I’ve had a sore back for a few weeks (getting old) so took the Five out for a spin on some very tame forest trails at the weekend. Normally I’d take the 29er HT for a ride like that (most of it could be done on a road bike to be honest), but I still came back with a big grin on my face.

There is nothing special about the Five. It isn’t the best bike in the world and it certainly isn’t the fastest anywhere, but whether I’m bimbling along a forest trail, messing about on slippery trails in the woods or pushing the (very narrow) limits of my nerve on some rocky descent it always makes me feel like a little kid on his first bike again.

So, what bike does that for you?

Oddly my ancient steel Rockhopper commuter, it looks like crap but is built with decent retro parts, I just smile wherever I ride it.

Funnily enough, we have a 20 year old (rigid) steel Rockhopper in the shed. Technically it is my wife’s bike and a bit small for me, but I still wheel it out sometimes for a bit of fun.

Nope haven’t got one that’s fun everywhere. Big bike is fun down and rubbish up, XC is enjoyable on the climbs but rubbish on the descents, trail bike is just OK everywhere

My Kona Jake CX is a do it all bike, you never regret a bike ride. always a smile.

My NS Surge;

now it has new and good forks is by far the favorite at the moment. It’s short and snappy in the singletrack, easy to ride on more XC rides if a bit slow, but I love it on jumps/pumptracks. Its a bit slower on DH than the full sus, but pretty composed, and pops off everything- and its mainly made of old parts and second hand oddments!

Nope haven’t got one that’s fun everywhere. Big bike is fun down and rubbish up, XC is enjoyable on the climbs but rubbish on the descents, trail bike is just OK everywhere

That’s what I expected to find with my two (off-road) bikes. The FF29 is designed for XC use so would be more fun on tamer XC rides and the Five would be more fun on the bigger stuff. But, in fact, it hasn’t worked out that way. The FF29 is faster 90% of the time (and there is pleasure in that), but the Five is always more fun.

Don’t get me wrong, I can still have fun on the FF29 and the amount of fun I have depends more on external factors than on the bike. But some bikes just seem to put a smile on your face no matter how inappropriate they might seem.

I’m feeling this way about my Yelli Screamy at the moment. It rocked at BikePark Wales, it does local XC and ST riding perfectly well (any limit on speed is me not the bike, same with technical riding), it’s fun, stable, fast and flickable too. It makes a nippy single speed, I think the short chainstays help on attacking climbs stood up.

I’ve been through half a dozen frames over the last couple of years and the process now seems to be reducing back to just one.

Perhaps I’ll get a second wheel set so I can quickly switch between light XC and heavier trail set ups, that’s still a fraction of the cost of a second bike.

If I ever “must have” an FS, I’ll rent one.

I’ve only got 1 bike but love riding it so, for me, that’s the bike that’s fun everywhere 😉

Both my main bikes, that’s what they’re for really. Modern bikes are brilliant. Hemlock is a wee bit of a lump for easy trails mind.

But some bikes just seem to put a smile on your face no matter how inappropriate they might seem.

Hmm am always on the lookout for something like that. A bike that’s an inevitable compromise but still fun to ride as opposed to being ruthlessly capable at one specific activity

Sometimes I think having more than one bike only serves to highlight the inadequacies of the others

I have one mountain bike, a steel hardtail. I don’t spend my time comparing it with other bikes, and it’s always fun.

My Yeti 575 is fun everywhere. It pedals as well as some XC bikes, and can rip it when pointed down. Great do it all bike.

My Sovereign is nearly there, but quite heavy and a bit of a slog on steep uphills.

My old (2003) canti brake cross bike – makes everything difficult, scary and some parts downright dangerous, but it’s bloody good fun and don’t think I could ever sell it – although I’m tempted to get a disc cross bike so I can ride even bigger trails, for even bigger smiles!

Orange 5, Cotic Soul & Trek Rumblefish 29er all put a smile on my face.

I’m not a Orange, Cotic or Trek fan though. I don’t like post 2008 5’s with the slacker head angle, don’t think my Solaris is anything special and don’t like any other Trek bikes I’ve tried.

My Yeti SB66c, built up its just shy of 28lbs, can climb better than my old Stumpy FSR, downs are a hoot, I can take it anywhere and have good fun. Might not rip up hills, but it certainly doesnt slow me down and coming back down the hill it really does rip along.

Charge Blender for me.

I always have fun on Cotic X CX bike and Croix De Fer before it, both comfortable to ride, and where modern MTB’s are so capable, my CX bike is a giggle riding off road, even the slightest muddy slope or little feature becomes interesting as you slip and slide about on things an MTB would find easy.

I think it is psychological rather than down to machinery. Any MTB is fun if you feel lucky to be on it and making the most of any trail you happen to be on. I’ve been using my hardtail to commute to work, and there is no off road, but it’s just way more fun because I can manual over a few bumps rather than chatter over them on my commuter, or jump off kerbs…it’s a state of mind I try and keep whenever I ride, so you get the most out of the bike and trail no matter what the bike or trail is.

Yes my bike is fun everywhere. It is always fun to be upon my bike What bike it is is an irrelevance – two wheels pedal bars etc maketh for fun.

What tomaso says. All bikes on all trails fun. Sometimes, riding a “less appropriate” or “less good” bike can make things even more fun.

Fat?

I think it is psychological rather than down to machinery.

“Fun” being an abstract concept – absolutely it is.

My Kinesis XC3 with RS Reba forks. It does everything I want excellently and is very forgiving in tricky bits. Then put the 2.3 tyres up to 50psi and she is good on the road. LOVE IT.

kelvin – Member

What tomaso says. All bikes on all trails fun.

Go and do a 50 mile xc loop on a dh bike then come back and say that 😉

I’ve ridden my Jones further in more places and different terrain than any bike I’ve had and it’s never been anything but fun. It’s just a good ‘bike’, rather than a good road/cx/mtb/am etc categorised bike which really helps.

psychological rather than down to machinery

Totally agree, one of my best rides was on an old nail of a bike. And some bikes just suit you more than others rather than being a better bike.

Yeti SB66c owner, get a smile just looking at it, and a big cheesy grin after every ride.

stewartc – Member

Yeti SB66c owner, get a smile just looking at it
You should try riding it 😈

My 2011 giant trance is brilliant. Not too big and heavy to pedal up a hill and it copes with everything on the way down as well. I love my steel hardtail, but if I could only have one, it would have to be my trance

All bikes on all trails fun

Contentious I know but I struggle to derive any enjoyment from simply being on a bike. BSOs and dull fireroads don’t do anything for me.

Cannondale Beast of the East ,when BB where high, chain stays were short and THICK THICK tubes ruled , Grip shift ,hydro brakes and 18 years old ? makes yer think .I love it and ride it when i can ,the brakes are a nightmare to set, but are on/off and powerfull(anyone remember 1997)the bike eats thrashing, it is the second best frame behind a PACE RC200 ,retro heaven no other way.

Do you have one I could borrow Northwind?

My old (1990) Fisher has the smile per mile factor still.

Plus I was looking back at some of my summer ride pics last night and my top 3 rides were all on my 29er ht, which I’d bought for mile munching xc duties originally.

Loved my old SC bullit as well and wish I’d never sold it despite my Voltage being better in pretty much every other aspect.

My rigid Kineses decade versa SS built from shed and 2nd hand bits. Total build cost £270 but I loves it I do.

kelvin – Member

Do you have one I could borrow Northwind?

It comes complete with a 450mm seatpost to make it a super-efficient pedalling machine.

At the other end of the stupidity spectrum I took my old rigid carrera on the innerleithen uplift a couple of times, that was a great laugh but I wouldn’t want to do it anywhere rougher…

My On-One Fatty!

my On-One 456!

Yup my Blur LT2 is well beyond my abilities in every way so it’s always a laugh and I never run out of bike, it just feels right.

The first time I rode a Mount Vision on a test ride, it put a grin on my face and that I had to have one. Two years later I got a second hand one for half the price and I still grin just looking at it and when my nephew asked me, what bike would I have, money no object, I told him I’ve already got it.