Hello folks,
After several years without mountain biking I recently obtained a new bike and I'm getting back into it. On the trails I ask myself "Why did I ever quit doing this?". This is so very much fun - wow, it's great to be back.
Back in '87 I bought my first mountain bike - a Diamondback Ascent EX. I put in a nice bottom bracket and spent many hours on this thing. Back then we had no idea we were riding heavy, unsophistocated machines, and believe it or not, we still managed to have a great time.
I adapted this "cheap & heavy" philosophy to my recent mountain bike purchase - a Trek 4500. Yeah, I realize it's a piece of crap next to all the other bikes, and yeah, I could've paid cash for any bike in the store, but I bought this bike for a good reason - I wanted to see if my mountain bike desire would rekindle and if so, where should I go from here. I've been burned so many times with impulse decisions - I wanted time to find out what was going on in the "new" world of mountain bikes.
After riding for a couple of months, I discovered two things: #1 - I still have a strong love & desire for mountain biking, and #2, I don't live near any decent trails.
My greatest challenge is finding the time to commute to the trails. Yeah, there are tons of great places to ride, but none of them are close by. I live in Atlanta and I've been riding Blanket's Creek, Sope Creek and Bear Mountain & another place in Ellijay. I wish I lived closer to some long and scenic trails. To go to north GA takes about an hour and twenty minutes each way. This is a lot of time when you have a wife & kids, dogs, and you own & manage a small business.
I didn't realize when I bought the bike that the time factor is so limiting - that I have to travel so far in the car just to ride trails. I discovered I'll have to ride less often than I'd like because of this. I also suspect this is the main reason why so many more people either don't get involved in this sport or get out of it quickly.
I'm determined to overcome the distance factor - if I left at 5:00 a.m. I'd get there by daylight and I could ride for two hours and be back home by 10:00 and at my office by 10:30 (being the boss does have advantages). Night riding seems dangerous to me, but then, it beats not riding at all - maybe with another rider it would be safer?
Regardless of my time limitations, I have my eye fixed on a Trek 8500 wo/disc's. As a runner for many years, I think with some practice, it would be a total hoot to enter races - just for fun. Would anyone recommend another bike in this price range? I'm thinking hard tail cross country riding for around $1,500, or so.
BTW - I already get a lot of satisfaction passing younger riders on their light & pricey bikes - when they see an old guy on a cheap bike passing them it . . . well, it just makes my day. I wonder if the "humiliation factor" will be the same if I get a decent bike?
Thanks.
After several years without mountain biking I recently obtained a new bike and I'm getting back into it. On the trails I ask myself "Why did I ever quit doing this?". This is so very much fun - wow, it's great to be back.
Back in '87 I bought my first mountain bike - a Diamondback Ascent EX. I put in a nice bottom bracket and spent many hours on this thing. Back then we had no idea we were riding heavy, unsophistocated machines, and believe it or not, we still managed to have a great time.
I adapted this "cheap & heavy" philosophy to my recent mountain bike purchase - a Trek 4500. Yeah, I realize it's a piece of crap next to all the other bikes, and yeah, I could've paid cash for any bike in the store, but I bought this bike for a good reason - I wanted to see if my mountain bike desire would rekindle and if so, where should I go from here. I've been burned so many times with impulse decisions - I wanted time to find out what was going on in the "new" world of mountain bikes.
After riding for a couple of months, I discovered two things: #1 - I still have a strong love & desire for mountain biking, and #2, I don't live near any decent trails.
My greatest challenge is finding the time to commute to the trails. Yeah, there are tons of great places to ride, but none of them are close by. I live in Atlanta and I've been riding Blanket's Creek, Sope Creek and Bear Mountain & another place in Ellijay. I wish I lived closer to some long and scenic trails. To go to north GA takes about an hour and twenty minutes each way. This is a lot of time when you have a wife & kids, dogs, and you own & manage a small business.
I didn't realize when I bought the bike that the time factor is so limiting - that I have to travel so far in the car just to ride trails. I discovered I'll have to ride less often than I'd like because of this. I also suspect this is the main reason why so many more people either don't get involved in this sport or get out of it quickly.
I'm determined to overcome the distance factor - if I left at 5:00 a.m. I'd get there by daylight and I could ride for two hours and be back home by 10:00 and at my office by 10:30 (being the boss does have advantages). Night riding seems dangerous to me, but then, it beats not riding at all - maybe with another rider it would be safer?
Regardless of my time limitations, I have my eye fixed on a Trek 8500 wo/disc's. As a runner for many years, I think with some practice, it would be a total hoot to enter races - just for fun. Would anyone recommend another bike in this price range? I'm thinking hard tail cross country riding for around $1,500, or so.
BTW - I already get a lot of satisfaction passing younger riders on their light & pricey bikes - when they see an old guy on a cheap bike passing them it . . . well, it just makes my day. I wonder if the "humiliation factor" will be the same if I get a decent bike?
Thanks.