Getting back on the saddle - advice needed

PB Forum :: United Kingdom
Getting back on the saddle - advice needed
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flag DeePee
Posted: Feb 5, 2020 at 10:58 Quote
This kind of message has probably been on here a hundred times, but here goes....

I'm a 40-odd year old bloke and in my youth (90s) I was a decent rider. Did national champs etc. It was the days of David Baker and Nick Gould if anyone remembers. For various reasons (mostly other sports and kids) I haven't ridden since then but recently have had a couple of trips to a bike park (we didn't have them in the 90s - they're amazing fun!) and had such a great time that I have decided to give it another go. I wasn't rubbish, still had some handling skills and had a lot of fun.

So I now need to buy a bike. I'm going secondhand for financial reasons and because I want something fairly decent. My difficulty is that bikes seem quite different now. Back then we didn't have.....

Dropper posts
Disc brakes
Boost spacing (?)
SRAM
27.5
29
Tubeless tyres
1x drivetrains
15mm axles
Clutch mechs (?)
Slack geometry

You get the picture. My difficulty is I don't really know what I am looking for. So, my budget is £700-800, I want a hardtail hat can do most things pretty well. I've decided on 27.5 wheels. From my research I think I'm looking for SLX/NX as a minimum drivetrain-wise in a 1x setup with minimum 11 gears, ideally would like tubeless ready rims, a dropper post would be a luxury but nice.

I want to get something decent enough that I won't feel the need to upgrade almost immediately.

Are there minimum standard forks I should be looking for? How far back should I go in terms of years (I've looked at a few 2017 bikes)? Any compatibility issues I should be aware of?

Any advice gratefully appreciated, or if you can post links to handy sites that would be great.

Thanks for reading.
flag Jatakasawa
O+
Posted: Feb 5, 2020 at 11:05 Quote
Check out an older model (2014) Trek Remedy 7. It's a full suspension, though. You should be able to find one within your price range or a few bucks more and that bike fits your criteria very well. I'm 39 and renewing my passion for singletrack. I've acquired a Remedy and it's been really good to me so far. My advice would be to not compromise on the dropper post. This is coming from a guy who rode solely on a rigid frame SS. Look at the Remedy and comparable models and I doubt you'll have any regrets. Good luck and enjoy!

DeePee wrote:
This kind of message has probably been on here a hundred times, but here goes....

I'm a 40-odd year old bloke and in my youth (90s) I was a decent rider. Did national champs etc. It was the days of David Baker and Nick Gould if anyone remembers. For various reasons (mostly other sports and kids) I haven't ridden since then but recently have had a couple of trips to a bike park (we didn't have them in the 90s - they're amazing fun!) and had such a great time that I have decided to give it another go. I wasn't rubbish, still had some handling skills and had a lot of fun.

So I now need to buy a bike. I'm going secondhand for financial reasons and because I want something fairly decent. My difficulty is that bikes seem quite different now. Back then we didn't have.....

Dropper posts
Disc brakes
Boost spacing (?)
SRAM
27.5
29
Tubeless tyres
1x drivetrains
15mm axles
Clutch mechs (?)
Slack geometry

You get the picture. My difficulty is I don't really know what I am looking for. So, my budget is £700-800, I want a hardtail hat can do most things pretty well. I've decided on 27.5 wheels. From my research I think I'm looking for SLX/NX as a minimum drivetrain-wise in a 1x setup with minimum 11 gears, ideally would like tubeless ready rims, a dropper post would be a luxury but nice.

I want to get something decent enough that I won't feel the need to upgrade almost immediately.

Are there minimum standard forks I should be looking for? How far back should I go in terms of years (I've looked at a few 2017 bikes)? Any compatibility issues I should be aware of?

Any advice gratefully appreciated, or if you can post links to handy sites that would be great.

Thanks for reading.
flag jamesashton
Posted: Feb 5, 2020 at 12:01 Quote
yeah, as the pervious said, a dropper post is awesome, it sounds great just thinking about it, but it is so much better when you actually have one, biggest difference ever
flag R-M-R
Posted: Feb 5, 2020 at 15:16 Quote
Welcome back to mountain biking! Bikes and components have become so much better than you remember. You're going to like what you find!

• Geometry: This is your starting point. Modern bikes are very long, compared to what you remember - and it's amazing. A size XL from your former biking days wouldn't even be a Small. Seat-tube angles got properly steep, which pushed our hips forward, and everything else had to lengthen to make room. You want this - you really want this. The bike will feel like a limousine at first; you'll get used to it.
• Dropper seatpost: I would go back to V-brakes before giving up a dropper.
• Component spec: Even something like Shimano Deore is perfectly functional. There are better places to spend your money.
• Fork: Too many models to give a specific recommendation. The important thing is that it moves with very little friction and doesn't top out with an abrupt stop and associated noise.
• Drivetrain: 1× with a clutch derailleur is really nice, though not essential. The clutch keeps the chain tight so it doesn't get thrown off the chainring.
• Tubeless rims and tires: Nice, but not necessary at this price point.
• Wide rims and tires: Unlike tubeless, this makes a big difference. The 2.1" tires from the '90s actually measured about 1.8" - 1.9". We're now riding true 2.4" - 2.8" tires and life is good. They don't roll slowly, the traction is incredible, and the comfort is wonderful. You need wide rims to support the wide tires, though. Prioritize this.
• Wheel size: Low priority. I like 29", but even 26" isn't so bad.
• Brakes: You can get larger rotors for minimal cost to increase the power.
• Hub width (ex. Boost): Not a big deal. You probably won't change wheels on this bike; even if you do, you can still find every legacy width. It's just 3 mm wider per side; hardly a game-changer.
flag kiksy
FL
Posted: Feb 6, 2020 at 6:15 Quote
As above, but would add:

£700-800 will get you a decent hard tail for sure second hand.

It may get you a decent full suss, but you'll need to be picky.

When people are saying geometry has evolved, they really mean it still is. A 2016 bike might sound new, but it's possible the geo for that model was last updated in 2014. By 2020 standards, this might now be seen as old and out of date.

For an example of what I'd consider good modern hardtail geo check out:

http://ragleybikes.com/products/blue-pig-race-complete-bike-2020/

1x10 is fine, 1x11 is fine, 1x12 is fine. Deore is great.

As for forks, the go to aggressive trail fork is the Rockshox Pike. For the money, they perform excellently and are common spec. Really though most forks are good enough now.

In order of preference I would prioritize:

Geo
Forks
Dropper
Brakes
Wheels
Drivetrain
flag DeePee
Posted: Feb 6, 2020 at 12:19 Quote
Thanks for all the advice. The two comments above are particularly helpful,especially the observations about the dropper post. Of all the new stuff this is the thing I thought I could most easily do without. Maybe I need to think again...

Comments on the geo are helpful too. I haven't tried a particularly slack bike yet. Should be interesting.

Anyway, much appreciated. Ta.
flag R-M-R
Posted: Feb 6, 2020 at 12:51 Quote
DeePee wrote:
Maybe I need to think again...

You're trying to catch up a quarter-century of development in few days, so there's bound to be a learning curve!

There may be free demo events or demos available from manufacturers near you. These will be helpful in getting up to speed on new gear and new riding styles before spending your money.
flag zeusdreadbeard
Posted: Feb 13, 2020 at 2:27 Quote
Hey I got back into it a year or so ago after a very long absence too. Modern hardtails can do pretty much anything the UK has to offer. What the others have said I'd go for anything with modern geo 140-150mm travel. Tyres are much better these days too! Dropper posts essential. 1x drivetrains are awesome. All brands of hydraulic disc brakes are good now dont worry about having to pay for Hope's. All the 1x drivetrains are great even the cheaper shimano stuff. Everything else is just icing. Few decent bikes Marin San Quentin, ragleys, orange p7 (like in the old days but new) comencel meta, good choices but theres so many great hardtails about. Have you thought about steel frames? Some people swear by them, including me.
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