Official Mountain bike Thread!

Originally Posted by Ghostie

yeah definitely sounds like it....sometimes that's caused by the height of your saddle in relation to the handle bars (if saddle is too high, you slouch forward onto handle bars)................ but in looking at the pictures of your bike, this doesn't look to be the case

Next thing I'd suggest is to make sure your seat is completely level, having a saddle that is tilted even slightly forward can cause you to place all your weight on the handlebars, thus the pain(not to mention, make your bike feel twitchy in handling)

I'd use a Plumb Level or anything that works similar to check first.

If it isn't level, you should be able to adjust it using an allen wrench from your multi-tool

Also, make a conscious effort when riding not to rest on the handle bars........check out the Brian Lopes book I suggested earlier for tips on proper posture on the bike

Cool thanks man ill check if the saddel is tilted when i get home. We had a tornado warning today so looks like im not gonna go for a ride today, but i think my ass is happy about that lol.

When you are sitting on the bike how far from the ground should your feet be? My toes just only reaches when i stretch the leg.

Originally Posted by Ghostie

Also, make a conscious effort when riding not to rest on the handle bars..

This (amongst other things). I make it a point to move my hands around a bit on the bars when on flat ground. Just changing your grip slightly every few minutes and trying to keep your weight balanced on your legs and the saddle helps a lot.

Also, keep in mind that there's some "toughening" to be done with your hands and wrists just like with your ass on the saddle. A little soreness is ok when you're first riding decent distances.

here's one a friend made:

from .

and another:

.

Originally Posted by TallTravel

Gary Fisher 29er, 21.5 " frame to support 6-5" frame.

That's the mamba right? I just picked up the Fisher hybrid Utopia. It's a 29er as well with a 63MM fork. I can do some light off roading and still go FAST on the pavement.

Anyone have any experience with the tire liners? I'm getting flats every month or so.

my bike:
http://fisherbikes.com/bike/model/utopia

Originally Posted by LowDog

wtf? am I the only one who noticed that X5 in the background?

is that yours lowdog?

Originally Posted by Ghostie

wtf? am I the only one who noticed that X5 in the background?

is that yours lowdog?

No it already has been pointed out :p

No not mine luckily lol . i got a 540

oh? musta missed it....

Originally Posted by LowDog

Just did 20 km again today. Damn my but is hurting from the 40 km yesterday.Cant wait until i get paid so i can get some padded shorts lol

Is something wrong if my wrists/pads on my handst get really tired/sore when im riding? I think im putting to much weight on the handlebar

You might be locking your elbows.

^^^ gotta agree with Breyton-Bmw. Really focus only relaxing your whole upper body, if one part is tense, everything else will eventually be uncomfortable.

still no luck finding a bike or a store that carries my size
and to top it off, it's ****IN snowing here right now

Originally Posted by Bimm3rSpeedstr

^^^ gotta agree with Breyton-Bmw. Really focus only relaxing your whole upper body, if one part is tense, everything else will eventually be uncomfortable.

Alright im deff. gonna check that tonight when i go out. its beautifull weather today (tornado warning yesterday). How far are your feet from the ground and how is your back? Is it straight or bent or what position?

Feet distance from the ground is decided by your crank but as for leg extension I generally stay around 80%, never full to locked. As for you back, like leg extention, its really about where your comfortable, but i'm usually slightly bent just so i'm not stiff. If you find yourself with too much weight on your hands, try moving your seat foward on the post, making sure its level. If your still incomfortable your stem might be too long. What gloves are you using? Are you using gloves?

Originally Posted by Bimm3rSpeedstr

Feet distance from the ground is decided by your crank but as for leg extension I generally stay around 80%, never full to locked. As for you back, like leg extention, its really about where your comfortable, but i'm usually slightly bent just so i'm not stiff. If you find yourself with too much weight on your hands, try moving your seat foward on the post, making sure its level. If your still incomfortable your stem might be too long. What gloves are you using? Are you using gloves?

Im only touching the ground with my toes and feet stretched.

Not using gloves, only riding on payment mostly at the moment, working on dat cardio.

Did 10 miles tonight and still got issues with my hands, hope its just in the beginning.

Originally Posted by LowDog

Im only touching the ground with my toes and feet stretched.

Not using gloves, only riding on payment mostly at the moment, working on dat cardio.

Did 10 miles tonight and still got issues with my hands, hope its just in the beginning.

The ground height isnt that important. he's asking about seat height to bottom of pedal, this is how "extension" is measured. You should secure the bike and pedal down, at bottom of the stroke, your leg should be mostly extended 80% or whatever you choose less than 100%.

Gloves can make a difference, try a pair...

Originally Posted by rdp330ci

That's the mamba right? I just picked up the Fisher hybrid Utopia. It's a 29er as well with a 63MM fork. I can do some light off roading and still go FAST on the pavement.

Anyone have any experience with the tire liners? I'm getting flats every month or so.

my bike:
http://fisherbikes.com/bike/model/utopia

i have a utopia as well (as a secondary bike for street use)... How do you like it? I made a lot of upgrades to mine, I couldn't stand the sram junk it came with.

btw, if you are getting a lot of flats, you probably should change your tire. I am assuming you are taking it on light trails? The tires that came with the bike really aren't meant for that- they are more so for "urban" riding. You should probably get a meatier tire, but, of course, it will take away from your street riding.

Originally Posted by rohde88

The ground height isnt that important. he's asking about seat height to bottom of pedal, this is how "extension" is measured. You should secure the bike and pedal down, at bottom of the stroke, your leg should be mostly extended 80% or whatever you choose less than 100%.

Gloves can make a difference, try a pair...

I agree, a good handle bar grip plus one of those gel type gloves work wonders in cushioning your joints from shocks even in relatively flat terrain like the road. You should wear one. I use a half fingered on when I'm mostly riding road and full fingered gloves on trails. Also make sure your fork is dialled up for you weight.

With regard to seat height, a simple trick I use is to rest my heel on the pedal when it is at it's lowest point. The leg should be fully extended but not stretched. this will be the ideal seat height. When you place your foot on the pedal in the proper position, this will make you leg extend only about 80-85 % which I think is ideal. This applies in XC rides on mostly flat terrain. When you go downhill, it is always best to lower seat height a little for lower center of gravity.

Store is making calls, if it's available i think i'm going for this one at 1150$ with hydraulic brakes seems like a nice bike, favorable reviews too

are those kenda small block 8 tires? Make sure you dont ride through anything loose... or loose and wet
What kind of fork is that?

Just a quick simple question since I don't really pay attention to bikes.

I have an old Cannondale Jekyll 500 (or a similar lower end Jekyll model) with a small frame, much too small for me now. Is it possible to just buy a new frame and transfer all the components from the old Jekyll to the new frame? Would it be cost effective to do so?