Can a mtb get to old. Im still riding my cannondale jakyll witch is a 2001 model Im not to bothered about its age its dam reliable to be far just dont seem to see that many people on any thing older than a couple year’s

nah not really, as long as it’s still working and suits your needs, plenty of us still racking up the miles on 10 and in some cases 20 year old bikes and having plenty of fun.

Doesn’t mean a new bike wouldn’t ride better, but it is entirely dependent on what you’re after.

just dont seem to see that many people on any thing older than a couple year’s

Pssst, the people on here posting all the time about new kit don’t really ride bikes 😉

See plenty on older bikes normally, my last frames have been 07-09. For me the reasons that things go “Out of date” are things like head tube sizes (left 1 1/8″ behind), lack of chain guide mounting, rear bolts etc. things change rather than go out of date, if you can still get spares for your frame and it still works for you then carry on.

<img src=”http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2882/11412404603_f9c673f729.jpg&#8221; width=”500″ height=”375″ alt=”k1″>

This one is old enough to get into the pubs 😉

Im useless at posting pictures so heres a link

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=45143&hilit=kilauea

Just retired my 1999 Marin. It was just as fast this year as it was then. New stuff may be faster but it doesn’t make the old stuff any less fun.
Reliablity was becoming an issue though, main pivot needed a service every 3hrs of riding, not really feasable. Replaced with a 5yr old Kona

My 1996 Orange O2 is still going. Yes, it’s now singlespeed, back to it’s original rigid forks, and feels very odd geometry wise. Mainly used to pop to the shops…

A bike’s never too old to be ridden.

Not massively old but my turner is a 2005 model and I can’t think of anything currently that I’d want to replace it with.

I’ve got a Mk1 Soul from 2005, still a great bike, just needs a respray and a complete rebuild. Would love to try a 29er but can’t face losing the Soul

I won’t replace any of my bikes for some time now. I’ve got pretty much everything I want and every one of them is more than good enough.

I went riding with some guys last week on all new bikes, 27.5 this, 29 that.
They couldn’t keep up with my 18 year old DBR Axis TT. Someone did mention the 80mm forks & V brakes not slowing me down.

kiwijohn – I thought it was the absence of brakes that makes you go faster! 😉

I retired my FS frame when the shock started rattling in it. Could have investigated getting it sorted, but the frame was from 2008, seen a bit of abuse, and the riding I’m doing is different now, so thought I’d get something new – a bargain on a 26’er as turns out!

EDIT – spelling

Just retired my 1997 Specialized. It was ‘downgraded’ to the wife’s bike a few years ago but I bought her a new 2006 Marin last year.

Still riding a 2000 Klein frame…. in fact it got an upgrade this summer – carbon rigids off and Fox Floats on. A good frame can usually still make a good bike, although the bits hanging off it can date a lot quicker.

Hmmm too old

My ’96 Proflex rides much the same as it did in ’96 but my riding has changed a bit since then so it doesn’t get used much.

Serves as a poignant reminder of the days when MTBing was all about competition and CyB was just a clearing in the woods.

In the late nineties and early noughties I seem to remember XC racers, and mags even, talking about the need to get a new frame within 3 years since it would become flexy. I can’t remember if this was just considered to be the case with aluminium frames, or steel as well. It was suggested though that some team editions were not available for sale since they built them lighter than usual, such as getting sponsored riders on the FSR. This may all have been BS though. Does anyone else remember this?

I’m currently having a bike from 1994 repaired so I can keep on riding it and I still ride my FS from 2000. I’ve also recently purchased a 1992 retrobike as a project build. In all my years biking the age of the bike actually makes little difference as long as it suits your needs and makes you smile.

i am still riding my 2002 merlin malt 1. great bike, just had to replace the forks earlier this year as they were knacked and parts no longer available. swapped bars and stem a few months ago for shorter reach and wider bars, everything else is as new. still use it every weekend but am gettng a new canyon next year for my birthday. will keep the merlin though, N+1 rule and all that.

I’m still riding my 1996 Cannondale – its still just a good as ever (but different from more modern bikes)

Still riding my 2004 patriot with dirt jumper 2 forks, ok it may not be the fastest and it ain’t light compared to new offerings, but its never let me down and get more riding then my on-one 456 and still great fun.

As for the forks only serviced twice in 9 years and and once was this year and the stanchions are unmarked and running as smooth as ever.

Oh and as its an orange you can’t’t tell the age anyway as they still look the same now, ish :O)

can a bike get to old

Sure… Click here for directions

The ‘old’ bikes in the garage…

Patriot LT (2000),
222 (2002),
Dialled PA (2004),
Patriot (2002)…

My bikes range from ’93 to ’10.

All are still rideable and can probably do more than I can.