So I was reading on a forum about bar width...you know how wide your bars are on your bike...stem length...I started thinking back to my first mountain bike..pretty sure it had flat handle bars and they did not seem to be that wide....as long as I can remember I have always run my bars as narrow as I can get them...I mean sill narrow like in the 540-560mm range or 40-42cm on drop bars...I have never had a issue with steering control..never had a issue with the front end feeling squirrel y.. maybe I just learned to ride that way..I use 90mm stems on all my bikes except my 6 inch bike that has a 50mm stem...as a matter of fact I have run wider bars and found little to zero change and actually to me it made the bike feel weird up front...not to mention the possibility of clipping trees and other obstacles on the trail....on a DH run that is not a factor..but as I sat thinking I started wondering how much of this stuff that is evolving in the bike industry is fuel by actual improvements versus the need to push products on us to continue to generate income..
I have read where people as what size bike they should ride...the bike feels a bit small or large and it is suggested get a longer or shorter stem to make the bike fit..my thinking is if it feels a bit small or large than maybe it does not fir...just saying...go to a shop and get a proper bike fit and when they nail the size down then they can adjust stems and such for personal preference..
It seems there is now a 11 speed drive train on road bikes now...I am sure somehow this will trickle into mountain bikes at an affordable price point at some point...now I will admit the 2x10 system to me is one of the best things to come along in some time when it was introduced...I mean you hardly hear about the DYNASYSTEM anymore...or maybe it is just me...
Tubeless systems are another thing which I applaud as a great thing for the sport...I hardly deal with flat issues any more since switching to the tubeless system years ago...that is a good thing...
I am always down with innovation when it comes to clothing and gear the better protected and comfortable we are is a good thing also..
I dig clip less pedal systems...only because I have been using them for several decades now...a flat pedal lets you rock about any shoe you want and when you are off the bike you tend to be able transport yourself a little better with regular sole shoes...just a thought..
I pretty much gave up on spending money on gels,bars,beans,waffles or whatever the latest thing going these days..some Fig Newtons, cookies, a candy bar, or whatever can still deliver some nutrients on a ride..and on the cheap...I still use a energy drink from time to time but these days good ole water still seems to do the trick at least for me...I think it comes down to what we train our bodies to deal with and we evolve with that training..
Buying your bike can be a daunting task and very confusing to new people in the sport...be realistic with your needs vs wants..just because it looks cool does not mean it will serve your needs as a cyclist...if your not sure what you are doing go to a bike shop..develop a relationship with the shop and ask as many questions as you need to feel comfortable with your purchase...and when it comes to bikes always buy the best bike you can afford...as you begin to ride and put serious miles on your rig you will get the upgrade bug and start sinking money into a bike to get it to a point of a bike you should have bought in the first place...
Around here I still ride hard tails on every trail we have sometimes..does it beat me up sometimes..yep..does it rip..yep..does it climb..yep..does it make you a better rider..debatable to some but to me..yep...makes you choose your lines a little more carefully..thus you start learning to read trails and how to negotiate obstacles..then get on a FS bike and just flat out rip through stuff...again maybe it is just me..
Don't get me wrong I love all things bling and all things bikes..but I think there is a fine line that gets blurred between what I need and what I want..no doubt a good bike is gonna cost more than a few hundred dollars...but it is going to be worth it..and yes...you can tell the difference from riding a proper set up good bike vs the ones you may get at a department store..
These are just some ramblings as I sit here and dream about a tricked out rig while watching the Tour De France..oh yeah I would so rock one of those rigs.....just saying!
No comments:
Post a Comment