If you could have one mountain bike, would it be a trail or XC bike?

[henningvr]

^^this. 

 

Also, a rider on a slacker, longer bike that isn't an XCO / XCM weapon will be far more confident in the bike's abilities, and be afforded a far easier skills & confidence growth curve than the same guy on a steep, conservative 100mm XCO / XCM weapon. Purely down to the geometry and travel safety net. They feel more confident, comfortable and at ease with riding things more technical and progressing with their skills. 

 

IMO XC race machines should only be sold to those who are gravel grinding or interested in competing at the pointy end of the field in an XCM / XCO race. Everyone else should at least be on a trance 29 / tranny smuggler etc. Not necessarily oodles of travel, but good geometry that inspires confidence. 

As someone who just recently went from a XCO/XCM weapon to a 140mm HT trail bike, this is hitting the proverbial nail on the head. Well said.

[DieselnDust]

so if Marathon bikes are more mini enduro yet still lighter and more nimble but stable enough at slow speeds, why then should the newbie buy a bigger, longer, heavier bike that's more removed from the trail (until you get them up to speed - which the newbie doesn't have yet...) and therefore doesn't allow them to develop their senses to feel what the bike is doing, where the limits of grip are, etc etc.

I know you must feel like an endangered specie, hence the constant hammering of #enduro enduro enduro, but surely you must realise that there are many paths that lead to the same outcome.

 

where I do agree is that people shouldn't be buying a pointy dedicated XCO race bike as their first MTB and I have never, would never advocate that. 

People come in different sizes, abilities, priorities yet here's this continuous Myles-way-or-the-highway approach.

 

A bit of a reality check. Bikes shops sell marathon bikes because they sell. funny concept I know, I struggle with it sometimes.

Bike shops don't sell many trail, AM or Enduro bikes, well because not many people ask for them. Funny that, I haven't figured out why. Maybe its the obsession with stage races, maybe its simply because all the sports stars the public identifies with are XCO/XCM characters. Maybe its the image of #enduro in that the riders identify as anti establishment (yet the money bags guys that are laughed at for spending R40k on a groupset are conservative corporate types). Maybe its a combo of all the above and more.

 

In any event, the manufacturers and pro riders dont agree with you. Marathon bikes have gradually been getting longer, lower and slacker and now even come with dropper posts. They're basically mini enduro bikes. #Enduro is taking over and theres nothing you can do to stop it ... :-)

 

Yeah this is true. And at the same time they seem to be lacking more and more in the climbing department. BMC's new Fourstroke, seem as the Enduro influence over XCO, climbs like a St Bernard. Lo slack and slow. It descends like a fun trail bike. I' d rather a Giant Trance 29 thanks very much. But ITS not as good as the BMC on the downs. Then through in a Niner RKT RDO. OLd school they cal it with its 70 degree headangle higher BB and 110cm wheelbase. Yet its fast and fun to ride on the downs and goes uphill like Froome winning the Giro. There's a lot more to great bikes than a geometry sheet.

 

Soon everyone will be on 120mm trail bikes with dropper posts and the Q's on the tech bits on the Epic will be shorter and those Epic smiles even broader during the ride, not just at the finish line ..

 

There were a lot of 120mm Fox 34 SC's fitted to bikes at this years Epic. More people see the comfort factor of a little more travel as an advantage. No contest there. People who enter the Epic want comfortable bikes. As manufacturers bring out lighter 120mm forks, more people will buy them but it will still be within the marketing sphere of XCO/XCM. Speak to riders who participated in the event. The longer forks were fitted specifically for the event. Most will probably keep their bikes configured this way.

 

The moment you attach a Trail or Enduro light label to it, then most people walk away. So the problem isn't the bikes. 

[henningvr]

It's a riding culture thing. The riding culture in SA is very different from that in Europe and the USA for example, where you see a lot more people on trail/enduro type bikes in comparison (meaning, not the actual numbers, but percentage wise in terms of XCO/XCM vs. Trail/Enduro).

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

"Myles-way-or-the-highway" approach

???? I'm gonna remember that one. Never gonna have that approach, though, and I do adapt my recommendations to suit the circumstances. No point in recommending a Mary / assguy / eliminator to an xco racer, much like I'd never recommend a racing Ralph to someone who is 120kg or looking for more grip.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

It's a riding culture thing. The riding culture in SA is very different from that in Europe and the USA for example, where you see a lot more people on trail/enduro type bikes in comparison (meaning, not the actual numbers, but percentage wise in terms of XCO/XCM vs. Trail/Enduro).

Funny, this. I'd wager that the vast majority of people who are on those xc race machines would be far better served with something longer and slacker, and would still be just as comfortable on those stage races with something that doesn't turn them into a jittery mess when they encounter something other than a berm or keep track.

[henningvr]

Funny, this. I'd wager that the vast majority of people who are on those xc race machines would be far better served with something longer and slacker, and would still be just as comfortable on those stage races with something that doesn't turn them into a jittery mess when they encounter something other than a berm or keep track.

Pretty much. Conversely, I went for a 50km gravel grind on my trail bike with a few friends today.

 

I didn't really have a problem keeping up with the dirt roadies (I call them that in person, so don't flame me), and my ride was a lot more comfy compared to on my XCO bike.

[Sbloomer]

In my ignorance I still don’t understand the difference [emoji23][emoji23]

Edited April 11, 2019 by Sbloomer

[ABrooks]

Did my first commute (27km) with the trail bike today, not much slower than it would have been with my xc bike, and this is with a 150/135mm travel bike with plus size tyres. So they are not that much slower than what people make them out to be. It also felt much more comfortable.

[porqui]

n + 1 is a fact of life it is reality

[Kranswurm]

Did my first commute (27km) with the trail bike today, not much slower than it would have been with my xc bike, and this is with a 150/135mm travel bike with plus size tyres. So they are not that much slower than what people make them out to be. It also felt much more comfortable.

Yes..but it's still like driving a bus

[ABrooks]

Yes..but it's still like driving a bus

Much less than I thought it would be like. I went and checked my times, they are on par with the rest of my commutes, apart from the down sections where I spin out. The only time I miss the 2x setup I had. I only really notice the fact that I am riding a plus size wheel when I look down at it.

 

A dedicated commuter with slicks or smaller tyres would be nice to have, but at the moment I can only have one bike and if I have to choose again, I would take the same bike I have now.

[Danger Dassie]

Without reading the whole thread. In an ideal world a lightweight trail bike, something along the lines of the new Camber, Pyga Stage Max or a Merida 120 etc .... Something along the lines of a progressive geometry with 120mm rear and 130mm up front.

Currently on a Yeti ASR with 100mm rear and 120mm up front with 2.3 Bontrager XR3 tyres. Rowdy playful I call it. 

[Simon123]

Trail bike.

 

I'm about to do Sani2C on my trail bike, and with 140mm front and rear, should be great fun.  

[Sparky and the Warden]

^^this.

 

Also, a rider on a slacker, longer bike that isn't an XCO / XCM weapon will be far more confident in the bike's abilities, and be afforded a far easier skills & confidence growth curve than the same guy on a steep, conservative 100mm XCO / XCM weapon. Purely down to the geometry and travel safety net. They feel more confident, comfortable and at ease with riding things more technical and progressing with their skills.

 

IMO XC race machines should only be sold to those who are gravel grinding or interested in competing at the pointy end of the field in an XCM / XCO race. Everyone else should at least be on a trance 29 / tranny smuggler etc. Not necessarily oodles of travel, but good geometry that inspires confidence.

More travel is betterer... Let's leave it there, no need to be PC about it or make excuses for it.

 

Having loads of travel or being "Enduro" is like going to the dark side for some people... They have no idea what they're missing! ???? #coilsforlife

 

#Myles-way-or-the-highway

Edited April 12, 2019 by Sparky and the Warden

[bullet77]

Without reading the whole thread. In an ideal world a lightweight trail bike, something along the lines of the new Camber, Pyga Stage Max or a Merida 120 etc .... Something along the lines of a progressive geometry with 120mm rear and 130mm up front.

 

Currently on a Yeti ASR with 100mm rear and 120mm up front with 2.3 Bontrager XR3 tyres. Rowdy playful I call it. 

I'm also riding an ASR but with 130mm up front, this bike is more than I'll ever need and I do marathons TB , TransElands and lots of singletrack, will be on the J2C later this month.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

More travel is betterer... Let's leave it there, no need to be PC about it or make excuses for it.

 

Having loads of travel or being "Enduro" is like going to the dark side for some people... They have no idea what they're missing! ???? #coilsforlife

 

#Myles-way-or-the-highway

???? ????????????????????????