Best Bike for Scottish Mountains

I see that the Orange Five, which appeared so regularly in the list of bikes used by the Munro riders also pairs a 67 degree head angle with a 73 degree seat angle. My Trance on the other hand is 69.5 degree HA and 73.3 degree SA (which I guess would be 69/73 if I went up to a 140mm form).

But, as always, I guess it just depends on what kind of rider you are. I get the feeling that, for many people, mountain biking is pretty much all about the descents. Going up is a means to an end, the thrill is in the descent and the steeper and more technical the better. Then there are folk, like me, for whom the climbing is just as important and enjoyable in its own way as the descending. Actually if I’m honest I find climbing more enjoyable than descending. Going down is mostly about fear and the thrill mainly just comes from getting to the bottom in one piece. I rarely get to the bottom of a run and think that I want to do that again and it is the climbs that keep drawing me back.

I also like to ride on my own, on quiet trails (the quieter the better) so tend to walk down anything that may result in serious injury. Whether that’s being sensible or just using that lack of company as an excuse to get out of riding something I don’t want to ride anyway is left as an exercise for the reader. But at least there is nobody around to see my shame.

So, one the one hand, I think I’d probably find a long travel bike took some of the fun out of the climbs. But on the other hand I’m such a wuss on the descents that I need all the help I can get.

Cheers,

Andy

Interesting thread this as it shows how different riders requirement can be to do the same thing 😕

I find it much easier to climb the really loose and steep paths round my way with the 160mm of travel available on my big bike than I ever did when riding my XC race hardtail back in the day. Combination of lower gearing, bigger tyres run tubeless at lower pressures, and the supple travel more than make up for the extra weight (to a certain point… I’d still like a lighter bike for the ups).

I like the challange of the ups and riding up as much as I can is an important part of the day out… I’m not into taking the bike for a walk just to get a doonhall (unless it really is the only way).

For the downs I want a bike that I can let loose and enjoy. I don’t want to be “mincing” down a rocky mountain path and getting off to walk tricky bits that I know I could ride on a slightly more robust and differently set up bike. Two years ago I took a retro 24lb steel xc hardtail up a local mountain, I managed most of the ride but it was different… I enjoyed it but I’m in no hurry to repeat.

I’m probably what many people would call “overbiked” but if I use that potential once in a ride to make it round a techy corner or launch a drop that I wouldn’t on another bike then I’m a happy bunny… and anyway, it’s not a race and mostly ride on my own so who cares if it takes a bit longer to take the bigger bike round

I think geometry is more important than suspension. I prefer descending but I got the Blue Pig because it has that steep seat angle of 74.5 and the head angle is really slack at 67.5. The seating position is really comfy for all day rides and going up hills and it descends better than I could have hoped.

Rover- I don’t know the angle but 140mm forks slackened out my Trance a fair bit and you’ll really notice it. I wouldn’t have wanted forks that I couldn’t wind in though so I got Pikes. 140 felt too slack for general riding.