Soo…Kind of new to MTBing having bought a £400 hardrock disc edition just to try it out. Then was persuaded to purchase a £575 allez for fitness. Enjoying both of them as much as I possibly can with the time I have. I ride the road more often than the MTB but only because it’s easier for me. I do make the journey for MTBing however and am quite happy to. I’VE GOT THE BUG! I want a full susser and I personally can justify it but having spent in excess of £1200 already on bikes, the powers that be will defo not let me purchase another bike…How can I win her over?

easier to ask for forgiveness than permission

😉

So, just do it then grovel like I’ve never grovelled before?

The early bird gets to put the trousers on. Or something like that.

Just tell her you’re spending the money on either hookers & drugs or a new bike. Her choice

very good cfh 🙂 – although that pile of earth doesn’t look big enough

although that pile of earth doesn’t look big enough

Are you saying she’s a bit of a biffer?

😯

😉

Why grovel? U can afford it, justify it and it is you hobby and better than pissing it up against the wall.
She isn’t you boss or keeper, u managed to survive life and decision making before…

Welcome to biking mate.

I suppose you’re single then Mike? Lol.

My first child is due in 2 weeks and 6 days, perhaps this is stopping me just saying ‘**** it’ and taking finance on a 2grand full suss from my LBS…

Get a better hardtail, learn to ride better first.

Get a full susser in about a year once you can:

1) Manual
2) Wheelie
3) Hop Logs
4) Do a few jumps
5) Do 3 foot drops

U suppose wrong Bradley.. Married man here.
If you can afford it then buy it…
If you can’t then don’t…. Simples.

The fact you have a baby due (congratulations), it maybe isn’t the best time to be taking out finance on a bike.

What Bwaarp says aswell… Or even upgrade your current bike.

Riding a handtail is the best way to learn the basics.

My first child is due in 2 weeks and 6 days,

Best buy a good one, in the time it takes for the little ‘un to grow into it I’m sure no-one will mind if you look after it. 😉

What does manualing/wheelies have to do with riding skill…?

I can already hop logs pretty well I think and I’ve not yet been presented with jumps or drops yet, apart from 1 drop yesterday which I hit on a v.fast downhill in Christmas Commons unexpected, landed OK luckily as I was on my own.

It’s a difficult one. I think I’ll give it 6 months after the little’uns born to see if I can still afford/justify a £75/month finance.

bwaarp – Member

Get a better hardtail, learn to ride better first.

Get a full susser in about a year once you can:

1) Manual
2) Wheelie
3) Hop Logs
4) Do a few jumps
5) Do 3 foot drops

+1

stick with the HT till you’ve trashed it and learnt some skills that you won’t pick up as easily on a FS as you can when you a HT.

Balance, control, being able to react to different obstacles and situations on the trail, your confidence will grow when you can do all the above well and on demand..

You may end up using the Full suss as a skills compensator and ride through things instead of over things…

I try to ride the fastest line which isn’t necessarily straight through a rocky section or over roots etc..
I have been riding and racing bikes XC and DH for 15 years and I have ridden all bikes from carbon fibre XC to full on DH bikes, I find a quality steel hardtail suits my riding style best and enables me to ride everything I need to.

If you are only currently riding in the Chilterns, then you don’t need a full sus to be honest. Fully rigid or hardtail are absolutely fine and actually more fun there. I’ve been riding there since circa 1989 and have always enjoyed it more on a hardtail/rigid.

I’d save a few quid, it’s a good way to see if you have the spare cash with out any commitment plus the baby will take up lots of time for a few months til you can carve out some you time.

Biggest tip though save up for a bike and as a treat go get Jedi-ed cheaper than a new bike but you’ll ride so so much better for it mate!

Huge congrats on the new addition all the best to you and yr Mrs. 🙂

Great to hear you’ve got the bug.

I started out on a £350 Hardrock to see if I’d enjoy the riding and then jumped to a FS after test riding a couple of bikes (Reign and Trance). It seemed right at the time but knowing now what I do that wouldn’t be the path I’d take again with modern bike designs. FWIW I am now riding a steel hardtail with 150/120 adjustable suspension and quality components and loving it much more than the FS. it suits me, my ability, aspirations and trails I like to ride (inc local Surrey Hills, Peaks, Wales, trail centres)

You don’t need 3 bikes so the Hardrock should go, this will hopefully demonstrate to the wife that you are being financially responsible and that the bikes have a second hand value.

Whether you go FS or HT depends on where you ride and what you aspire to. Modern HT’s are very capable bikes and for the same budget you’ll get a better HT than FS in terms of components etc. Then you have the whole 26 vs 29 debate.

So try a few bikes, I’d suggest mid travel HTs (120-ish) and similar FS bikes (say 120-140) and then their 29er equivalents. There are lots of threads on here about bike choices. Then just buy what you like best.

@bwaarp’s post makes a lot of sense as does @wookster’s mention of coaching with Jedi – frankly a day with him will be the best money you ever spend on biking.

My first child is due in 2 weeks and 6 days

Then to be brutally honest I wouldn’t bother spending anything on a new bike right now.

By the time you get to ride it again the technology will have moved on…

The fact you have a baby due (congratulations), it maybe isn’t the best time to be taking out finance on a bike.

See even the hardrock and the Allez acted as fairlly potent fertility totems.

If you really want to pump out the sprogs, buy your missus an expensive full susser.

What does manualing/wheelies have to do with riding skill..

1) Manuals are useful when jumping, sometimes it’s best to get your back wheel down when landing and manual over the rest of the jump. It can get you out of tight spots that might have put you over the bars.

2) Wheelies are good for slow drops out of tight switchbacks, slow speed log hops etc. I recently found this out.

3) You need to learn how to “pump” jumps and terrain. Hardtails will teach you this more quickly as your body learns to become more fluid to compensate for the lack of a rear shock.

Lastly, all of this teaches you balance and control which helps a lot on trails.

A good backhand usually works…

Save the money for your child’s first bike.

Buy one then tell her you were going to spend it on hookers.

Then to be brutally honest I wouldn’t bother spending anything on a new bike right now.

+1. Aside from the issue of clearing it with Higher Authority, for the first six months you’ll barely get a chance to ride either of the bikes you’ve already got.

Andy

DOI 18mo daughter, and only now getting a chance to do anything approaching 50% of pre-baby riding.

It’s not new, I just polished it…….

How many cars do you own between you?

If the answers two, can you get rid of one and cycle to work?

This then allows you to justify (to yourself or any other concerned party) any money spent on bikes as a saving against running 2 cars…

The big advantage of this approach is that when your place of work changes, as mine is just about to, from being 4 miles away off road to 15 miles away via roads you can use it as a good reason to buy a new bike.

The other plus is that if you’re commuting you’re guaranteed to get some miles in, which otherwise (as someone mentioned above) may be difficult (or make you very unpopular) with a newborn in the house.

Unfortunately tallie only 1 car and 2 bikes, both mine lol. I’m just going to hang it out for a few months to see if I can afford one on finance once the little’un is here. Also I do commute to work but it’s not even 2 miles there and back 🙁