The Beacon Message Board

just as a nod to mountain bikers - i doff my hat to their expertise, having just ridden round sutton park and cannock on knobbly tyres and low gears - a skill i had completely forgotten and great fun despite being shaken to bits. So anyone with a mtb gathering dust in a garage - i urge you to get back on to learn those slow speed balance and manoeuvre skills;i have bought a hybrid with front suspension for the winter and gave it a thrash in the forest tracks - how weird to not ride with cleats, and slow speed up a ravine of tree roots

No no no... speed is your FRIEND on a mtb, and cleats stop you dying when descenting on rocky stuff at speed. They also force you to keep pedalling and not to bail cos it's too hard.

Pedal pedal pedal!!

As a change from Cannock, I've booked a day here http://www.bikeparkwales.com/ next Friday. I'm sure a 50 something year old should be behaving in a slightly more mature manner but . . . . .

Neil, don't you think it's time we went back to the good old days?

I have a copy of that book somewhere!

But, in answer to your question I offer this http://onabicycle.tumblr.com/post/49632 ... ntain-bike

(that's an unequivocal no btw )

Nice. I wonder how old a bike has to be to be classed as 'vintage'. I spent a week in the Lakes with that book and this (possibly vintage) bike

Definitely vintage - it's more than 5 years old, although those tyres look suspiciously modern . . . .

I read somewhere that the cover of a book is a key determinant in whether people bought a book. I'm guessing this book didn't sell well . . . .

Maybe the next edition should use a frame from this https://vimeo.com/53102258

Nice film, it's only the equipment that has changed not the spirit.

Actually I think the Ashcroft book(s) probably sold quite well simply because there was nothing else available at the time.

23 years old and still going strong (mainly to the paper shop these days)

I'm not sure speed is always your friend on a mountain bike
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOjwtb8N ... ata_player

Between Peaks wrote:... I'm sure a 50 something year old should be behaving in a slightly more mature manner but . . . . .

Um...no, I don't think so!

"Mountain bikes", what are mountain bikes?

Philip Whiteman wrote:"Mountain bikes", what are mountain bikes?

Look familiar?

The big rumour i keep hearing from shops is that 26"ers are going to be abandoned - next up the battle between 650b and 29er, and yet bike repairers keep harping on about how much repair work they do to the larger wheels. Anyway i'm enjoying off road as the stormy wet weather approaches , and the Taff trail is gritty down here in Cardiff.

29ers already rule in the US. In the elite world 29ers in XC already rule unless it's tight and they go back to 26". Downhillers don't use 29ers at all really but do mix it up with 650b and 26" depending on the course.

I own a Whyte 19c 26" from 2012 and looking at their site now they don't even do a XC 26" any more!

Undecided myself. I used to own a full suspension bike but moved to a hardtail to a) go uphill quicker, b) less maint and c) because you feel the trail alot more and get more skilled -- buying a 29er to me half feels like selling out for an easier ride. Though I do like the look of the small frame and big wheels!