Mountain Biking - Finally bought a NEW BIKE!!!

After about a year and a half of searching and test riding several different bikes I fianlly purchased a new bike today. I got a 2009 Trek Fuel EX 9.8. The owner of the shop gave me such a great deal on it that I could not pass it up. I am dieing to take it out and ride it. But I have a slight problem. We just got dumped on with a ton of snow. AHHHHHH It looks like I'm going to have to take it up to Rays Indoor Moutain Bike Park to try it out.

181400

Nice.

awesome.

darn good bike. you better be riding the crap out of that bike and not just letting it sit around.

That rays places looks way to packed and unatural for me..

but Sweet Ride!

Rays looks awesome. Have fun with it!

Nice. Enjoy.

It is a major upgrade from my old Mongoose aka (The Death Bike) that I used to ride. Unfortunately is been snowing non stop around here so if I want to ride I need to go ride indoors. I have never rode at Rays before but I have to admit it is very unique! They have several different rooms for all different styles of riding. There are several members of our club that go there to ride when the weather is so bad out you can't ride outside. So until the weather breaks it looks like thats where I'm headed....

That rays places looks way to packed and unatural for me..


Yeah I'm sure there's no room in your mtb agenda for skill building or fun.

You gotta get those rims spinning or the whole thing turns to jello. Great bike!

That's a long time shopping for a bike!! Have fun!

Ray's looks awesome to me. I love the nature & getting outside, but I also drool over the thought of having everything else I love about MTBing compiled into one indoor park.

Hey guys don't get me wrong. Rays is a great PLACE to go and ride! Especially when the weather is so ****ty out. I guess thats why it is only open thru the winter months. All I'm saying is that I much rather be outside riding the trail than being indoors. Rays has become extremely popular around here and deservingly so. From what I have been told there is really no one their during the week day. I am just happy that I have a choice and I'm not forced to have the bike sit in my basement and collect dust until spring arrives.

Umm, it's a mountain bike. Throw on some studded tires and get out there. Riding MBs indoor in the winter is for wimps!;)

:rolleyes:

Just curious, the bike googled was $ 4,200 MSRP, what is ballpark for a great deal ?

http://www.productwiki.com/trek-fuel-ex-9-8/

Today it's $ 4,720:

http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/mountain_full_suspension/fuel_ex/fuelex98/

He gave me an incredible deal... $2,600.00 out the door Thats why I couldn't pass it up

181675181676181677

Nice ride!

Umm, it's a mountain bike. Throw on some studded tires and get out there. Riding MBs indoor in the winter is for wimps!;)

+1

Yeah I'm sure there's no room in your mtb agenda for skill building or fun.

What a positive guy! What do ya say we hang out some time?

What a positive guy! What do ya say we hang out some time?

It's funny how you you criticize other people for calling you out on the dumb **** you say. You live in Atlanta, have you ever even been on a bike in the snow? With studded tires?

Umm, it's a mountain bike. Throw on some studded tires and get out there. Riding MBs indoor in the winter is for wimps!;)
I'd take Ray's over the snow any day. Heck, if it were close to me, I'd take a park like that over the trail every so often.

Before I started mountain biking, I did a little bit of rock climbing. And I really liked gym climbing. A lot of the other climbers thought I was nuts because it was "so much better" outdoors, but indoors, you could work on your skills in a controlled environment, the camaraderie was almost better indoors than outdoors (kind of reminds me of snowboarding in the park vs the entire mountain, if that helps), and if you hurt yourself, you weren't laying there wondering how the hell you were getting back to your car. And you never get rained on. Not that I'm a huge wimp who won't go outside in the rain, but very few people would actually RATHER ride in the rain than in nice weather. I've never been to Ray's. But from the pictures/videos I've seen and everything I've heard, it looks great. A little expensive, but I guess they need to get the money for new stuff from somewhere.

A little expensive, but I guess they need to get the money for new stuff from somewhere.I looked it up and Ray's is cheaper than summer lift tickets anywhere. Plus, as with ski slopes, you're really paying for the overhead. Since commercial space leases by the square foot, I can imagine than even bombed-out former industrial space can't be cheap when you're leasing so much.

What a positive guy! What do ya say we hang out some time?

I've been driving up from NC (and lately over from NY) to visit Rays for longer than you've been mountain biking.

You most likely never heard of Rays until this thread yet you're trying to take some purist hard line. It's quite humorous.

I don't really think I want to hang out with you but I would be happy to get together and ride. Rays would be a good place.

I'd take Ray's over the snow any day. Heck, if it were close to me, I'd take a park like that over the trail every so often.

Before I started mountain biking, I did a little bit of rock climbing. And I really liked gym climbing. A lot of the other climbers thought I was nuts because it was "so much better" outdoors, but indoors, you could work on your skills in a controlled environment, the camaraderie was almost better indoors than outdoors (kind of reminds me of snowboarding in the park vs the entire mountain, if that helps), and if you hurt yourself, you weren't laying there wondering how the hell you were getting back to your car. And you never get rained on. Not that I'm a huge wimp who won't go outside in the rain, but very few people would actually RATHER ride in the rain than in nice weather. I've never been to Ray's. But from the pictures/videos I've seen and everything I've heard, it looks great. A little expensive, but I guess they need to get the money for new stuff from somewhere.

All this. Plus you can order pizza into Rays.


I can imagine than even bombed-out former industrial space can't be cheap when you're leasing so much.

Well it is Cleveland...

Like I told all of you guys before Rays is an incredible place. I just wish I was smart enoungh to come up with that idea. Livinging here in RUST BELT there are quite a few of abandon factories all over the place. I'm sure Ray was able to get that place for a stee but that is what this city needs. He has done a remarkable job with that place and it is quickly gaining national attention. I'm sure thats why Trek bought the place from Ray and is now building a new one up in Wisconsin in which Ray himself will oversee and manage. On their grand opening day Ray had 7 pro riders their to put on a clinic and sign autographs. Now with Trek involved you can rent some pretty bad ass bikes to ride around in there. One of things that I liked most about Rays was the fact it got kids off the couch and away from video games. People are way to lazy and we as a nation are getting fatter everyday. So if anything else it is great for that alone. Beside some of you guys are right you and really work on some of your stills their.

I'd take Ray's over the snow any day. Heck, if it were close to me, I'd take a park like that over the trail every so often.

Before I started mountain biking, I did a little bit of rock climbing. And I really liked gym climbing. A lot of the other climbers thought I was nuts because it was "so much better" outdoors, but indoors, you could work on your skills in a controlled environment, the camaraderie was almost better indoors than outdoors (kind of reminds me of snowboarding in the park vs the entire mountain, if that helps), and if you hurt yourself, you weren't laying there wondering how the hell you were getting back to your car. And you never get rained on. Not that I'm a huge wimp who won't go outside in the rain, but very few people would actually RATHER ride in the rain than in nice weather. I've never been to Ray's. But from the pictures/videos I've seen and everything I've heard, it looks great. A little expensive, but I guess they need to get the money for new stuff from somewhere.

Outside = free, I'm cheap:o Seriously though, I hate riding inside. Yeah I could throw a bike on the trainer and sit all comfy pedaling away and watching a football game on the 67" HD TV. But that sucks for me compared to blasting down a snowy icy road in 10 degrees while hoping no idiot in a car decides to take me out. Maybe it's a matter of sanity, :lol:

I looked it up and Ray's is cheaper than summer lift tickets anywhere. Plus, as with ski slopes, you're really paying for the overhead. Since commercial space leases by the square foot, I can imagine than even bombed-out former industrial space can't be cheap when you're leasing so much.
Is it? I guess I'm spoiled from not doing downhill. :o Season pass looks to be the same as Keystone's summer pass (Ray's day passes are cheaper though), but that's the only price I'm familiar with. But yeah, it's all cheap when you compare to ski. I guess I didn't think of it that way...I was comparing it more to the climbing gym prices (which are pretty dirt cheap, comparatively, at least for the ones I've been at). I'd still pay it without a second thought if I were in the area though.

James, I'm not sure you can compare a bike park to the trainer. I've never been to Ray's, but I've been at plenty of pump tracks and skate parks and I've ridden the trainer, and I can't see how they'd compare even with a roof overhead. But hey, to each their own. :thumb:

Back to the OP, I picked up a similar upgrade a couple months back. Shopped like you did. Parked my old brick (1994 Norco Nitro) I took the brick out last night. I couldn't believe the difference in the two bikes. It was huge, you will enjoy waiting and then pulling the trigger on a quality ride.

I now have a list of 4 must have manly items:

1. A very good mountain bike.

2. A Bobcat with trencher, back hoe and front blade attachments.

3. A good woman who lets me ride and buy stuff and understands that I have to spend time tuning the bike up and don't want to watch real housewives kinda stuff.

4. A place like Ray's for when the weather is crappy.

That's my list. Did I miss anything?

Is it? I guess I'm spoiled from not doing downhill.Sorry, I wasn't even looking at the season passes. Was looking at per-day and three-day. Per day of $19 doesn't seem bad. Cheapest summer lift around here is $25 and the B.C. resorts are almost all $39 (which, at today's exchange rate isn't just Monopoly money any more). One-day at Whistler is over $50.

Seattle has a (albeit not as extensive) place like Ray's that's free - - Colonnade Park (http://evergreenmtb.org/recreation/picture_search.php?keywords=colonnade&searching=1) is under a network of freeway overpasses so stays pretty much weather-free year-'round.



2. A Bobcat with trencher, back hoe and front blade attachments.That or something like it is high on my list. Bobcat with track set and a six-way blade, Clark Airborne or a Toro Dingo with a six-way. And an old double-drum yarder. And a Kubota with a bush hog. And a . . . .

Parked my old brick (1994 Norco Nitro) I took the brick out last night. I couldn't believe the difference in the two bikes. It was huge, you will enjoy waiting and then pulling the trigger on a quality ride.

I did the same thing. I eventually sold the XC hardtail because it just wasn't getting used, and bought a slacker, longer travel hardtail in its place. It rides differently enough that I have reason to ride both bikes now.

I now have a list of 4 must have manly items:

1. A very good mountain bike.

2. A Bobcat with trencher, back hoe and front blade attachments.

3. A good woman who lets me ride and buy stuff and understands that I have to spend time tuning the bike up and don't want to watch real housewives kinda stuff.

4. A place like Ray's for when the weather is crappy.

That's my list. Did I miss anything?

1. granted

2. The trencher is obviously a not so subtle phallic reference. I dare not speculate what that might signify.

3. A woman should never be used as a yardstick for manliness

4. Ray's is great but other than the name it's not particularly manly. There're plenty of gals ripping there too.