode of biking than ripping trails. 

Early 90's Miyata Elevation 300, but I've been messing around with my BMX cruiser far more lately

2019 Rocky Mountain Growler. 27.5"x2.8 tires.  1 x 9 Altus drive train w 11-40 cassette.  Suntour spring / oil fork, works pretty well, but weighs a ton. 

Upgrades - I'm a bit of a Clydesdale and tend to destroy free hubs, so I changed the rear hub to a DT Swiss 350.

    - SDG Bel Air saddle.  Been using them for years and still haven't found a saddle I like better. 

I'm 5'8ish and got it in a small, which makes for a nice singletrack bike.  Quick handling, stable enough on the downs, climbs like crazy. 

I went from a full suspension Rocky Altitude to this bike, and I'm really enjoying it.  Awesome bike, especially when you consider the price.  

Although, if i were buying today, I'd get a Devinci Cobain instead, as they are actually built in Canada. 

Chromag is still making some cool stuff and Chris Dekerf is still building frames as well.

ShawnG said:

Chromag is still making some cool stuff and Chris Dekerf is still building frames as well.

True, those guys are making some cool stuff, but unfortunately only their higher end stuff is made here.  $1900 for a Canadian Chromag frame,   $1350 for a complete Kobain. 

Unfortunately I just don't have the moola for a hand made frame.  That's why I like that Devinci has committed to a full facrory in Canada

In reply to Sidewayze :

I know Devinci used to make all of their aluminum frames in Canada but it doesn't look like that is the case anymore.

This is listed for the Kobain under specs, that doesn't mean much and the frames definitely aren't welded up here.

ALUMINUM OPTIMUM G04
Designed & Assembled in Canada / Conçu et assemblé au Canada

Some of their higher end stuff still is made here which is good to see like the Wilson DH frame.

adam525i (Forum Supporter) said:

In reply to Sidewayze :

I know Devinci used to make all of their aluminum frames in Canada but it doesn't look like that is the case anymore.

This is listed for the Kobain under specs, that doesn't mean much and the frames definitely aren't welded up here.

ALUMINUM OPTIMUM G04
Designed & Assembled in Canada / Conçu et assemblé au Canada

Some of their higher end stuff still is made here which is good to see like the Wilson DH frame.

Sadly, you are correct.  I contacted them about it, and it appears they no longer build most of their own frames.  It's sad, as i think they were the last mass producer of bike frames in Canada. 

In which case, i like my Growler even more, (Although a Brodie Climbax would be really cool...) 

2002 Trek 6700 Team Edition, paid $150 for it ~2 years ago, bone stock.  The fork was flat (air) but I pumped it up when I bought it home and it held air (win!).  I also rebuilt the fork a few weeks ago, which helped a lot (there was no oil in it).  Prior to that I had a ~2007 6500 w/disk brakes (sold it when I moved to FL)...essentially the same bike but but a little newer.  The lack of disk brakes on my current bike isn't a big deal (no big downhills in FL).  It's light and pretty fun. I can feel the rear frame triangle flex a bit in corners, but with the long stem you can corner pretty well (even with tires that are old enough to join the military).  It looks pretty retro, but isn't a total dinosaur.  When I was a teenager a friend's older brother was sponsored by Miyata and he sold me his old carbon frame & fork for pocket change....that thing was awesome.  

I don't think much about replacing my bike until I ride somewhere popular and realize the only time I see someone on the same era bike it looks out of place.  All the newer stuff is 27.5" or 29" tires and at least appear to have very different geometry.  Frankly, I don't really care if I look like a kook but I do wonder if I'd enjoy a different bike. I planned on going to a demo day this spring, but that was canceled.   I did score a 2010ish 26" Santa Cruz full suspension bike for a good price yesterday, but I expect my son will use it mostly. 

I'm interested in your thoughts on upgrading to bigger wheels and more modern geometry.  Worth it?  29" too big for technical stuff?

I road my 26" Lefty suspension bike yesterday, and it was frustrating. Nothing lays down traction like my 27+ hardtail. It still feels long in the twistys though.

I've still got my Gary Fisher Tassajara from my first job at a bike shop in 2003. It's since been turned into a single speed with a surly singleator. Used to run a 2:1 ratio when I still rode dirt. I'm using a 2.7:1 now that I'm only riding pavement.

Forks are Rock Shox Silver TKs, as they were the only air forks I could get. Turns out the industry has moved on from 1 1/8 steer tubes, 26" wheels, and QR hubs...

Losing all the gears and the big, flexy Manitou forks made the bike so much lighter. It's got mechanical disks F/R now too. 

New bikes are so nice, I just can't justify spending $1k+ on something I only use a couple times a year. 

slowcamaro said:

What kind of bike is that?

In reply to Woody :

ragley mmmbop

2015 Trek Marlin 6, or at least it was at one time.  The only thing original on it is the frame, the seatpost, and the brakes.

It is now a Zee crank 1x Deore (shadow Plus) 10speed.  It has Mavic tubless wheels and an Air Oil fork rather than the clunky spring fork that came with it.  I put 720mm bars on it and a little shorter stem. Time ATAC pedals and Oury grips.

it's the orange one in this picture.

I like this bike cuz when I crash, not a lot, but when I do crash I don't worry about the bike.  If i messed up a $3000 rig I would never forgive myself.

Does well enough on the trails here in central Illinois.

The Dog's name is Cooper and he is gettin on in years.

Ragley Big Wig

Fox Factory 34

1x10 with SRAM X0 shifter and derailleur, Sunrace 11-42 cassette, DMR 165mm cranks and Chromag ring

TRP Slant T4 brakes with Hope 203mm front rotor and Shimano Xt 180mm rear

Brand X dropper

Spank Vibrocore bar

Hope rear hub with Spank Oozy rim

Novatec front hub with Stans rim

Maxxis Minion DHF 29x2.5 f Rekon 29x2.4 rear

DMR Vault pedals, Sensus grips and Chromag saddle

Super happy with it. Kind of want to try out an SQ labs handlebar, a Sunrace 11-46 cassette and rear tire inserts.

199? Klein Attitude Race, bone stock even the tires.  Blue and Graphite 

Just recently put it back on the trail.  I need to ditch the clipless pedals.

slowcamaro said:

In reply to McArthur27 :

cool! looks like (from what i googled) you could do some good jumps with that geometry! what fork do you have?

I sold my hardtail last year.  And sold my road bike right before lockdows started.  And sold my gym equipment.  Great timing :/

I had a ~2012 or 13 Specialized Rockhopper with better wheels & converted to 1x9.  It got the job done.  Right now I'm on the lookout for a decent full suspension, but would settle for a good hardtail.  Really just looking for something to get back out on the trails/give me something active to do on the weekends besides bodyweight workouts and rowing.

Ian F (Forum Supporter) said:

In reply to eastpark :

I use my dropper post more often than I shift these days.

Me too! I do have a dropper post... no shifters though. Mine's a 2018 Salsa Timberjack converted to singlespeed. Raceface bars, Chromag saddle and  grips, Crank Bros Candy pedals, and Teravail Coronado 27.5x3" tires (tubeless). XL frame, weighs 27lbs ready to ride. Plus tires and Singlespeed go together like beer and wings.

Rode some in Pisgah and Dupont this weekend.  2 different rentals, but neither were hard tail.  And they both retailed well of $5k