if i had the money i’d buy an s works enduro in a heartbeat (only have a duster ht at the moment).

i have owned a 2010 stumpjumper 140mm travel fs bike in the past,and i rode it to bristol from devizes and back (all on towpath/cycleway).it was fine.

overbiked
overtaken
over it.

I really can’t be bothered to ride a big complicated bike over the winter. And some of the BMX track trail centre trails are soo much fun on a little hard tail. But big bikes are just great on big days out and modern designs pedal incredibly well so climbing is not compromised.

Personally, I struggled with some of the slabs on Lagan black even on a 5″ trail bike, but that more about the rider being scared!

I often feel “over bikes” on many trails (Alpine 160). But I need to consolidate my XC and DH bikes into one and I’d rather be over bikes sometimes than under bikes most of the time. Unfortunately not all of us are able to own 2 + bikes any more

Anything is over biked where I am, the Sarfff East.

100mm is where’s it’s at for me,even my stumpy had 120mm on them,put 100mm on,i live down south,i’m a realist!

BYD ignorant tossers is the expression your looking for. why dont they stick to golf
G

justme – Member
BYD ignorant tossers is the expression your looking for. why dont they stick to golf
G

Yup, its the new generation of cyclists (ex golfers) that appear to be the most over biked and least friendly.

I usually shout “fast hardtail rider coming through” and they take an age moving out of the way. Always say hello and thanks as I pass but never get any response back.

my fireline evo 29r got an absolute beastin yesterday on GT Black and i’ve **** the rims.

my nicolai helius ac 29r gobbled it up today and begged me for more.

i think my helius has won the TLR internal debate…….

I did a skills course and was massively overbiked on it with my 150mm FS. Someone else on the same course had an Orange Alpine 160.

I’m overbiked for my skill. However, as my skill level increases then one day I will reach the zenith and just be biked. I’ve invested for the future.

I’m more worried about being over niched on my Ss rigid 29er 😳

i remember bumping into a chap going up the munro id just battled down and thought hes underbiked,he had a crosser and tons of lycra.id like to have seen him ride down on it..i struggled with 5 inches of travel..

160mm bike for most riding – keeps me fit keeping up with everyone on XC bikes

Also regularly ride a fully rigid SS to help fitness and keep lines tidy

Both great fun, but i’m a lot more scared on the rigid SS 😀

160mm bike for most riding – keeps me fit keeping up with everyone on XC bikes

Also regularly ride a fully rigid SS to help fitness and keep lines tidy

Both great fun, but i’m a lot more scared on the rigid SS 😀

mcnultycop: I’m overbiked for my skill. However, as my skill level increases then one day I will reach the zenith and just be biked. I’ve invested for the future.

That’s the spirit 🙂

Actually I wonder how much of this “overbiked” phenomenon is down to people buying a bike for the rider they hope to be one day rather than the rider they are. I’m certainly guilty of a bit of that.

I went through the same thought process as the op at some point in the past.

As for skills courses – nowt wrong with giving your skills a little boost. Did one my self at the weekend and my manualing and cornering technique are improved and more critically my confidence level has stepped up again.

I sometimes ride a 200mm travel bike. At Thetford 😳 It’s either that or it sits unused in the garage whilst I go out on the road bike.

Although I did ride it in the Lakes last weekend.

wilko1999 – Member

The expression ‘overbiked’ is very annoying indeed…

This.

mountain biking blokes who give you the evils if you deign to say hello to them. What’s that all about?

Just moved back down south after being in sheffield for 6 years. Went on a ride thursday evening, saw lots more people than i normally would, got far less acknowledgements to my grunts or nods of hello, rude.

This whole overbiked thing though, i truly believe that more travel does definitely make it harder to understand what is going on and develop good technique.

Being overbiked does buy you a little more speed for a given skill level, but ultimately you’re only going to get significantly better (whether it be speed, reading the trail, trail interpretation, style, pumping, jumping, manually etc, etc) by increasing your skill level. Until you have generally excellent technique, more travel does make it harder to develop these techniques.

That being said though, if you purely ride bikes for fun and are 100% happy with not getting significantly better, if you’re having fun, that’s what counts.

Though there is nothing better for myself than getting a section of trail nailed, combining many different skills, whilst making it feel fluid and natural. Bettering myself is where i get the main buzz from riding.

I think dean has pretty much hit the nail on the head.

It’s fine to be overbiked once you have attained a certain skillset (that includes all this and more: speed, reading the trail, trail interpretation, style, pumping, jumping, manually etc.)

However, if you haven’t achieved this status yet but you still find yourself overbiked for the majority of your riding, then I really think you need to have a sit down and take stock.

My advice would be: sell your overbike and get yourself a little hardtail. Spend the time learning your craft. I think if everyone actually learnt how to ride a bike properly, we’d really push the standard of mountain biking on in this country.

Its frustrating, there are some really good riders out there that don’t get the credit they deserve. Mountain biking is held back by the idiots who can’t ride properly.

Look at the state of trail centres these days – I’ve seen old couples with a dog managing to walk the wrong way round the “black runs.” That’s not how it should be.

We need to get mountain biking back to where it should be. We used to be respected (maybe even feared?) by the general public. I remember one hot summers day, pulling up at a pub in the Lakes. The landlord saw we were bikers, and gave us free rounds of water. All the other ramblers etc. that were there had to pay for their drinks!

You’re slipping in and out of character there, David… 😉

I had two months off the MTB earlier this year. All I did was ride to and from work (2/3 dirt : 1/3 tarmac) on a BMX. It’s a vicious little sod, always feels like it’s considering dumping you on the ground, makes rough bits of bridleways feel like DH rock gardens, stings your hands if you land a jump nose heavy, makes your legs hurt uphill. I do have a habit of practising figure of 8 and slalom corners on it. I’d lost some endurance once I got back on the MTB but otherwise I was riding better than before. I do wonder how I’d ride if I’d only ever ridden a full sus offroad?

I’m too lazy to ever be seriously overbiked – I’d rather get to the top quicker and feel like I’m getting to the bottom really fast even if it’s taking longer. I also have an array of internal excuses for not always being the quickest rider downhill (no rear suspension, same tyres all year round, don’t crash much, etc etc). If I had a bigger bike I’d probably ride that bit faster and crash that bit harder…

I have a 2008 Yeti 575 with Fox 36 TALAS on it. I rode it to town the other week and I often ride it to the post box to drop off my Lovefilm DVDs.

The routes are both pretty flat. Perhaps in need a fixie!

I ride my patriot with lyriks up and down the canal tow path regularly, and on the road

feel free to snigger

Well said Dave…

I suppoose I’m over biked or I’m not depending on where I am but I do know I find on the bigger stuff I ride faster and with more confidence.
Bike history:-

Hardtail 16 months
120 FS 6 months
Now 140/160(switchable forks 160 on rear) FS a few weeks 🙂

Rode yesterday an area where I’ve ridden many times on the 120 FS and the difference on 160 when you hit the hard stuff is inspiring feels better not kicked around as much keep going where i want to go the up hills on the other hand are getting me………… fitter 😀

I’m out on rougher stuff next week and now looking forward to it even more my mate is on still on his 120 FS still and enjoying it (and battering me on the climbs TBH) but he is noticing on the technical downhill stuff the 160 FS is leaving him in it’s wake. 8)

I think I’m definitely overbiked. Hammered some local trailed in Derbyshire on Thursday night. Got to the bottom of the main downhill which is pretty rocky and knarley in places – easily a usual trail centre red with a few short sections that would be blacks. Got to the bottom feeling pretty pleased with my performance relative to previous runs then realised I still had my forks locked out after the climb (140mm RS Revelation 29ers). Just goes to show all that suspension is not an absolute necessity. Nice to have all the same though if for nothing but the placebo effect.

I did a 24 solo on a Yeti 575. Does this make me a tosser?

The whole concept of mtb is faintly ridiculous anyway. Grown men and women spend increasing sums of money on bikes to make unrideable terrain, rideable. The take said bike on even rough terrain. Then complain about being over biked on the old smoother trail. If your bike feels nice to ride, then enjoy it.

Unless of course, you have to walk uphill. Then of course you are of course an arch knuckle-glazer and should be fined the value of your bike for being an overweight unfit fat git. /sarcasm

I have only one bike and therefore I’m either underbiked or overbiked most of the time. In fact,this must hold true on each ride as sometimes I ride on the road to get to the trail (overbiked), ride rough downhill (overbiked) and may even mess about doing jumps and bunnyhops etc (totally wrong bike)..what should I do???

Got to the bottom feeling pretty pleased with my performance relative to previous runs then realised I still had my forks locked out after the climb (140mm RS Revelation 29ers). Just goes to show all that suspension is not an absolute necessity

No lock-out threshold/blow-off?

If you can ride it with a smile on your face (or at least look forward to blasting the next descent) then you aren’t overbiked

If you’re scared of scratching it, giving a mate a try, turning it upside down or breaking an expensive component you probably are.

I usually shout “fast hardtail rider coming through” and they take an age moving out of the way. Always say hello and thanks as I pass but never get any response back.

I wear ear-plugs to maximise focus and slash Strava times, something I was taught on a skills course which transformed my riding and trail manners at the same time.