Looking for MTB recommendations

Dan Volker ran this through spell check:

Quoted message said:

"Penny S" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

be very technical by the trail builders, to make up for
not having mountains---the dominant bikes on "these"
trails are full suspension bikes, not hardtails ( and I
have yet to see a ss rigid biker at Alafia or any of the
other technical trails in Florida :-)

Dan V

what does any of that have to do with my general comments
about skill building and various kinds of suspension? I
don't care where you ride: Florida, Colorado or Egypt...
if you sit your butt on a FS and let the bike take the
hits for you, you don't learn much about skill building
and bike handling. Period.

penny

If the vast majority of locals and people in the state,
have decided to ride full suspension bikes at trails like
Alafia, then maybe you should consider the possibility
that the trails can be better enjoyed with full sus bikes---
at least until you ride it yourself and can have an
informed opinion.

Dan V

Dan, you really should mellow out. I'm offering some
general friendly advice to an admitted newbie to MTB...
nothing more, nothing less. I don't care what kind of
trails someone rides... flar florida or techinical
mountain, the concept is the same; some people substitues
suspesnsion for bike skills.

penny

Quoted message said:

I wouldn't recommend the SB for racing, to boingy! Nice
free ride.

I ride a SB too and yes, it is a tad heavy for racing but it
is a splendid trail bike, my wife rides a Racer-X though and
it is more of a racer. Lately she has been riding a Riddler
a lot, and loves it.

Per lowdin.nulowdin.nuOpen ↗

"Dan Volker" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

If the vast majority of locals and people in the state,
have decided to ride full suspension bikes at trails like
Alafia, then maybe you should consider the possibility
that the trails can be better enjoyed with full sus bikes---
at least until you ride it yourself and can have an
informed opinion.

OK. I can weigh in on this. I have ridden extensively in
Florida. Not at Alafia, but Hard Rock, Reddick, White
Springs, Hanna, Powerlines, and Lakeland. Some of these
areas are in fact quite technical. Nonetheless, I've
always thought people who ride full suspension on those
trails are on crack. But it's their bike, and as long as
they get off to the side when they're pushing up the
climbs, I have no problem.

I would recommend a high-end hardtail to the original
poster.

CC

"Dan Volker" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

In any event, Alafia and many of the other Florida trails
are made to be very technical by the trail builders, to
make up for not having mountains---the dominant bikes on
"these" trails are full suspension bikes, not hardtails (
and I have yet to see a ss rigid biker at Alafia or any of
the other technical trails in Florida :-)

manage your momentum and you can clean the most technical
of climbs on any Florida trail I've ever seen. Mind you,
I'm not that good, but I know guys who are. There is a
vibrant singlespeed community in Florida! It's perfect
terrain for it.

CC

"Dan Volker" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

"Boyd Speerschneider" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hello,

Here's my situation. I've been a roadie (don't laugh)
for the past 10 years. I've ridden off-road a grand
total of 3 times, but never with a decent bike and
clipless pedals. Its always been one or the other, but
never both.

[snip [censored] advice]

Dan, you are a clueless turd.

Boyd, don't do anything Dan recommends - he has no idea what
he's talking about.

On your budget, get a decent hardtail with a good fork. *If*
you decide to go the FS route, then at least you've made a
good down-payment on all the stuff the bikes have in common,
AND you can unload the frame and recoup some of your initial
investment.

If you're comfortable in clipless pedals on technical dirt,
then you're golden there, but Crank Brothers and Shimano
both sell platforms with clipless. I run Mallet Cs on my
bike, and they work great.

Start small if you don't know if you're going to like it. A
lower-end Marin FS frame might be good, because at least you
could sell it if it doesn't work out. But really, you can
get a very-well specced hardtail on your budget, with a
great fork. I started out rigid, then went hardtail, then
FS, then back to hardtail.

Mountain biking isn't about the stuff you really worry about
on the road. It's more about durable gear and momentum. A
voyage of discovery! Good luck,
--
Jonesy

RE/

Quoted message said:

Ellsworth - almost definately out of my price range
^^^^^^^^^

I've got an Ellsworth that I like a lot, but have had the
misfortune to try to deal with them on a warranty issue. My
advice would be to avoid Ellsworth unless you have somebody
that can go to bat for you in the event of a warranty
problem - somebody with some clout, who does that sort of
thing on a regular basis.
--
PeteCresswell

RE/

Quoted message said:

and all around the shock area.

That's where mine failed - where the bracket was attached to
the frame.

Even to me, who doesn't weld, it looked like a poor job:
rounded blobs that didn't even give complete coverage.

OTOH, the replacement frame's weld was much better
looking: a nice even continuous bead on both sides of each
contact area.
--
PeteCresswell

"P e t e F a g e r l i n" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Dan Volker said:

"P e t e F a g e r l i n" <[email hidden]>
wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On Mon, 8 Mar 2004 11:49:55 -0500, "Dan Volker"
<[email hidden]> wrote:

>
>"bomba" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
>"]news:[email hidden]...

>First, bomba, if anyone here is full of [censored], its a
>newsgroup poser

like

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

>yourself, who enjoys hurling insults over the net,
>that would have

you

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

>toothless in real life. Because I don't want to buy in
>to the ss

cult,

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

or

Quoted message said:

>your own version of what is the ultimate in mountain
>biking, you start humping my leg.

Wow.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

religiously clueless.

No. I just get annoyed when NG posters try to act like
they talk this way

in

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

real life..as if they could actually talk this way and
not get beaten up

on

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

a regular basis.

Do you live in a trailer park or something? Plenty of
folks talk like that in real life. If we were sitting in
bar and you started saying the incredibly dumb things that
you have been posting here, I would definitely point out
your silliness.

People don't talk like that to total strangers, particularly
as a way to open a conversation, unless they want to pick a
fight..and it is YOU who are doing this, not me. Considering
your posting history, and if you think my posts are dumb,
that's probably supportive of my posts having merit.

Quoted message said:

BTW, mentioning that you want to beat people up in
numerous replies make you seem to be a very unbalance and
insecure person.

Nice try at misdirection. You're the one who was talking
like a bad ass, not
me. I just pointed out that you could not talk that way to
total strangers in real life, so why do it here....

Quoted message said:

I did not begin this thread giving bomba a bunch of

Quoted message said:

[censored]....I responded to someone else-- a roadie, with a
perspective I have

a

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

right to--one that was intended to help...Bomba, and now
you, are both "acting" like bad asses....

So pointing out your idiocy/bad advice/cluelessness makes
one a "bad ass"?

If I was clueless or ignorant, there would be a smarter way
for you to point it out in real life....Maybe you don't need
brains or a smarter way in the kind of work , or life that
you have, but most people do. As it happened, you have
proven nothing about any superiority in ss or rigid
bikes...You seem to have some mistaken notion that you are
some kind of "winner" because you or some friends can ride a
rigid single speed bike...big deal. You and your buddies
hide behind claiming Norba races don't mean jack, a
conveniant dodge to avoid being shown, for the all too
mediocre cycling talents you most likely are.

Quoted message said:

There sure are a whole bunch of "bad asses" around
here then.

Actually, it just sounds like about a half a dozen or
so, who have some kind of delusion about who they really
are, and what they would like to say in real life, if
they had one ;-)

Quoted message said:

First, there is no need for this on a newsgroup

Quoted message said:

discussion where someone is asking for advice, and
second, acting like a

bad

Quoted message said:

If someone gives BAD advice, there certainly is a
need for it.

Quoted message said:

ass on a bicycling newsgroup is almost laughable---while
there "could be"

a

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

few "bad asses" on a cycling newsgroup, its not exacly
like hanging out

with

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

the competitors in the "Ultimate Fighting Challenge".

See above re: unbalanced and insecure.

You are the one talking trash, and saying things to total
strangers you would not say in real life...I'd consider that
to be unbalanced...I'm just calling you on it, since I'm
sick of "big talking" NG heroes that are little wimpy
nothings in real life...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

And if you "were" hanging out with a group composed of
many "bad asses"

like

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

UFC types, most of them would not start up conversations
the way either

you

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

or bomba does.

See above re: unbalanced and insecure.

You don't like something I say, because it threatens your
tiny little view of the universe, so you counter by calling
me an idiot. I say you are a poser for talking like this on
a NG, when you know you can't talk to strangers like this in
real life, and you think I'm the one who is unbalanced???

Dan V

"Dan Volker" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"P e t e F a g e r l i n" <[email hidden]>
wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

No. I just get annoyed when NG posters try to act like
they talk this

way

Quoted message said:

in

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

real life..as if they could actually talk this way and
not get beaten

up

Quoted message said:

on

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

a regular basis.

Do you live in a trailer park or something? Plenty of
folks talk like that in real life. If we were sitting in
bar and you started saying the incredibly dumb things
that you have been posting here, I would definitely
point out your silliness.

People don't talk like that to total strangers,
particularly as a way to open a conversation, unless they
want to pick a fight.

Which part of "discussion group" are you struggling with?
BTW, "discussion group" doesn't mean that Danny gets to post
idiocy as the gospel without people pointing out his idiocy.

.and it is YOU who are

Quoted message said:

doing this, not me. Considering your posting history, and
if you think my posts are dumb,

that's

Quoted message said:

probably supportive of my posts having merit.

Yeah, Danny, you're a real fount of MTB experience and
knowledge there cluewbie...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

BTW, mentioning that you want to beat people up in
numerous replies make you seem to be a very unbalance
and insecure person.

Nice try at misdirection. You're the one who was talking
like a bad ass,

not

Quoted message said:

me. I just pointed out that you could not talk that way to
total strangers in real life, so why do it here....

Like I noted, and you so ably confirmed, over and over, very
unbalance and insecure.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I did not begin this thread giving bomba a bunch of

Quoted message said:

[censored]....I responded to someone else-- a roadie, with a
perspective I

have

Quoted message said:

a

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

right to--one that was intended to help...Bomba, and
now you, are both "acting" like bad asses....

So pointing out your idiocy/bad advice/cluelessness
makes one a "bad ass"?

If I was clueless or ignorant, there would be a smarter
way for you to

point

Quoted message said:

it out in real life....Maybe you don't need brains or a
smarter way in the kind of work , or life that you have,
but most people do. As it happened, you have proven
nothing about any superiority in ss or rigid bikes...

What is it with you and your problem with silly assumptions?

Why are so so stupid as to assume that I have been trying to
prove the superiority of SS or rigid bikes?

Do you have a drug problem or something? It's one plausible
explanation for your posts.

You seem to have some mistaken notion that you are some kind

Quoted message said:

of "winner" because you or some friends can ride a rigid
single speed bike...big deal.

Wow. Just when you think it can't get any sillier, the
cluewbie from pancake land posts this winner.

The wonders never cease with you!

You and your buddies hide behind claiming Norba races

Quoted message said:

don't mean jack, a conveniant dodge to avoid being shown,
for the all

too

Quoted message said:

mediocre cycling talents you most likely are.

How can you possibly know anything at all about my, or my
friend's, cycling talents?

Danny boy, you're just diggin yourself deeper and deeper.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

There sure are a whole bunch of "bad asses" around
here then.

Actually, it just sounds like about a half a dozen or so,
who have some kind of delusion about who they really are,
and what they would like to

say

Quoted message said:

in real life, if they had one ;-)

Ah, the ole "you are making fun of me and pointing out my
idiotic nature so you need to get a life" fallacy.

So predictable. it's refreshing to know that the cirriculum
at cluewbie school hasn't changed.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

First, there is no need for this on a newsgroup

Quoted message said:

discussion where someone is asking for advice, and
second, acting like

a

Quoted message said:

bad

Quoted message said:

If someone gives BAD advice, there certainly is a need
for it.

Quoted message said:

ass on a bicycling newsgroup is almost laughable---
while there "could

be"

Quoted message said:

a

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

few "bad asses" on a cycling newsgroup, its not exacly
like hanging out

with

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

the competitors in the "Ultimate Fighting Challenge".

See above re: unbalanced and insecure.

You are the one talking trash, and saying things to total
strangers you would not say in real life

That's part of your goofiness. I would say the same things
to you in real life if you were giving a fellow cyclist such
horrible advice.

...I'd consider that to be unbalanced...I'm just

Quoted message said:

calling you on it, since I'm sick of "big talking" NG
heroes that are

little

Quoted message said:

wimpy nothings in real life...

ROTFLMAO!

"wimpy nothing" eh tough guy? Damn, you're awesome!

p.s. Don't you think that someone who whines about being
"sick" of total strangers who post on newsgroups and
who is "annoyed" by these total strangers, to the point
of repeatedly bringing up a physical confrontation and
fantasyzing about the lives of these strangers is a
PERFECT example of an insecure tool?

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

And if you "were" hanging out with a group composed of
many "bad asses"

like

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

UFC types, most of them would not start up
conversations the way

either

Quoted message said:

you

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

or bomba does.

See above re: unbalanced and insecure.

You don't like something I say, because it threatens your
tiny little view of the universe, so you counter by
calling me an idiot.

Nope. You post bad advice. Idiotic even.

I, and others, correct you. You get panties twisted, and
flail around in a spectacular manner.

I say you are a

Quoted message said:

poser for talking like this on a NG, when you know you
can't talk to strangers like this in real life, and you
think I'm the one who is unbalanced???

Danny, if you're this idiotic in real life, I would be even
more irreverent in person.

Especially if you were giving "advice" based upon your
paltry experience to someone who desrves the real story,
rather than a bunch of silly pap.

Dan Volker said:

Spoken like a moron who is incapable of giving good advice
to a "roadie" who wants to get in to mountain biking.
Yeah, why don't you convince him he'll have lots of fun
riding technical trails his first week on a rigid ss bike.
I know a lot of roadies, and I have seen how they take to
mountain biking on x-country bikes, versus the ones who
have gotten big travel bikes. Either you don't know any,
or you care more about having them see the world your way
, than you do about them enjoying their first year of
mountain biking. If they don't like their first few days
or weeks, what is to keep them even on their new mountain
bike? Saddle them with a rigid, ss piece of [censored], and it
will almost guarantee they won't enjoy the sport long
enough to build skills--they'll be back on the road bike
instead.

Most of the early mountain biking pioneers in places like
Norcal and Colorado were roadies riding rigid, often
singlespeed, pieces of [censored] (by your standards - by anyone's
standards for some of the klunkiest of klunkers). I guess
it's a miracle the sport didn't die in its infancy.

I know "roadies" who can clean messy, sandy trails on skinny-
tire cyclocross bikes, better than I can on a mountain bike.
Since when is "roadie" a synonym for klutz? Everybody learns
to ride off-road by starting with easier stuff and working
up to more technical trails as skills develop, no matter
what bike they're on. Are you taking your pals out through
root and rock gardens on their first off-road ride?

"Dan Volker" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Penny S" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

be very technical by the trail builders, to make up
for not having mountains---the dominant bikes on
"these" trails are full suspension bikes, not
hardtails ( and I have yet to see a ss rigid biker at
Alafia or any of the other technical trails in
Florida :-)

Dan V

what does any of that have to do with my general
comments about skill building and various kinds of
suspension? I don't care where you ride: Florida,
Colorado or Egypt... if you sit your butt on a FS and
let the

bike

Quoted message said:

take the hits for you, you don't learn much about skill
building and

bike

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

handling. Period.

penny

If the vast majority of locals and people in the state,
have decided to

ride

Quoted message said:

full suspension bikes at trails like Alafia, then maybe
you should

consider

Quoted message said:

the possibility that the trails can be better enjoyed with
full sus bikes---at least until you ride it yourself and
can have an informed opinion.

Dan V

I'm a lurker here, but I have to make a comment on this.

I live in Tampa and ride at Alafia quite often. IMO, it's
one of the best trails in the area that is available to the
public at large. The trail builders did a great job with the
terrain that they had to work with. There are some technical
and challenging areas. However, let's not forget that this
is Florida.

Alafia is 100% completely rideable with a hardtail. I do it
every other weekend. Recommending that somebody get a FS
because they're going to be heading to Alafia is overkill.
Indeed there are numerous FS out there. Some are transplants
from other states where a FS would be more appropriate. Some
are enthusiasts who know actually what they're doing. A
significant percentage are all-the-gear-no-idea types with
too much money in their pockets, who happened to pickup the
lastest bike magazine buyer's guide. A FS bike in Florida is
just not necessary.

Suggesting that he get a FS because many other people have
them too is hardly an excuse either.

Here's my humble opinion to the OP. You've already stated
several times that you are on a tight budget (under $1500).
A decent hardtail will serve you well in Florida, the South
East states in general, and pretty much anywhere else if you
have built up the skills. Penny S and others have often
cited that skills are developed more solidly when learning
with a hardtail rather than a FS. There's merit in that
idea. Use your employee discount, get yourself a decent
hardtail and build some skills while you determine whether
or not you really like the sport and want to stick with it.

Also, check out the vids on Pete's site (btw, great stuff
Pete) and you will see hardtails on trails out west that
just plain embarrass Florida trails. If hardtails can work
there, they can work anywhere. It's the rider, not the bike.

Take it for what it's worth. Now, back to lurking.

KeithF ran this through spell check:

Quoted message said:

"Dan Volker" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

If the vast majority of locals and people in the state,
have decided to ride full suspension bikes at trails like
Alafia, then maybe you should consider the possibility
that the trails can be better enjoyed with full sus bikes---
at least until you ride it yourself and can have an
informed opinion.

Dan V

I'm a lurker here, but I have to make a comment on this.

<snip awesome post>. Keith, you should post more. That was
cool.

You have an "informed opinion" too. ;-)

penny

Dan Volker said:

(snip silly ramblings of a wounded ego)

As it happened, you have proven nothing about any
superiority in ss or rigid bikes...You seem to have some
mistaken notion that you are some kind of "winner" because
you or some friends can ride a rigid single speed
bike...big deal. You and your buddies hide behind claiming
Norba races don't mean jack, a conveniant dodge to avoid
being shown, for the all too mediocre cycling talents you
most likely are.

Dan, Dan, Dan.....

I watched for weeks while you flail around like a blind man
in a boxing match, but finally feel the need to comment.
More for my own purposes than out of any hope it will
contribute to the conversation, but what the hell...rant
follows....

It's all about perspective, Dan. What you've failed to
understand is the basic assumptions and values that various
posters in this NG bring to the discussion. You, by your own
admission, come from a roadie background. It strikes me that
you see mountain biking as the same thing as road cycling,
but only with fat tires and dirt tracks with a few obstacles
along the way.... cyclocross with full suspension or
something to that effect. I think you need to rethink that
perspective. Your many references to Norba racing, VO2
measurements, and other such nonsense are irrelevent to
those with whom you joust.

It's not about being a "winner", and NORBA races *don't*
mean jack. It's about going hard and fast, not harder and
faster than the next guy. Do you see the difference? You may
be faster than me, but since it's not a competition then it
doesn't matter -- and therefore I win!. It's sorta like that
whole "not about the destination, but about the journey"
thing. You insist on viewing the sport through your own
narrow set of assumptions and values. The whole drubbing you
took in the SS arguments had nothing to do with your facts
or logic, but your inability to see where your opponents
were coming from. You filtered their comments through the
prism of your own roadie prejudices. When they didn't
compute, you rejected them based on your own assumptions.

You brought up some good thoughts, but I'm not a SS'er and
really have no opinion either way. Your reference above to
"mediocre cycling talents", however, demonstrates your true
prejudices. You seem to define success in the sport only
relative to the other guy, but for the vast majority of us
in this NG (and in my MTB experience), the other guy doesn't
matter. It's about you, the bike, and the ground you ride
on. Others are there to contribute and participate. The
competition is in your own head.

The OP needs to base his mtb purchase on what kind of
mountain biking he's gonna do and what his budget is, not
based on what he's used to on the road. Your comments above
that he will have an "aerobic advantage" despite novice
technical skills is just plain silly. The calculus is all
wrong. You assume that the guy will want some sort of
competative edge from the moment he swings his leg over the
bike. That misses the whole beauty of the endevour. Besides,
he made reference to racing, but with a big "if". The basis
of the post was about a guy who desires to increase his off
road riding, not about how he could "win from day one." Put
your silly little roadie racer mindset aside for a bit. The
guy should get a bike that will allow him to develop skills
and enjoy his riding from day one, particularly "if" he
decides to race some day. My opinion is that a good hardtail
is probably the way to go in that regard. Not because it
will give him some inherent competative advantage from day
one, but because it's probably the best way to develop into
the sport. Trying to make him another roadie on fat tires is
one approach, but not really one that's gonna be well
received around here. For you to continually reference that
approach as the key metric for mtb success is what draws the
ire of the AM-B faithful. You're obviously entitled to your
opinion (even if it's wrong...), but accept that there are
many people out there on mountain bikes who reject your
whole approach to riding. Failure to do so will merely spark
more NG vitriol. Personally, I think it's fun to watch, but
I'm broke and can't ride so I'll do almost anything for
amusement these days....

Quit racing and start riding, then you might get it.

Tom (still can't ride, dammit!)

tcmedara said:

It's all about perspective, Dan. What you've failed to
understand is the basic assumptions and values that
various posters in this NG bring to the discussion. You,
by your own admission, come from a roadie background. It
strikes me that you see mountain biking as the same thing
as road cycling, but only with fat tires and dirt tracks
with a few obstacles along the way.... cyclocross with
full suspension or something to that effect. I think you
need to rethink that perspective. Your many references to
Norba racing, VO2 measurements, and other such nonsense
are irrelevent to those with whom you joust.

To be fair, I don't think it has that much to do with racing
or being a "roadie" (I know a lot of people who do both, in
fact you could say I am one.) It has to do with Dan's being
the kind of guy that likes to tell other people what to do.
All the other stuff you said seems pretty accurate to me.

Ben

Benjamin Weiner said:

tcmedara said:

It's all about perspective, Dan. What you've failed to
understand is the basic assumptions and values that
various posters in this NG bring to the discussion. You,
by your own admission, come from a roadie background. It
strikes me that you see mountain biking as the same thing
as road cycling, but only with fat tires and dirt tracks
with a few obstacles along the way.... cyclocross with
full suspension or something to that effect. I think you
need to rethink that perspective. Your many references to
Norba racing, VO2 measurements, and other such nonsense
are irrelevent to those with whom you joust.

To be fair, I don't think it has that much to do with
racing or being a "roadie" (I know a lot of people who do
both, in fact you could say I am one.) It has to do with
Dan's being the kind of guy that likes to tell other
people what to do. All the other stuff you said seems
pretty accurate to me.

Ding-ding-ding...BINGO!!!

Tom had it right, too, but the *amazing control freak*
factor was missing. (Notice I "did not" use quotation marks,
Dan, as they "do not" indicate emphasis.)

Bill "wonder if he's got his girlfriend's riding all squared
away to his liking yet" S.

Benjamin Weiner said:

tcmedara said:

It's all about perspective, Dan. What you've failed to
understand is the basic assumptions and values that
various posters in this NG bring to the discussion. You,
by your own admission, come from a roadie background. It
strikes me that you see mountain biking as the same thing
as road cycling, but only with fat tires and dirt tracks
with a few obstacles along the way.... cyclocross with
full suspension or something to that effect. I think you
need to rethink that perspective. Your many references to
Norba racing, VO2 measurements, and other such nonsense
are irrelevent to those with whom you joust.

To be fair, I don't think it has that much to do with
racing or being a "roadie" (I know a lot of people who do
both, in fact you could say I am one.) It has to do with
Dan's being the kind of guy that likes to tell other
people what to do. All the other stuff you said seems
pretty accurate to me.

Ben

Ben, I think we're in violent agreement. Lot's of people do
both, and understand and appreciate the differences in the
two sports. Hell, I used to ride on the road until I lost a
confrontation with a car many years ago. My point is that
Dan appears handicapped by his own prejudices. It's not that
he's a roadie, but that he can't stop thinking like one. I
lurk once in a while in rec.bicycles.racing just for fun,
and our boy Dan would fit in well there. I could go in there
and start spouting some mtb gospel, and would expect to get
hammered. And rightly so, it just doesn't apply to their
frame of reference. It's asking Mrs Linclon what she thought
of the performance -- it misses the whole point, ya know.

Tom (Some of my best friends are roadies)

S o r n i ran this through spell check:

Quoted message said:

Benjamin Weiner said:

tcmedara said:

It's all about perspective, Dan. What you've failed to
understand is the basic assumptions and values that
various posters in this NG bring to the discussion. You,
by your own admission, come from a roadie background. It
strikes me that you see mountain biking as the same
thing as road cycling, but only with fat tires and dirt
tracks with a few obstacles along the way.... cyclocross
with full suspension or something to that effect. I
think you need to rethink that perspective. Your many
references to Norba racing, VO2 measurements, and other
such nonsense are irrelevent to those with whom you
joust.

To be fair, I don't think it has that much to do with
racing or being a "roadie" (I know a lot of people who do
both, in fact you could say I am one.) It has to do with
Dan's being the kind of guy that likes to tell other
people what to do. All the other stuff you said seems
pretty accurate to me.

Ding-ding-ding...BINGO!!!

Tom had it right, too, but the *amazing control freak*
factor was missing. (Notice I "did not" use quotation
marks, Dan, as they "do not" indicate emphasis.)

Bill "wonder if he's got his girlfriend's riding all
squared away to his liking yet" S.

Life is good. Checking up on this thread, alternating with
Queer Eye For the Straight Guy while I'm doing the ironing
and eating cold pad thai after some fun and games. Life
doesn't get a whole lot better than this on a monday night..

penny

Penny S said:

Life is good. Checking up on this thread, alternating
with Queer Eye For the Straight Guy while I'm doing the
ironing and eating cold pad thai after some fun and
games. Life doesn't get a whole lot better than this on a
monday night..

Oh, contrare! I'm kicking back and resting from a long
ride. It was 70 degrees and sunny today, and I went home
early and rode my cruiser all over the countryside! It was
as nice as it can be without being on dirt (I got in some
dirt roads, though).

Downside is, I'm making up for it by working now, but I have
scripts running in the background as I peruse a.m-b.

--
-BB- To reply to me, drop the attitude (from my e-mail
address, at least)

BB ran this through spell check:

Quoted message said:

Penny S said:

Life is good. Checking up on this thread, alternating
with Queer Eye For the Straight Guy while I'm doing the
ironing and eating cold pad thai after some fun and
games. Life doesn't get a whole lot better than this on a
monday night..

Oh, contrare! I'm kicking back and resting from a long
ride. It was 70 degrees and sunny today, and I went home
early and rode my cruiser all over the countryside! It was
as nice as it can be without being on dirt (I got in some
dirt roads, though).

Downside is, I'm making up for it by working now, but I
have scripts running in the background as I peruse a.m-b.

you're right, a ride would have topped it off - later this
week maybe.

P.

Boyd Speerschneider said:

Quoted message said:

Hmm, well seeing as you're in Tampa, I'd totally agree
with your bike shop buddies and suggest you get something
with loads of suspension to cope with all those huge
mountains.

Have you ever ridden Alafia River State Park? Its not
British Columbia, but its not just a path through the
woods either. There are some descents out there where you
could get messed up *royally* if you endo.

Welcome to the challenge of mountain biking. Always ride
within your limits and if you find yourself out of your
league, there is no shame in getting off and walking.

Quoted message said:

BTW, thanks for your loads of helpful advice for a newbie.

Sorry, where are my manners?

Despite what else is going on in the thread, I'll give you
the advice that we give all newbies. For your budget, and at
your level, you'd be best off getting a hardtail. This is
even more reinforced by where you ride.

--
a.m-b FAQ: j-harris.netambfaq.htmOpen ↗

b.bmx FAQ: t-online.debmx faq.htmOpen ↗