Originally Posted by
himespau
I've tried to "save money" by making an old bike something it wasn't. Ended up spending way more than a new bike would costs and it still isn't quite what I want. Learned a fair bit though.
sage advice.
OP: borrow a friend's bike, or rent/demo a shop bike on your local trail. then decide if what you felt was nice enough to spend money on. if it is, then save up for it. if your friend has a really expensive bike, make sure you set your expectations appropriately.
either way, you should get the idea that your bike is good enough, or that the money for a new bike (or newer used, since yours is so old) would be well spent.