Hi all,

Excuse the long post – but I could do with some advice.

I have a ’98 Kona Mokomoko frame built up with what (at the time) were just the right components for me: Bomber Z1 Bam forks, XTR 8 speed groupset on strong wheels, beefy tyres, stem and bars to fit me etc.

I rode a lot back then, but stopped when I went to university in ’02 and after a long exodus have been back into cycling in recent years.

I am at a crossroads:

My freehub is playing up – Shimano don’t do spares for the M950 XTR hubs any longer.
My shock (Vanilla R) needs a service – £90
My frame needs a bushing kit – neither Kona nor BETD can supply me with one.
My rims are worn – my frame doesn’t have disc mounts, so I guess it’s more rim brake rims.

I love the way my bike rides but I worry about throwing large amounts of money after what is now an old bike.

So, this might sound an odd question – but are bikes better now? What’s better about them?

Thanks in advance for your views,

Alex

I was in the same position as you about five years ago, updated my old hardtail a bit but when I tried a modern bike it was a real eye opener.

Stiffer, just as light, improved geometry, amazing suspension performance.

If you can afford a new bike, I don’t think you;d regret it.

Have a 96 Proflex 856 with period XT/XTR it’s nice to take it out for a trip down memory lane but it is a complete dinosaur compared to a modern bike. Really.

Fix the Kona up as best you can and keep it for old time’s sake then off to the lbs

13 year old frame, I think you’ve gotton your moneys worth from that frame (even if it did lay up for a while), hang her on the wall & give her the retirement she deserves.

I don’t believe that suspension has moved on vastly over the last 5 years, most of it seems to be purely for marketing purposes, though small incremental changes, for the better, do still happen.
You can buy a good 2nd hand frame (say upto 3-4 years old) for £200 now, so I’d be looking that way [assuming your on a budget]. It’d be lighter yet still stiffer/stronger than you old bike, have disc mounts, still be servicable, and the suspension action should work a lot more efficiently than your old bike (either due to design or anti-bob shock’s).
Disc wheels can be bought for a song in the QR format as ppl jump ship for the bolt thru kit, same can be said for 9 speed gears, & best of all forks that actually work are now available.

SO I ‘d say buy something, but it doesn’t have to be brand new…

New bikes are great, as the other say it’s the way forward.

But your old bike isn’t dead yet. I recently got my Saracen ProTrek out from the back of the garage and converted it to single speed for the winter. No gears, no suspension and v brakes. Really hones the skills and reminds you what it was like when you were a kid. There’s also a big retro scene and although nothing fancy that bike gets more attention thatn my Ti frame.

So to answer your question – both. Buy a new one and next winter tidy up the old for “special” rides when you want to get back to basic.

Hi guys – thanks a lot for the input, really appreciated.

Alex

I don’t believe that suspension has moved on vastly over the last 5 years

Mmmmmmmmm…. Errrrrrrrrr……. Phhhhhhhhhhhh…….

All things considered I think it has. The difference in damping alone on the new Rockshox stuff over 2-3 year old forks is eye opening. Some stuff has moved more than others, but there’s a big difference IMO.

Tough to justify spending that amonu in an old frame (that’s IF you can get a bushing kit – you’ll get an 8 or 9s freehub body to fit) which will wear out rims and pads…disc brakes will be a lot better than what you are used to, I’d say forks and frames are better too (though not by as much)

sorry it was meant to read “suspension design”

and my 2006 Reba’s are still damned fine cheers, not quite as good as my 2010 Blackbox Rev’s but still fine for most stuff (and loads better than the majority of kit previously produced).