Mountain Biking - What do you think of my frame?

Im thinking about getting a new FS XC bike, but then someone said to be, wh dont you upgrade our old bike with better parts. So i was thinking about it. If i were to do that, i would get new everything. So basically, i would be creating a new bike with an old frame.

What do you all think of my current bike. Excuse the mud, but i hit the trails in my state park. I hit the dirt more times than i can remeber, im burised all over b/c of that. My tires have 0% traction in the mud, thus making me fall over when going downhill.

Would it be worth it to upgrade all the parts to better quality ones or get a new XC with all new parts but prolly not as good as i would have chosen for myself?

Here are some pics of my bike

http://web.syr.edu/~ayoung02/bike1.jpg

http://web.syr.edu/~ayoung02/bike2.jpg

Its a nice old-skool ridgid MTB, very practical as a utility bike as well as for touring. Its hard to get quality rigid bikes these days, so my vote is to keep that and get an additional bike for playing.

Originally posted by MichaelW
Its a nice old-skool ridgid MTB, very practical as a utility bike as well as for touring. Its hard to get quality rigid bikes these days, so my vote is to keep that and get an additional bike for playing.

I have to agree with MichaelW on this one. For not much more cash, you can have 2 bikes with different identities and uses. However, you may very well get a lot of enjoyment out of stripping and building your old frame.

It's really a WIN - WIN situation. Let us know which way you go, and show us the new scoot, or the refurb'd old scoot when it's complete!!

What size is the head tube? Thats what I would look at. If it is 1 1/8 then keep that frame and build it up. You can put on some good 3" forks and upgrade what is needed at it will be good. If it has a 1" headtube, dump it :)

When I went shopping a few years back for a new fork to upgrade my rigid frame mtb the bike store owner said "you could upgrade the fork on that back, but for about the same price you could have a new bike with front suspension and better parts" so thats what I ended up doing and it was the obvious choice because my bike at the time was 10 years old or so.

I've also noticed that if you're going to buy an entire set of new parts, it's almost cheaper to just buy a new bike... like you get a free frame with all the parts you buy

Originally posted by Maelstrom
What size is the head tube? Thats what I would look at. If it is 1 1/8 then keep that frame and build it up. You can put on some good 3" forks and upgrade what is needed at it will be good. If it has a 1" headtube, dump it :)

But if i were to upgrade, i would replace EVERYTHING on that bike. From the fork to the real derailer and eveything between. So i think i would be spending the same amount. I could just spend a bit more and get a 02 or 01 XC frame and build off that.

That is a cool old skool bike. I would make it a single speed, it would be cheaper to do. Then, I would spend the money on a new more "modern" bike. That way, I would still have my old bike for silly riding and the new bike for the muddy stuff. The new bike would have disc brakes and be a 9 speed, whether its a full suspension or hard tail.

You really need to go out and test ride bikes to see what you want to get. We can tell what we think, but you have to get what you want.

I ride a hardtail and I love it. I don't think I would ever own a full suspension because I don't see one I like yet, but that's me. I live an hour away from Speedgoat (www.speedgoat.com), and I can go up there and ride whatever dream bike I want to, but like I said, I like my StumpJumper HT.

this bike is more than 10 years old.

Then scrap it. :)...Sounds like you half made your decision. Personally I am a bike ***** and replace my bike every couple of years depending on my style and strenghts (well at least I know I will be like that. I have only been riding 6 months or so)

eh,,,.. get a new frame

i will most likely get a new frame, but prolly a 02, 01 model to save money. then go all out on parts