M&S insurance just phoned up to query the bikes on my insurance.

They wanted to know the total value of all and if any one bike was worth on £4K.

S(Gl)adly not.

I meant to say

… if any one bike was worth over £4K.

Nowhere near enough. You can’t possibly enjoy the sport if you don’t have an unfeasibly expensive bike…

basically, in order to qualify as a proper “mountain biker” on STW you will need to (in this order):

own a very expensive mtb, preferably full suss and made of an exotic material, citing reasons such as “rides amazingly” as justificaton for spendin £5k on a bike you ride timidly around trail centres;

sell said bike in classifieds and buy a hartail, citing reasons such as “rides amazingly” and “trail feedback” as justification for now riding hartail. It is unnaceptable to buy a frame from a manufacturer selling more than 1,000 frames per year. It is generally accepted that if the designer posts on STW, it is OK to buy that brand. You must now denounce anyone who rides full suss as being blinded by marketing and that HT’s are the perfect trail weapon; and then

sell HT in classifieds and buy a single speed “funboy” bike, citing reasons such as “gears are pointless” and “essence of mtb” as justification for riding SS. You must now denounce anyone who doesn’t ride SS as being blinded by marketing and “soft” for needing lots of gears.

Only THEN will you ever really understand what it is to be a “mountain biker”.

Alternatively, you could just take your Carerra Fury to any half baked excuse for a forest/hill/mountain and get more proper mountain biking in than most people will in a year (due to family commitments, back injury, work commitments, still trying to source a 1995 set of DX v brakes for the recent retro build, best mate’s daughter’s christening etc).

Can you tell i’m in a good mood today thanks to half the bones on my left hand side being broken?

😀

Alternatively, you could just take your Carerra Fury to any half baked excuse for a mountain and get more proper mountain biking in than most people will in a year

that’s me!

Peterfile – When I started reading that I thought it was going to be normal sort of embittered ramblings that certain forum regulars like to treat us to on such threads.

Spot on though, and I did smile.

Now what bike shall I go for a ride on today? My expensive full-sus or niche manufacturer hardtail?

on a not quite related note, how do insurance policies cope with second-hand stuff?
Its one of those things, I don’t want to contact the insurers to ask, just in case I then need to make a claim the next day.

how do insurance policies cope with second-hand stuff?

if it’s a new for old policy, you will need to insure for it’s replacement cost new. if the part/bike has been superseded, your LBS will normally be able to help with a suitable alternative and cost for insurace purposes. remember, it’s almost always a breach of the insurers conditions to under insure.

M&S insurance just phoned up to query the bikes on my insurance.

Why did they even know you had bikes? They don’t ask that you specify any item unless it worth over 4K if I recall correctly.

YOu’re not a real mountain biker on this forum unless you post pictures of said mountain bikes leaning against your garage door, wall, kitchen units, sofa, bed.

And then only ride your road bike.

pictures of said mountain bikes leaning against your garage door, wall,

ha ha, yes! with a perfectly manicured lawn on display, that you spent all saturday doing instead of riding because (a) you knew everyone on STW would abuse you for having a messy lawn once they saw your photos and (b) you wife wouldn’t let you go out riding until you sorted it out anyway 🙂

Nice post peterfile!

I’m on step 2, so nearly there…

Only THEN will you ever really understand what it is to be a “mountain biker”.

I think that should read: Only THEN will you ever really understand what it is to be a “STWer”.

Even more so if you actually ride your road bike more than your mountain bike – as I, and it seems many more on here, do.

M&S insurance just phoned up to query the bikes on my insurance

sadly cos I had to make a claim 2 years ago.
I think they have shifted supplier of the insurance and they are tightening their belts.

peterlife – spot on. I do have a SS – a converted old kona explosif which I have to say I do love to ride.

I absolutely blame STW for the cash I have wasted on bike folly.

I should have bought one the right size and Stuck with it first up. After 3 years I think I have stopped. I have a FS that I like and Rigid that is Practical.

The SS, 29er, 69er, perfectly-good-full-suss-that-I-thought-wasnt-good-enough, the 2 456’s etc etc have all gone

I dont jump, I dont race, I just like to ride. I wasted most of last summer fettling and getting unfit. Now I am riding again

I failed on 2 “climbs” last night – and the chain came off my singlespeed on one of them

Clearly, I need to upgrade (and/or do some maintenance 😯 )

I think that should read: Only THEN will you ever really understand what it is to be a “STWer”.

or
I think that should read: Only THEN will you ever really understand what it is to be a “STWanker”.