My new MTB - a review and n00b thoughts
 

I have been a roadie for a year now. Before that I was a distance runner who decided to get into Tri's.

I decided to get a MTB for a few reasons:
1. To mix up my training
2. To do some off road tri's
3. have another bike that I could a) convert into a bad weather roadie, a family ride bike, a commute bike, etc.

This post is both a review on my new bike and my start with a MTB.

I got the Motobecane Fly 9357 http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...instocknow.htm

Now . . . I used to post a decent amount on the road bike forum here any bikesdirect post started a holy war, but I have been told this forum is a bit more neutral.

Let be clear . . . my review of the bike should be taken with a grain of salt as I have no real MTB experience. Any decent bike would probably made me very happy.

Bike is light, at least according to research of what other bikes weigh. My 18" with 210 gram pedals (bebops) weighs in at around 21.75 lbs, within reason of what they advertise. Compared to my 17lbs roadie, it first felt heavy. I am not sure I want to feel what a 26lbs bike feels like. :)

Day 1 I put some Conti town and country tires (in a 2.1) on it for some road use. I felt like I was riding on an ATV with tires that wide!! Due to some poor planning I went to the local trails with those tires. I went to the harder of the two Indianapolis area trails (96th street) and road the loop once. It was fun and I made it through just fine, but it was a bit nerve racking to say the least. I mean, mentally I am still on a roadie and I expect every root or rock to taco my front wheel. Those tires where heavy and slow turning and did not break well on loose leaves. :) No, this is not shocking - just wrong tire for this.

I had fun on day 1, but it was odd.

I put the stock tires back on it (kenda klimax lite) and went to the easier trail (86th street) on day two. I had a blast! I was more comfy on the bike, had better tires, and was on easier trails. After 3 passes through I really started to get confident and has just having a blast.

MTB works your total body more than a road bike. I am sure this is obvious to all you, but I am feeling it today. I swim and strength train a lot too. At least where I was riding and how I was riding, it is not as much of a consistent led workout as a road ride. I mean, I had to coast at parts and the terrain dictated my speed more than my legs, where on a roadie your legs limit your speed nearly 100% the time.

I fell out once due to the clipless pedals. I have road clipless for a year and am used to it . .. but the difference is on a the MTB I did not always know when or where I would have to stop, or which side I would be leaning. I expect some more of this.

I will have to see where I like my seat and bars. Right now my seat is fairly high, like on my roadie, but I sometimes felt like I wanted it a bit lower as I was getting out of my saddle more than on the road.

More about the bike . .. came as described and took me about 45 minutes to get put together and ready to ride. Not too bad as I am not much of a wrench and I had never even seen disc brakes up close. Felt odd putting on the wheel and making sure that is lined up, etc. Derailers were dead on out of the box. Both disc brakes were ready to go, although I would like the rear to engage earlier. They both have plenty of power, just the rear has more distance in the pull before it engages. The twist adjustment is all the way adjusted, so I think I would have to bleed them to change this, but to be honest I have been too busy riding to research this at all.

I wonder how long these tires will last . . . they are very light and seem like they are thin. I loved how they performed though.

It is a great looking bike, and I suppose that matters some. :) I have learned quickly that I will be cleaning that bike more than my roadie.

I am happy with my choice to A) get a MTB and B) to get this bike.



edit - I already took back the town and country tires. They just seemed too wide heavy and slow. I got a set of Conti travel contact to try as my winter road semi slicks. They are more narrow and can take more pressure.

It's a better addiction than crack. Welcome.

More expensive though.

not really.


Nice bike, congrats

Really

Really

Yes, really.

Anyway, congrats on your purchase, looking at the spec that is a bloody awesome bike. Hope you have fun with it, I always found off road miles more entertaining then simply cycling on roads. It's a lot more varied. Hope you enjoy it.

the problem with a MTB addiction is that it creeps up on you....

You'll defnitely find that there will be days where you prefer the trail and days you prefer the road.
I'm a recently converted roadie (as in converted to a roadie), as a really wet summer of not riding the trails can do to a person. As you said, They are very different types of workouts. The trail is fun due to the constant change and alertness, but the road is fun due to the speeds you can push. Having the roadie background and keeping up with it will help because it will keep your legs in much better shape allowing you to only have to worry about building technical ability on the trail. The trail get alot harder if you wear out your legs midride.

The trail limits your speed to an extent right now, but that is mainly due to your technical ability. You will find that you will be able to get faster and faster as you learn to pick your lines and learn how to ride everything. Your mtn bike is not a delicate flower like your roadie is. Your wheels can take abuse and your fork helps even more so.

To avoid a browbeating, you should post real pictures as soon as possible!

I do not see me getting totally into MTB, as in place of road riding. That is not to say that I will not enjoy the MTB and will not do a good amount of it, but I doubt it will take the place of riding as my favorite as far as cycling (running is my favorite activity). Part of the reason is my location. Indy has very little in the way of trails. There are two main trails in Indy that are like 3 and 7 miles long. I have already looped them a few times. Yes, I can get to the point where I will get much faster and better at them, but still I cannot see myself going every week or more than once a week. Yes, I could travel to some surrounding areas, but that is not going to happen often as I have two young kids and I already spend a lot of time working out (swim bike run at least 2x per week) and away from my family. Taking a 2 hour road trip to ride is just not going to be common for me.
The second part is conditioning. I love road cycling as a break from running as I can get a very steady workout of like 4 hours. I am into endurance stuff more than short stuff . . . Riding 4 hours around the same loop might drive one insane. :)

It will take some time to fully realize that the bike is not the flower that a roadie is. It has already happened some and will continue to do so . . . I just hope the opposite does not happen: thinking I can take anything on my roadie. :)

That all said, I am pumped about having a MTB and look forward to doing it more. It is a ton of fun and I will only get a lot better on it. I doubt I will ever get a FS and get into free riding or downhill, just by nature I am a tentative person. I am not the one to go balls out down a hill without trying it real slow many times before. I am not exactly a coward - I hit these relatively easy trails with a good amount of speed, just not what I know some others would do.

Pictures coming soon. :)

Try the seat a lot lower. My MTB seat is quite a bit lower (maybe an inch or two?) than my road bike seat. Feels to me like I have more leverage that way, which is important on the MTB. My LBS fit me to my MTB and set the seat that low and I've been liking it ever since.

I really like how road biking and mountain biking complement eachother. I think folks who love one that don't even try the other are missing out. I can't imagine having to give one of 'em up.

A) thanks for the seat advice
B) I agree so far. It seems like they would compliment each other very much. I like to mix things up, which is why I swim, bike and run. They all make me love the others more. I even mix up swimming with pool and open water and the running with trail, road, and treadmill. I also do spin bike stuff to mix that up. I love working out and different ways makes it challenging.

I think one of the nice things about off road is your ability to go as a family. Think about that - if they're too young to ride, you can tow, and then introduce them to wheels at an appropriate age... no cars to worry about.

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looks like a nice bike .. I'd put those kenda's on it though..

I will use them whenever I go off road. I was going to go for a night ride this week . . . but the rain is nuts right this week (which is what we need).

The reflectors will be gone . . . just have not got around to it. I wanted to ride it instead of working on it.

I like stickers, they are on everything I have, including this laptop I am using.

Question . . . are dork discs as bad on MTB's as on roadies?

I've still got mine. Not really sure what the hell it does, though...

Dork discs ... after dumping my chain and trashing some spokes on my old bike .. I now sport a dork disc, but I am a dork so I do not care. they are not needed if your derailer is adjusted, but when it does go out of adjustment the sound of spokes getting gashed and the wheel coming to a halt are not my preferred way to find out.

cool bike, i hope you have fun with it!