Need some advice

I have an old Specialized FSR Comp 1999. This bike has hardly been ridden (maybe 1000 miles in all that time). I tend to ride my road bike more (a lot more!). I service it regularly and it's in preety good condition.

Now I'm thinking about riding more off road. Mostly trails, nothing to challenging to start. wanted opinions on whether I should

a) upgrade brakes and suspension;
b) sell it and get a new bike or
c) leave it all alone, get over my mid-life crisis and ride

The components are all stock, the suspension is - front is a Rock Shox Judy 2, rear is Rock Shox Deluxe. The brakes are Avid rim.

Would better suspension and disc brakes really make a big difference? I've never ridden disc breaks, I hear people raving about them.

The bike is feeling old and heavy after 7 years - but then again so am I!

My budget for a new bike would be $2-2.5k. For upgrades it would be $400-500.

Thanks

you could get a god bike for your budget but if you usualyy road bike and you are new to mountain biking i would buy a new one just yet i would try with the fsr for a month. personally i wouldnt touch anything, if the bike is rideable i would use it as it is for a month and then if you still like mountain biking you know you are gonna like it even more on a newer or upgraded bike.

but whether or not to buy new or upgrade is your opinion, ill see what the others say but i have never been to bothered about the weight of a bike so i might be tempted to stick to the fsr and upgrade. and then when you start getting more serious riding if you do get really into it then consider a new. as there is plenty of decent stuff on ebay to tart your bike up with.

I vote new. If you have the disposable income on hand that is. I love me the new bike smell.

Rollin, due to you not riding much and prefering more modest trails, I would commit to your current bike for 1 years worth of serious riding. Just because it's a 1999 does not make it inferior...I still see hard core riders on some seriously challenging trails riding FIXED FORK mt. bikes (no front suspension). A strong vote to just ride what you have. How about joining a bike club or attending a rally to see and possibly ride some of the newer models? It's a great way to meet new people, possibly ride and compare new bikes, and to narrow your search if you do indeed want to upgrade. Unless you are on some serious trails, I would go hardtail...but thats my preference as I like the way a hardtail responds/handles.

Yeah I would stick to the FSR "as is" and ride it for a while to: (1) make sure that you are going to like it and not regret dumping a bunch of money in a bike you'll never ride, and (2) find out what kind of bike you'll want to get or just upgrade your current bike. You might find that you want a super light cross country hardtail or maybe you want to get a FS freeride rig and huck some cliffs or you might just like a trail bike.

Thank you all for your feedback. I was setting out for a road ride last night and the rain came in so I took the FSR out to the local nature reserve instead - It was great! The bike is clearly more capable then me. And I think as much as I like the smell of a new bike too I'm going to ride this one for a while.

rollin, what's it like to live and ride in Singapore? Good trails, decent pavement for road riding?

It's all good. I came over here in 2000 for 6 months and haven't gone home (UK) yet.

There are decent trails but the island is small (40km accross 25km N to S). We have Malaysia and Indonesia on our doorstep - some great trails there through rainforest and plantations. The one thing that really kills you is the heat (25-35 C all year) and the humidity (70-90%). I switched to roadcycling soon after I came over as I got to know roadies first - but now I miss the trails!

Keep the FSR for a while - but (if you haven't done so) replace the cables & brake pads & check the BB & chain!

The FSR isnt exactly a cheap, entry level bike, so unless you have money to burn you should keep it. Especially if its in good shape. What component group do you have on it?(cranks, brakes, shifters, hubs, etc.). If they are Shimano LX or XT you should be good to go for the type of riding you're doing. My dad worked for Dupont, and he travelled to Singapore a few times. I hear they have extremely strict laws and punishments there, but as long as you aren't a gun runner or drug smuggler, I hear its a beautiful place!

If in Malaysia, watch out for a kid on a new Giant with a short seatpost and a lot of questions..

Keep on trucking on the FSR. Heck, the suspension design is still the same! The only thing that has really changed is suspension technology. The new stuff may be a little lighter, but it'll work just fine for you.

Save your dough.

Ride aggressively.

Fix what'cha break.

Hey FatBomber! You can keep the milkshake, we're drinking ALE!