# Mountain biking



## gijoe4500 (Mar 17, 2017)

Anyone else here into biking? I'm still pretty new at it, but I definitely enjoy it. Trying to build up my leg endurance and lungs right now. It kicks my ***. I'm also a chicken when it comes to drops, dodging trees, sharp turns, etc. So I'm slow on the up hills AND the down hills.

I ride a Haro Flightline 27.Five Expert hardtail. Girlfriend has a Giant Liv Bliss. Kiddo rides a $100 bike from Academy.


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## ericgautier (Apr 22, 2017)

gijoe, keep at it. :thumbup:

As with anything, I can never leave it stock. I started with a Giant Revel 1 hardtail, but since have upgraded pretty much 90% of the bike. I plan to upgrade to a full suspension one day and this one will hopefully go to one of my girls (oldest is just turning 6, so I still have plenty of seat time left on this one). :lol:

It is definitely a fun hobby and beats running on the threadmill at the gym.



I upgraded the front fork, did a 1x10 conversion, added chain guide up front, changed up to a wider bar, changed the brakes, clipless pedals (this was scary at first), etc..


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

Welcome to TLF Eric! Glad you found us! :thumbup:


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## Pharmower (Apr 19, 2017)

Nice looking bike! I'm looking at getting a giant hard tail myself. What have you thought of yours? 


ericgautier said:


> gijoe, keep at it. :thumbup:
> 
> As with anything, I can never leave it stock. I started with a Giant Revel 1 hardtail, but since have upgraded pretty much 90% of the bike. I plan to upgrade to a full suspension one day and this one will hopefully go to one of my girls (oldest is just turning 6, so I still have plenty of seat time left on this one). :lol:
> 
> ...


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## ericgautier (Apr 22, 2017)

Ware said:


> Welcome to TLF Eric! Glad you found us! :thumbup:


Ware, thanks for the welcome. Liking this site a lot!


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## ericgautier (Apr 22, 2017)

Pharmower said:


> Nice looking bike! I'm looking at getting a giant hard tail myself. What have you thought of yours?


Do you have a Giant model in mind?

I like my bike after the upgrades. Stock form was ok, but it is/was a beginner bike. I didn't know much back then when I first bought it. I just liked the colors and the price was good. LOL. But, as you grow into it, you learn what you like and dislike. Honestly, I should have just sold the bike in stock form and bought a better/higher model up but I just couldn't leave it alone and upgraded it.

LMK what model you are looking at then I can give you more of my thoughts.


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## gijoe4500 (Mar 17, 2017)

I wish I had just bought a full squish bike yo begin with. I'm considering upgrading to a specialized camber or maybe a transition. But I don't know much about transition model options yet


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## Pharmower (Apr 19, 2017)

The XTC was my top choice. It seems to tick a lot of boxes (29" wheels, carbon frame, price point)
I had my eye on another diamondback because I get a discount with my job, but I can't find much information online about their quality.

Any thoughts?


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## ericgautier (Apr 22, 2017)

The XTC is a sweet bike! :thumbup: Both are similar in specs. I'll probably come down to which one "feels" best to you. Have you visited a local bike shop and test rode one yet?


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## gijoe4500 (Mar 17, 2017)

Hitting up a local bike shop for a test ride is a pretty good idea. I wish I had done that on mine, but I scored such a good deal off the net I couldn't pass it up. I'd also love to hit up a demo day and see try a few out.


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## Pharmower (Apr 19, 2017)

Wow this is legendary! A group of high school kids ride their bikes down one of the busiest roads in Philly
http://www.phillyvoice.com/watch-teenagers-swarm-vine-street-expressway-philly-bicycles/


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## tbdh20 (Feb 28, 2017)

Grocery gitter I recently picked up for the beach. The 90lbs. in the cart could make a great workout single speed :lol:


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## Redtenchu (Jan 28, 2017)

tbdh20 said:


> Grocery gitter I recently picked up for the beach. The 90lbs. in the cart could make a great workout single speed :lol:


That is awesome!


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## mtlcafan79 (Apr 27, 2017)

Consider a dropper seat post for the descents. It will change things dramatically and build confidence once the seat post is no longer in your way.


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

mtlcafan79 said:


> Consider a dropper seat post for the descents. It will change things dramatically and build confidence once the seat post is no longer in your way.


Wow. I haven't ridden in a number of years, but I can see where that would be a real game changer.


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## mtlcafan79 (Apr 27, 2017)

Hydraulic disc brakes, 1X drivetrains, dropper seatposts, tubeless tires, trail geometry. If you haven't been on a new bike in the last couple years it's worth taking something out on a demo ride.


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## gijoe4500 (Mar 17, 2017)

I'm running 2x gears and no dropper, but the dropper is on my short list. I have been looking into an oval chain ring as well, if I go 1x. Suppose to really help with the climbs.


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## mtlcafan79 (Apr 27, 2017)

Honestly there's so much range with a 1X I haven't felt the need for one. I have a 28 tooth chainring and a 10-42 cassette. With the 46 and even 50 tooth first gears you can literally climb walls. I give up way before I run out of a low enough gear.


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## gijoe4500 (Mar 17, 2017)

I've got an 11-36 cassette on mine, so I can't simple drop my granny gear up front. If I ever do go 1x, i'll have to change out my cassette as well, since 36 isn't going to be low enough. On my crank, i think i've got a 38/24 right now. It works well for me, and I don't have to put in granny gear too often. Its nice to have though, just in case.


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## Pharmower (Apr 19, 2017)

I Bought this today! It's a used Scott scale 900 rc with a Mix of shimano xtr and sram xx. It's got a lot of miles on it but the previous owner threw in new tires, chain, and handlebar grips and even left the power meter on it for me. Cleaned it up today.. I want the mud on it to be my mud 😁


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## Reel Low Dad (Jun 1, 2017)

This site has everything. Getting my trusty steed ready for another ride today. Started as a budget hardtail that has grown into upgraded wheelset, fork, handlebars, grips, tire, tubeless and 1x11 upgrade. All that's left is brakes and a dropped. Waiting until the fall to see Canyons US pricing before deciding on what FS bike I want. Here is a link to the steed. Phones not liking adding an image right now.
https://goo.gl/photos/tpiSANk3CwgbHiDu9


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

Fistertondeluxe said:


> This site has everything...


It's pretty cool. That was the goal with these other subforums - to make some connections outside of lawn care and build friendships. :thumbup:


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## ericgautier (Apr 22, 2017)

Fistertondeluxe said:


> All that's left is brakes and a dropped.
> https://goo.gl/photos/tpiSANk3CwgbHiDu9


Nice looking bike! :thumbup:

For the price, I am happy with the "Shimano Deore M596".. not sure what model replaces it now. This was purchased back in 2013.

More detailed info of what I've done on my bike here - http://forums.mtbr.com/giant/revel-thread-829192-4.html#post10397526


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## gijoe4500 (Mar 17, 2017)

Reviving a long dead post, but I did finally upgrade to a full suspension bike. 2017 Orbea Occam. I love it.


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## Pharmower (Apr 19, 2017)

That's a nice looking bike!
Congrats on the upgrade



gijoe4500 said:


> Reviving a long dead post, but I did finally upgrade to a full suspension bike. 2017 Orbea Occam. I love it.


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## ericgautier (Apr 22, 2017)

gijoe4500 said:


> Reviving a long dead post, but I did finally upgrade to a full suspension bike. 2017 Orbea Occam. I love it.


Nice! :thumbup:


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## Reel Low Dad (Jun 1, 2017)

I am hoping the weather breaks here and isn't a downpour for tomorrow. The first round of the Pro GRT tour is this weekend at Windrock bike park and Danny Hart, Luca Shaw and others from the UCI are in town. I would like to go see them ride.


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## gijoe4500 (Mar 17, 2017)

@Fistertondeluxe that would be pretty badass.


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