My bike is so "wrong" in so many ways, so how come it feels so good?

kudos100 – Member
From the thread title I was expecting you to be riding a unicycle or some horrific full suspension bike from the early 90’s.

My brother recently bought a full sus 90’s proflex, he thinks it’s great(In a baffling retro way), I think it’s a piece of s***! 😆 Suppose long as he’s happy!

I conformed and bought a carbon 29er hardtail with 3×10 and 100mm forks.

I’m shocked at how fast, smooth and clinically effective it is.

On Monday, my Soul was looking forlorn, not to mention suspiciously clean. So for the first time in a couple of months, I was astride a bits & pieces bike:

2.5″ tyres
90mm Stem
700mm bars
140mm forks

And for 2 hours on Monday night I was laughing and smiling as it reminded me that whilst it’s slower on the flat and a bit weighty by comparison, it just rides like a bike should. And for that reason, I’m never getting rid…

Hmmm last ride I did was on:

26″ wheels
2.1 tyres
Tange prestige tubing
Rigid forks
Quill stem
600mm bars
V brakes
3×8

Passed a couple of guys on new bikes down a rocky downhill. They must have thought I was an alien from another planet. 😉

I’m starting to think I may not make it into middle age now…

mismatched full suss, 105 mm rear, 140 front. Hell, the rear wont even lock out !
9mm qr holding stoneage 26″ wheels with 17mm rims, on elderly Hope xc hubs.
3 chainrings, external cables, wire bottle cage, non-clutch mech, worn rear tyre, which remarkably follows the front one………

2008 technology eh ? who’d ave thought it ?

Oh and a dropper post, cos I like to sit at the top and comfortably wait for my younger mates. 😉

It survived a week in the Alps (and the Julian Alps too).

Sorry for the thread hijack OP, but how was the biking in the Julian Alps? Any info/pics etc? Ta.

OK as promised… a few pics of Slovenia / Julian Alps kind of area. Not much in the way of trail photos, but loads of scenery.
And our bikes that are just “so wrong” survived in tact.

Chrome steel frame. No suspension travel. No headset. Have to undo bolts to remove wheel. 25.4 seatpost. 1 gear. 29″ wheel (sorry!) Weighs ~6kg.

From the thread title I was expecting you to be riding a unicycle or some horrific full suspension bike from the early 90’s.

HTH

I run XC717 rims and 2.1″ tyre on my Orange 5. It’s also QR front and rear and uses inner tubes. I haven’t died yet, or had a puncture since 2005.

I first went 1×9 with a chainguide ten years ago, short stem too. Most of the ‘inovations’ of recent years have just got bikes to where I want them to be. My biggest gripe from back then was having to move my seat up and down all the time, so dropper posts to me are a godsend. As for all the different wheels sizes I couldn’t care less.