loving that akrigg vid..

how many of us have inadvertently replicated that rolling stoppie off the drop, only with zero control and panache!? 😆

mikewsmith – Member
…Still hoping that the plus thing just crawls off and dies… What’s actually wrong with modern tyres and suspension that adding 2″ of unhampered puncture prone travel will fix?

I wasn’t thinking of DH bikes. Modern stuff is obviously much better, and the closer a DH bike gets to a motocross bike without an engine the better they get, The speeds are similar.

I was thinking more of bikes you can happily pedal up hills.

As for what’s wrong with modern tyres and suspension? Not much, so long as you’re happy with the restrictions they place on you. The plus size tyres give a bike much more capability without requiring high levels of skill, they’re skill enhancers.

I remember similar discussions when mtbs started to appear – why do we need those wide (2″) tyres? I think that’s been pretty well answered, and the same applies to plus size tyres.

I remember similar discussions when mtbs started to appear – why do we need those wide (2″) tyres? I think that’s been pretty well answered, and the same applies to plus size tyres.

We shall see but they don’t seem to have taken off here, still not sure what gap they are filling all this talk of amazing grip and I’m trying to remember when grip was last an issue except when pushing very hard down stuff where extra squidgy would not be welcome

riding bikes is good. old bikes are good; new bikes are good.

still not sure what gap they are filling all this talk of amazing grip

The grip bit is a red herring imo. Big tyres are good on rigid or HT bikes. I know some think it’s heresy to suggest riding without suspension but for some riders a rigid bike feels great and the faff, cost and feel of suspension doesn’t appeal.

I think MTB evolution was slowed in some areas by the introduction of suspension well before basic geometry was sorted – we had springs that helped offset the negatives of a riding position that was way too far over the front so the riding position stayed quite XC-race for some time. It was a fashion thing also but perhaps we’d have learned / had sense beaten into us quicker if we weren’t of springs back then. Mid-80s bikes were better in some parts of that geometry aspect than mid 90s bikes.

That is only evolution to cater for certain types of riding. For the riding I do I still want an XC race position as it is faster and I prefer the handling it gives.
Evolution has provided more options but there is still a place for the the starting position, i.e. the older geometry.

mikewsmith – Member
We shall see but they don’t seem to have taken off here, still not sure what gap they are filling all this talk of amazing grip and I’m trying to remember when grip was last an issue except when pushing very hard down stuff where extra squidgy would not be welcome

Ah, I forgot where you live.

Here we live in a permanently damp climate and in comparison with Oz the ground is soft. Also here in Scotland we have no restrictions on where we can ride, including no trail at all. So grip and flotation are extremely useful, and that’s where plus size tyres really score.

In answer to the original question, nothing, go ride your bike

I think one of the biggest changes is suspension technology. My Fox 32s which used to feel brilliant now feel like wet noodles compared with pikes. Bars haven’t got wider, trees are growing closer together.

I have a mid skool bike (Well, a couple actually), the only problem with it really is that the seatpost diameter is too small to run a dropper post. Yeah the steering is a bit faster and stuff, and it has 26in wheels, but it’s still a bike.

I’ll probably fit drops to it soon, as I have a set of STIs and some mech. disc calipers sitting around – and this would make it a more versatile machine for me (considering I have another HT and a full sus for more techy stuff, this would be a good family ride/exploration bike)

That is only evolution to cater for certain types of riding. For the riding I do I still want an XC race position as it is faster and I prefer the handling it gives.
Evolution has provided more options but there is still a place for the the starting position, i.e. the older geometry.

Sure, but even a quick XC race bike now handles pretty well for most riders, maybe not to preference but they ride ok – not sure I’d want to ride Kulhavy’s set up for more than 5 mins but on a more realistic level XC race bikes are better handling or better-balanced than most early 90s bikes. No need for 140mm stems and all that now. Still, I was happy enough on bikes like that at the time.