Originally Posted by
Saddle Up
I'm fortunate to live in a part of the world that has an awesome trail mountain trail system and mountain bike riding is something I get do regularly and this is what I discovered. It's not the bike, it's the rider. If I can ride a 94 bike with canti brakes and no suspension or a modern rigid bike, the same trails can be ridden with a vintage mountain bike. These trails existed long before modern bicycles did. Of course the Troll is not vintage, but I would ride a vintage mountain bike anywhere a Troll can go, that was my point.
http://www.pinkbike.com/video/229205/
...and I can take a '49 Willys on some of the old off road trails around here, but that doesn't mean a 2006 Wrangler Rubicon Edition isn't a superior off road vehicle.
A rider with skill can manage a singletrack trail with a 'cross bike, old MTB, hell even a fat tire cruiser if the gearing is right...but that doesn't mean the newer bikes with newer tech aren't better tools for the job.