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So I ve been out of the game for a while (12 years ) to find everything has changed. My trusty old 26 inch wheel, ridged single speed seems to be different to every new standard.
so I’ve started looking for a new steed ( secondhand) and have found a few but they all have something different going on.
would you be worried about buying something without a thru axle or with a front derailleur for example.
Many standards I wouldn't touch, but not so much on bikes that you would realistically buy 2nd hand. The only one that I can think of is a splined bottom bracket cartridge. HT2 for me all the way with a threaded bb cups. No press fit bb for me at all.
Old standards ... quill stems, canti or v brakes, tubed tyres, triple ring chainset at the front (I'd still be OK with a 2x chainset), non stealth dropper, erm, that's about it.
It depends, there's not many things that would worry me but I still wouldn't choose to buy them given a choice. For example I wouldn't mind owning a road bike with cantilever brakes but I'd rather have one with hydraulic discs. Equally a qr wheel will still work just fine on an mtb for tame riding so there's nothing wrong with it but it would be a long way from cutting edge tech.
Depends on intended use and budget. For mountain biking, I'd definitely avoid QR, and I'd possibly take a front derailleur as a warning sign! Boost is pretty much the standard for hubs/chainline so avoid 142x12 rear axle and 100x15 front. You might want to go with 29" wheels too, as 27.5" is less available and 26" is fairly niche these days.
Saying that I've got 2 bikes with QR front hubs, a 26" hybrid with front derailleur, a 27.5" hardtail with 142x12 rear, another 27.5" hardtail rear QR (converted from 3x9 to 1x9), both with 110x15 front, and absolutely none with boost or 29" wheels.
V Brakes or any kinda rim brake tbh.
Also, elastomer forks.....
Rod brakes!
When I was a postie, I was issued with an old Pashley which was ok on the flat when dry, but try stopping the heavily laden steed in the rain on a hill😀
Any form of rim brakes.
QR is becoming more difficult to find decent wheels for without going all custom - yes I know you can step down thru-axle to QR but given a choice, I'd not be buying anything QR again.
So 1*, boost, disc brakes, tapered steerer, 29er.
I would add or 27.5". I know a lot o. Here want to yell that 27.5 is dead why would you have 27.5 but there are still plenty being made even though 29er is majority.
Isis.
Otherwise it's marketing BS really, as if you can't have fun on a 26er, even with cantis
Isis and all press fit arse bearings
26" wheels
Straight steerer
Non boost wheels
My main bikes still have some of those features but that's because I've had them a while. Spares are easier for the non boost 29r than the 26" wheeled straight steerer, qr wheeled hardtail but choice is still limited.
I would add or 27.5″. I know a lot o. Here want to yell that 27.5 is dead why would you have 27.5 but there are still plenty being made even though 29er is majority.
Yeah, I did think that adding 29er might be a bit contentious.
Got to admit both times I’ve ridden a mates 27.5 (hardtail and full sus) I’ve loved them.
It really depends on how much you’re spending and how fussy you are about the parts the bike is made of, both now and in the future when things break or wear out. And obviously the gnarlier the riding, the more sense the more recent standards make.
I'm only worried about weird short-lived stuff like the boost QR141 hub spacing. If it's something that is or was widely adopted then generally spares are no problem.
Yes press fit BB = noisy
been running press fit for about 8? years on 3 bikes
not a squeak
(wheels manufacturing screw together ones ftw)
I think anything with a straight steerer is out. Qr is ok but most stuff with that is either old or outdated. 26” tyres are quite limited so avoid that.
I’d look for 27.5” or 29” wheels, tapered steerer. Don’t go too old - perhaps from 2017 and newer in most makes has reasonably modern geometry etc. Non-boost hubs aren’t the end of the world - you can still get non boost stuff for spares. Most non boost front hubs can use adapters to get to boost if you change to a boost fork.
What’s you actual budget though? For £600 you could pickup something with modern wheels / modern ish geometry / passable air fork / hydraulic discs / boost spacing front and rear axles etc
https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/p/vitus-sentier-27-mountain-bike
I spent £200 on a 2015 Pinnacle Ramin 1 recently.
29er, straight steerer, 9 speed and QR wheels. Oh and Shimano Altus gears.
Best bike I've owned in years, don't buy the hype, if you want a bike to just go and explore on then that's all you need, everything else is just noise.
Nothing really for me, as long as the price is right and it basically does the job. All my bikes tend to be lashups anyway, old-to-boost adaptors in the wheels, one has a hole drilled for a dropper, one is (whisper it) qr and 26er and even has a 27.2 post.
The only standard I'd absolutely avoid, is a new one- Bloody ****ing Stupid Superboost. 35mm stems can get in the bin too, and 30mm axle cranks, but I'd accept them if there was a good reason. Oh yeah,and anything that you can't put a good long dropper post in though that's not a "standard".
mrchrist
Full MemberYes press fit BB = noisy
Nah, not necessarily, there's a bunch of variations. My old Trek had BB92, I think? Plastic cups type. And it was absolutely fine, I was surprised tbh
Otherwise it’s marketing BS really, as if you can’t have fun on a 26er, even with cantis
No, this is nothing at all to do with marketing and all to do with the fact that if something breaks in an old standard it can be really hard to get spare parts.
If I was buying a used bike, I would make sure that it can take a tapered fork. Even if it's a 26" frame, you can put a 27.5 fork in. Also, make sure it can take a 30.9 mm seatpost so you can fit a long travel dropper post. 27.2 mm seatposts are limited to short travel droppers.
hangerless rear mechs.
No, this is nothing at all to do with marketing and all to do with the fact that if something breaks in an old standard it can be really hard to get spare parts.
With the exception of forks. Which bits are hard to get?
Probably as many modern ideas as old ones. Press fit BB for one. I hate a 1x system as I loath the gaps and the great long mech. Wider Q factor which admitedly is more noticeable with shorter legs. Rim brakes worked but not as well but was this really a problem when we had nowt else? Dunno.
I wonder why bike makers haven't started work on this yet? Surely BBs should be also sized accordingly.
All the older standards were fine really. Itis just that money has been invested in ways to change what "fine" is.
You do konw of course that all these wonderful modern ideas will be redundant in a decade or so anyway.
About the only one for me would be a straight steerer, but even then it depends on what the fork is and how basic/brilliant it was for the money. There's really no parts that you can't get still at a bike shop, some might not be as well made as you'd want, but they tend to be commensurately less expensive. If it's a cheap jumping off point to see if you still want to do mountain biking, then just buy the bike you like
If you want the bike to be future proof though, that's a different thing. Don't buy a bike that not 110*15 front and 148*12 back, buy a 29er, no 27.2 seatposts, no front mech, chain line at 53-55mm. Everything else, not a problem.
I'm still getting by just fine with QR hubs on several MTB/Gravel/CX bikes.
My Stumpjumper is one of the last 142mm frames I think.
Old standard hubs are still available, just not so much from premium brands, you'll be able to source a Shimano or novatec hub easily enough though...
BSA bottom brackets came back into favour too when everyone realised how shit press fit was, so some standards are so old, they're new again 😉
I'd say the one biggest challenge is probably straight steerer 1-1/8" frames, finding a decent fork to suit is difficult now and you're probably going to be poking about on eBay for a used one...
With the exception of forks. Which bits are hard to get?
Wheels and rims that aren't bespoke builds or pub bike quality can't be got that easily.
That and forks are imo the biggest issue and it's not just forks but service/repair parts for them like lowers and csu's.
Those are bike killing problems now in some sizes.
Good quality tubeless 26" tyres are noticeably harder to find now.
It's kit I would maintain if I had it but not buy now. The other issue is lots of it is now all old anyway so you may be getting towards the end of servicable life.
The other stuff is a lack of choice and may have to spend more time scratching around to find what you want rather than end of world stuff.
I’d say the one biggest challenge is probably straight steerer 1-1/8″ frames, finding a decent fork to suit is difficult now and you’re probably going to be poking about on eBay for a used one…
There are shops that can convert tapered forks to straight steerers. Not cost effective, but if you REALLY want to keep a frame…
Wheels and rims that aren’t bespoke builds or pub bike quality can’t be got that easily.
Maybe but that was specifically not the point made. Spare parts to keep a bike running are different to buying new parts for a build.
All the bits to rebuild a wheel of any MTB standard and aren't going anywhere soon.
Not to say I would buy new bikes with questionable spec but any bike will still be running for decades to come with parts readily available.
Maybe but that was specifically not the point made. Spare parts to keep a bike running are different to buying new parts for a build
All the bits to rebuild a wheel of any MTB standard and aren’t going anywhere soon.
I didn't mean to suggest anything other than spares/replacement.
That second bit is key though. You're into bespoke builds for damaged wheels or proper cheap stuff pre built last I looked for my 26r. Unless you can do it yourself then there's a labour charge in there and inconvenience. This is what I would do with my 26r but in reality only because I already have it.
The reality for a mid range MTB is that a mid range factory built wheel is often the most cost effective accident replacement option.
If you want the bike to be future proof though, that’s a different thing. Don’t buy a bike that...
Sorry, had to laugh at that. A marketing-led industry flogging discretionary purchases to a Western, affluent customer base, making something future-proof.
Watch out for the next thing that makes the trails come alive.
Press fit BBs.
Straight steerers and headtubes.
QR forks.
26" wheels.
Non 1x drivetrains.
Those are the ones that you might realistically encounter buying a proper mountain bike from the last 10 years.
If I look back at my first mountain bike, 1986 Rockhopper, the only thing I wouldn't ever want to ride again is the geometry 😂
i have a kona unit with a semi integrated straight headset and just needed to buy a lower external headset to fit a tapered fork on there
anyway this is bobbins...
All the older standards were fine really. Itis just that money has been invested in ways to change what “fine” is.
my Enduro bike is better at descending than my dh bike of 20 years ago and faster and more fun round a trail centre than my xc bike of the same vintage- those trail centres have got more fun because bikes can handle bigger stuff better
Press fit BBs.
Straight steerers and headtubes.
QR forks.
26″ wheels.
Non 1x drivetrains.Those are the ones that you might realistically encounter buying a proper mountain bike from the last 10 years.
You've just described my MTB except it has something worse than a pressfit BB - it has an ISIS one. 🤣
Press fit BBs.
Some press fit. BB30 or Hollowgram or whatever it's being called this week to disassociate itself from previous iterations is shockingly bad, Controversially; I think that PF92 is probably the best solution all round (especially with a 24mm Shimano axle), but like a lot of other things, reason seems to go out of the window when bike makers are designing stuff.
Honesty, integrity, self-discipline. Probably some others that I've forgotten about.
any bike will still be running for decades to come with parts readily available.
You say 'with the exception of forks' but that's a huge deal for a decent MTB. Forks aren't the most reliable part of a bike, and they are pretty important. Your top end trail bike from 2008 can deal with lower quality wheels or an old rear mech or whatever, but if you have to fit a cheap fork it's really going to reduce the performance. Same for tyres.
Also, doing a frame swap is a non starter when all your old parts don't fit.
For those who don't believe me, I still have a top end FS Kona Heihei frame from 2007 I need to get rid of, nice and cheap 🙂
No, this is nothing at all to do with marketing and all to do with the fact that if something breaks in an old standard it can be really hard to get spare parts.
On an old product maybe.
On an old standard? Unless you're using some obsolete 90s brake mount or proprietary interface I can't think of anything that couldn't be easily replaced.
my Enduro bike is better at descending than my dh bike of 20 years ago and faster and more fun round a trail centre than my xc bike of the same vintage- those trail centres have got more fun because bikes can handle bigger stuff better
What's that got to do with standards? With the exception of the head tube nothing else is going to be a factor. Even then onepointfive was a thing so you could still get similar long travel forks.
The difference is down to better design, manufacturing processes and geometry.
Out with my son last night - me on 2023 29er Ebike, him on my 2015 non-boost, 29er trail bike.. his young mate turns up on a Decathlon special hardtail, 1.9" semi-slick tyres, non-tapered headtube, skinny 30mm stanchions on the forks. Yeah I wouldn't touch something with those parts, but he still had fun and left with a big smile and mud splattered all up his pristine white shirt 🙂
You can always get parts, but pressfit or ISIS BB's are a no-no, as they are crap. I'd echo that you are more likely to come stuck with electronic parts as the tech changes - e.g. can you get parts for the early DI2 - doubt it ?
but pressfit or ISIS BB’s are a no-no, as they are crap
[Thinks about it for a second, then wades in anyway.]
All BB are (in reality) press-fit. The only difference is that some BB require the bearings to be pre-pressed into a separate carrier which is then loaded onto the bike. threaded BB in no particular order; limit the size of rear tyre you can have, limit the width of the the BB shell, have a smaller interface, rotate more slowly, and so don't transfer power as well, they are also heavier and require more manufacturing processes, and ultimately have the same intolerances of press-fit BB suffer from, which is why there's never any threads ever about BB issues [sarcasm] I think the only thing going for them is that folks are used to them.
In reality some press fit BB "standards" - I'm looking at BB90 BB86 (maybe, although I'll reserve judgement on that one), BB30 and any number of ill-thought out nonsense that got sucked into bigger axle diameter wars, muddied the water for just about everyone. If bike makers had stuck to PF41 or BB92, and 24mm axles. we'd probably all be using them now.
It was all fine when 26" was all the rage.
If you try the newer things, the older things won't feel as good.
In order of importance for me
Geometry
Disk brakes
Wheel size
Things that can get in the sea
Cantilever brakes
V brakes
Quill stems