Originally Posted by
Miradaman
Indeed, I've rented several new MTBs over the last few years on trips out to CO. There's no comparison, you'd get killed taking my old GT on some of the trails I took those rental bikes on. Not to mention you'd never be able to do the ascents, you'd be walking up the whole way...
Yeah they have come a long way!
Older, steel MTBs are enjoying somewhat of a renaissance right now for a different reason: They're plentiful (they made a gazillion of them), inexpensive, made of steel (durable), have upright riding positions and clearance for very wide tires. For all these reasons they make GREAT city bikes with very few modifications (fenders, decent tires, etc). Crust makes a fork to convert these bikes to accept a 20" front wheel so that you can haul a decent amount of cargo (like an 18 gallon plastic tote) over the front wheel. I have a Peugeot Crazy Horse hanging in my garage, as we speak, just waiting for me to get bored enough to turn it in to exactly this!