Over the last few years I’ve lost touch with biking. The combination of several house moves, a marriage and a job change have seen me sell a bike I was never using and not so much as swing a leg over anything but my trusty old commuter hack for several years, I stopped buying the magazines and, well, just forgot about bikes.

The itch has come back to be scratched though and I’m looking to get back into the swing of things (I’ve started a thread in the bike forum to canvass opinion on a few bikes) but it’s almost like walking into some alternative reality, I barely recognise anything.

I come from an XC-weighted background. A typical XC bike as I know it would probably most likely be a hardtail, perhaps a full sus with minimal travel, maybe even flexible chainstays rather than dedicated pivots, top tubes were at least 23″, a 120mm stem was considered to be on the short side, bar ends were commonplace and a decent weight would be sub 23lb.

I look at bikes now and I barely recognise them, it seems that all bikes have basically become downhillers! Bars are wider than wide, stems are shorter than short, single chainrings seem to be the norm and everything has miles of suspension travel. Oh, and wheels… What on earth is a 650b wheel when it’s at home? Not mention 27.5″! 29″ wheels were just starting to make a tentative appearance when I last looked, although there was much heated debate as to whether they’d take off or not (it seems they have), but what happened to the trusty old 26″ that served us so well? It seems to be somewhat missing in action.

It seems I have much to learn in this brave new world, it’s like being a teenage newbie in the early 90s all over again! I’m not a Luddite or a dinosaur, but I do feel a little ‘robbed’ that almost everything I know (knew) about mountain bikes appears to have been completely reinvented in the space of a few short years when I was looking the other way!

Yeah man, I know what you mean 🙂

Luckily – there’s a handy magazine to hand that may be of help…

Between when I stopped mountain biking and when I restarted, suspension happened! Well, that’s not quite true, we had suspension, it’s just that it sucked donkey balls, generally had more sideways travel than vertical, and cost a billion pounds. And flexstems. So think yourself lucky!

It’s all bikes innit, just enjoy riding! All mine are 26ers bar the folder, and they still work. Except for the Headshok. But that’s another story…

Yeah I am in the same boat from my last bike a mid 99s GT outpost that I stopped riding in early 00s to my new Whyte 901 the whole landscape as changed.

But new bikes are so much more fun to ride and if your still wanting a long steam you can still get them.

Yep it’s great, no longer saddled with make it like road bike with nobbly tyres…

Mountain bikes have got their own direction now, people are trying different things rather than waiting for road to lead then make it mountain.

Some simple things 1×11 (10-42) Drivetrains 90% of the range of a double from 1 Chainring and no front mech
Wider bars shorter stems, more control, different position
23″ Top Tube? My XC bike is 22.5″

650b Wheels – about 27″ think 26 and a bit. (AKA 27.5″)

29″ The choice in XC, faster rolling different characteristics in some ways

26″ Dead in the water as far as new bikes go, things change don’t even ask it will take 12 pages and leave you with no answer.

The fast guys I know are racing 29″ Wheeled 100mm travel FS bikes that are 22-23lb. These have actual suspension rather than some flexi stays. Full remote lock outs so ride up and along like HT’s and down much much better.

It really depends where you are looking at bikes, back in the UK I hardly saw full on XC race bikes, trail bikes with 130-160mm of travel (coming in from 25lb bling machines to 30lb mid range) bikes that pedal well up hill and excel coming down. More about the fun aspect rather than a race aspect are probably the most common sort of bike. If you are not racing that is where most people are heading. Take out the must get round as fast as possible and lots of fast climbs as a requirement and you can inject a little more fun into the mix.

Anyway just my views what do I know

My trail and XC bikes

I had a similar experience when I got back into mtb. I was working in Oz and wanted something to do to keep fit (apart from surfing) so popped into the local bike shop to see about a bike.
When asked ‘what sort of kit would you like?’ I replied ” Oh, something light, 24speed Suntour XC Pro gears and a flex-stem”. The guy’s reply was “You’ve not been biking for a while have you sir?”..
Front suspension? What’s that all about…
Disc brakes? Really….
It’s come a long way but it’s all for the better. Bikes and biking have progressed so much. I’m now on a 170mm full sus, 1 x 10 with a dropper seatpost
🙂

OP needs a fatbike! 😀

Over the last few years

Few years? Sounds like more than a few!

You’re not alone though, I just built a new bike for the first time in 7 years and even though I knew about the wheels and axles I still needed help to buy a headset!

JoeG– Member

OP needs a fatbike! 😀

A what now?

Embrace the Change! It’s a WHOLE lot of fun 😉

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatbike

Also, you absolutely need a dropper seatpost, OP! 🙂

I still needed help to buy a headset

I never went away from biking and I still need help 😯

JoeG – Member

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatbike

I think I’d need a large red nose, white face paint, stripey trousers and a squirty flower to ride that!

JoeG – Member

Also, you absolutely need a dropper seatpost, OP! 🙂

These seem to be essentially a quick release seat post but with the lever remotely located on the handlebar, is that about the size of it? Seems a bit like having a remote control for a car stereo; it works… but the original control method wasn’t exactly a chore!

You may not think so, but it adds up. The dropper means you can drop the saddle for every downhill bit and put it back to the right height instantly without even having to slow down. This why people think they are essential – always having a dropped saddle on techie bits makes a big difference to one’s riding capability on technical bits – if those are the bits you want to ride of course.

Handy at trail centres for example.

These seem to be essentially a quick release seat post but with the lever remotely located on the handlebar, is that about the size of it? Seems a bit like having a remote control for a car stereo; it works… but the original control method wasn’t exactly a chore!

That’s what I thought at 1st. If you ride on your own the QR isn’t an issue but a dropper seatpost means you don’t have to stop to adjust. It always goes back the right height, not on the wonk, without having to take your hands off the bars..
I’d never thought about getting one but literally 2 minutes into the 1st ride I was sold. They are ace 🙂

I really want one but the bike that needs it is 27.2 and the person buying it doesn’t have ebough money.

Ah, so the post comes back up remotely too? Now that I can see the merit of!

Yep, you pull a lever and it pops up and smacks you in the bollocks.

Ah, so the post comes back up remotely too? Now that I can see the merit of!

Of course.. would be pretty pointless otherwise!

Last year I thought it time to replace my ageing Giant NRS so whilst purchasing some parts I decided to have a look at the new bikes in the showroom.What a shock,two different wheel sizes and nothing new with a 26′ wheel 😯
Add to that tapered head tubes,1×11 transmission,dropper posts etc etc.My 2005 NRS & Enduro appear to be not only tired but old school obsolete.I wouldn’t mind but I’ve haven’t been away from biking. Not wanting to scrap my 26′ spec tyres /wheels & forks I ended up getting a new 2013 Anthem complete with 26′ wheels from Pauls cycles Maybe I’m niche 🙂

JoeG – Member
OP needs a fatbike!

JoeG is right.

These are the first real mountain bikes. Everything prior is about to be obsolete, or be trail park specific, but there will be a trend to fatter tyres all round.

Ride one before dismissing them.

2/10

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/everythings-changed

He’s probably just easing back into it, you don’t want to rush these things…

Three years to bend your head around wide bars, droppers and bigger wheels seems fair…

My ride – a proper bike – 26″ wheels, 2.1 tyres, narrow bars, 105mm stem, triple chainset, no dropper post…

…you aren’t the only one living in the past! 😀

Ha ha, I’d forgotten I’d even posted that! The Caldera mentioned in that thread was the bike referred to at the top of this thread, which I sold because I wasn’t using it anymore. As you may be able to tell by the level of bikes I am now looking at, my finances have improved dramatically over the last three years, mainly due to the job change I mentioned.

650b and 27.5″ wheels, dropping seatposts and the disappearance of triple chainsets are all new developments even since this last thread. Having evolved comparatively gradually for 20 or so years, mountain bike technology and trends seem now to have gone into warp speed, I fear the bikes I’m looking at today may well be obsolete by the end of the year!

Mr Muffin, that’s a lovely bit of kit you have there. Titanium?

Yep – original Titanium Inbred, had it since new (about 11yrs old now!)

Ride one before dismissing them.

I haven’t ridden a fatbike but can I still dismiss your wild claims?

I fear the bikes I’m looking at today may well be obsolete by the end of the year!

Hardly… nothing is that obsolete, things are changing.

Your old triple 22/32/42 running an 11-32 cassette now gets neatly replaced with a 24/39 double with a bash option less overlap and an 11-36 cassette

You can still buy 8 speed cassettes, can’t you?

dirtyrider – Member
2/10

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/everythings-changed

This ? could refer to this ? 🙂

relliott6879 – Member
Ah, so the post comes back up remotely too? Now that I can see the merit of!

blurty – Member
Yep, you pull a lever and it pops up and smacks you in the bollocks.

Don’t buy a 29er unless you buy the matching clown shoes.

650b and 27.5″ wheels, dropping seatposts and the disappearance of triple chainsets are all new developments even since this last thread. Having evolved comparatively gradually for 20 or so years, mountain bike technology and trends seem now to have gone into warp speed, I fear the bikes I’m looking at today may well be obsolete by the end of the year!

650b wheels have been around on mountain bikes for at least ten years, maybe fifteen, I can remember articles about it in Bike Magazine, some time before it got any attention here in the UK, and 650b is only a variation on 650c anyway, the standard bike wheel size on adult bikes all over Europe; I had a BSA with 27.5″ x 1.75″ wheels fifty years ago, and so did every other grown-up who wasn’t riding a racing bike with 700c wheels. 26″ wheels was an American size, used on clunky fat-tired cruisers, and an alien wheel size here in the UK; 650b is a much more natural wheel size for a mountain bike.
There’s nothing new here, dropping seat posts? Single chain-sets? Both been around for ages, and I haven’t bought a bike mag for some years, but I’m still aware of what’s going on.

CountZero – Member

I haven’t bought a bike mag for some years, but I’m still aware of what’s going on.

Well done Sir, mark my paper D- ‘must try harder’. I personally had never heard of a 650b wheel until about a fortnight ago or a dropper post until it was brought up in this thread. Single chainsets were, to my knowledge, the domain of downhill bikes, usually coupled with chain guides instead of front mechs. Things move on, I get that and I’m sure it won’t take me long to come back up to speed, but just at the moment I’m a little behind the curve. I came on here to seek advice and guidance from those in the know.

Old + Fat 🙂

http://www.usacycling.org/overend-miller-claim-inaugural-usa-cycling-fat-bike-national-championships.htm

I came on here to seek advice and guidance from those in the know.

That was your first mistake 😉