So a bit of back story first...
I bought my current bike around 13 years ago - its an old Commencal Meta 5.5 with a few upgrades - Rockshox Revelation fork, Fox Float RP23 rear shock and Stans Crest ZTR wheels. It still has the original Juicy 5 brakes and stem/bar combo. It's had very extensive use and I always loved riding it. Then in 2010 I became a dad, and whilst I still rode, I got out less and less, and then in 2015 I got into road biking, which became my cycling mainstay. The Commencal gathered dust and cobwebs. Then about a year ago, I started to have severe back problems and sciatica. I had an MRI and found I have a 1 prolapsed disc and 3 bulging discs. I narrowly avoided surgery, and after some osteopathy treatment my back has now stabilised a bit, but is still a quite fragile. My son (10) is now keen to get into mountain biking, and I'm keen to join him, although taking it very easy - gone are the days of jumps and drop-offs for me.
So, to my question... Should I a) spend some money getting my Meta "trail fit" again, or b) buy something more suited to what I'm likely to be doing in terms of riding (Bedgebury red route, rather slowly, most likley)? If the answer is (a), then is there anything I can do to the bike to make if feel fresh and breath some new life in to it? If the asnwer is (b), then what bikes should I be considering (happy to consider hard tails too)?
P.S. If this sounds like me trying to justify buying a new toy, then that's precisely what it is.
Things have changed since then but it depends how much you might ride really. Maybe try taking the meta out just after some basic maintenance and see how that goes.
I’ve no idea what that trail is like but trail centres have come on and incorporates more difficult features on some red trails.
New bike geometry is very different to what you have and suspension is also largely better - plus bigger wheels and chunkier tyres help smooth things out a bit more.
If you were going to buy a new bike what would your budget be? I’d suggest full suspension would be an essential with your back in that state. I have a couple of bulged discs from about 5 years ago and they’re fine as long as I manage them sensibly. I can ride the hardtail for short session but if anything longer I can feel my back start to get tight. Whereas I can ride all day on my full suspension bike.
I'd forget a hard tail if you have back issues. Meta is a bit long in the tooth, but we need to know your budget before offering any advice.
An old Meta is nice (apart from the Avids) but not suited to the use you describe.
If you hadn't mentioned the bad back I would have 100% said trail hardtail, 29er.
Cotic Solaris, Nukeproof Scout 290, there's a long list.
The road rider in you will like the way a hardtail pedals (I came to MTB from Road).
Your back your choice though...
Regardless of the bike, get a dropper post, have it down (and be stood up) any time you arent a) climbing and b) riding on tarmac.
Trying to ride seated on even the plushest full susser is not good for your back or your enjoyment.
So my budget is not really that constrained. If it was the right thing for my back, then I could stretch to around £3k I think. the important thing for me is to have something that protects me as much as possible, and allows me to get out with my son.
Bedgebury is very tame for a trail centre, there's a couple of 1ft drops and a couple of man made 'rock gardens' but that's about it.
You could ride it all on a CX/gravel bike, which I will probably do at some point this year!
I wouldn't bother spending the time/money on a 13 year old bike - if you're going to Bedgebury, hire a hardtail or FS from them for 2 hours (they have a very good selection) and you'll see just how much things have changed! You'll also probably move on from bedgebury after a short while, it's a decent trail centre but there's much more riding in Kent than just that.
My first ride back on an MTB after a 15 year gap was on a hired Whyte 905 (I think) at Bedgebury in October 2017, it's a great place to start again.
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From there I bought a £1500 Vitus FS bike which was excellent and did me until September when I splurged on something much more expensive!
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If you're on facebook, there's a couple of groups I'd recommend joining as there's a decent riding community here.
What are the Facebook groups you recommend? I'd be interested in joining - need to meet some people that are going to be as slow as me though!
Budget sounds like it isn’t an issue then. I’d consider getting something short travel full suspension that’s fairly middle of the road. Not too old fashioned and XC but not too extreme the other way either.
If you can wait until the lockdown eases off enough to test ride bikes I’d do that and try out a few to see what feels good.
Equally you don’t need to trouble the top end of the budget up to £3k to get something decent. For just over a grand the Vitus Mythique could do a job if it’s mostly accompanying you son - as could the Calibre Bossnut. Going a bit higher you have the Calibre Triple B and the Vitus Escarpe.
Once you hit £2k the bigger brands then come into play a bit more and you’re then able to get test rides (I don’t think that’s possible with Calibre or Vitus).
Kent trails -
Loads of group rides, mainly around Maidstone area, bedgebury, and covert woods near Canterbury
Biketart MTB rides -
Same, but the official page for the shop rides which start at Biketart who are based in Breach, just south of Canterbury. Shop ride every other Saturday morning, plus adhoc rides. Covert woods is a great place, all natural trails with fireroad climbs, nothing too daunting either, but good for when you get bored with Bedgebury!
Obviously there's no rides at the moment but the groups are still active!
As for bikes, 100% go for a FS bike.
There's a load of choice around £1500-£2000 - Vitus, nukeproof, YT, canyon - best thing to do IMO is get to bedgebury when they reopen, hire a FS and/or a hardtail, and then see if you can demo some bikes once we're allowed out in summer.
I returned to mountain biking this year after over 20 years away due to prolapsed disc also. Running is a no go and my physio advised against road biking because of the riding position, which wouldn't be the case with mountain biking.
I bought a second hand hardtail as to not waste too much money should I not get into it. Turns out I have, big time and already found the hardtail isnt enough bike. Any rough stuff or small jumps would add up by the end of the day, although being out of the saddle, engaging the core has helped greatly. As such, I decided to get a full sus and its made huge difference. The only thing I'd suggest, is make sure you really stretch off afterwards, paying big attention to your piriformis muscle.
I was tempted by a hardtail when getting back into it, but after a ride at swinley which I just wanted to be over, it was FS or nothing. On that ride, due to severe lack of fitness, my legs were gone meaning I couldn't stand up for long, had to sit down. But sitting down all the time on the Swinley cobbles mean my arse was in tatters...
Fitness for me was the biggest issue in my first year back, when you get to a little descent and you're blowing out yer arse and can't enjoy, it sucks a little. Plus the burning legs on any descent over 45 seconds!
Totally get where you're coming from on the fitness. I think I need to find some riding friends now as a bit of support might push me a bit further when I'm blowing. When it's just me it can be a bit too easy to slow down!
Totally get where you’re coming from on the fitness. I think I need to find some riding friends now as a bit of support might push me a bit further when I’m blowing. When it’s just me it can be a bit too easy to slow down!
I've made that my focus this winter to not lose any fitness and gain lots if possible, not easy to do with just MTB over winter so had to resort to running.
It'll pay off though, I'm the fittest I've ever been now, should be running my first 10k run in the next week or 3 and I'm only 40 seconds off running a sub 25 minute 5k, it's unfortunate you can't do it because it's bloody excellent for increasing fitness.
Get something new. Things have moved on bigly.
Get something new. Things have moved on bigly.
You ain't wrong. If the Op's bike is a 2007 Meta 5.5 then, holy hell a new bike will be veeeeeery different!!
2007
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2020
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Get something new. Things have moved on bigly.
They have, but I would suggest that pottering round on fairly tame trails would be just fine on the OP's current bike.
If you want a refresh rather than a new bike atm I'd suggest fitting a dropper post, shorter stem and wider bars for a more modern fun bike experience. It's not what you ride it's you ride 😁