Speaking of the age Myth I'm now 56, after I turned 40 I went full on Roadie but always wanted to MTB more. At my age it was impossible to find people that wanted to go Mountain Biking. This year I said F#$%K it and bought a Full Sus and I ride with guys that are 15 years younger. Here in Ontario we don't have anything close to a bike park so most or all of the trails are Wild. I live near a set of crazy good trails we call "The Don Trails."
I also find and (don't) maintain my own trails in this anti-fun country I live in. No-one has stopped me yet, and I have recently found new forestry trails. Yesss. Wish I had a few more mates to enjoy them with.
65 and loving it! I'd definitely join you if I were closer man. I'm in SoCal. Actually, I've been around guys my age or older who shred much better than me. And I pad up every time.
"Get good on what you Ride" is my mindset, and I prefer Full Sus. Why 'limit' yourself if you don't need to? I'd guess that 90% of people can ride gnarlier terrain on a full sus that they would never dream of riding on a HT. I'm also from SW Ontario where singletracks are few and far between (The Pines, Hydrocut). So when I need to bomb through virgin woodland, full sus all the way. P.S. Age myth? PPffftt. Im 40, on the trail I'll meet people 20 years younger and 20 years older... Some of the 'older' guys shred harder than the younger ones!
I got into mountain biking in 1995 when I was 37. I've been through a number of bikes since then. Today at 64 I don't miss an opportunity to ride. Have always ridden a hard tail. I plan to get my first e-bike when I turn 70. Still waiting for my flying car...
Completely agree. Riding my hardtail down the same trail as my enduro bike feels completely different and there are advantages to each but in general the full sus can go faster and over tougher stuff
When I turned 65 I decided to get back into mountain biking. I try to hit the trails at least once a week, and I am having a blast. Hard tail guy btw,and no sausage rolls where I ride.
I am 61 and I am starting MTB, coming from motorcycle, both road and offroad. I have chosen an eMTB so I don't get discouraged riding uphill and it helps me keep up with the much younger riders.
I like Martyn's observation that you learn good technique for the bike you're on. I don't see how perfecting a hardtail would make me a better full sus rider. Age? I turned 69 in October and I still love (safe) jumps (no gaps for me!), steep slopes, rock gardens, and eye watering speed.
Great video guys. Not too old to MTB?? I am 64 and just got into it recently after spending years on the road. Only regret is that I didn't do it sooner! Your never too old for sure.
Great video 😃😃 Full suspension for me , Bike parks 😎 , Flats , I still can't bunny hop 😬, Protection is essential and you are never too old or too young for MTB ❤ just have fun
20 years in Clips then I went and raced the national downhill championships on flat pedals on a trail bike and placed second in the 60 over class. Love flat pedals feel like I’m riding a motorcycle.
I'm 47 and just recently got my first MTB. It's a hardtail and I'm loving getting into the woods and exploring. I've even joined my local MTB club! Nothing against ebikes but I might wait a decade or so before I get one 😀
I am 64 and have been mountain biking since 1985. I was a tied in the wool roadie before that and couldn't understand why anyone would want to ride off road. I quickly found out and haven't looked back. No ebike for me, yet, and still clipping in.
I rode a hard tail for 15 years before I got my first full suspension, a Trek Y3 in 2003. I got my self my first bike for Christmas 2019. Whilst I love the ebike and wouldn’t be without it at age 45 I have just bought a Ragley Mmbop. No motor , no rear suspension and I am loving it. I ride clips on the hard tail and flats on the ebike.
I am 48 also and just got my first ever full suspension bike and loving it. My last bike was just a glorified commuter. You might never be to old, but definately more cautious. Takes a lot longer to get up when you fall down.
Tried a hardtail and a full suss and felt much more connected with the hardtail so that's what I ride. I mostly ride local paths around where I live so it works well.
You’re too old…FALSE! I was in Bentonville this weekend and a 63 year old woman lined up next to me on Thunderdone at Coler MTB Preserve. Total inspiration for anyone wanting to get into it. You’re too young…also FALSE. The kids out there were killing it! No fear, full send mentality. Love it!
I just turned 50 and after riding fully rigid bikes in the 90s I got my first hard tail about three years ago. I got a more aggressive HT after a year or so and found a bike park close by where I am now learning to jump and drop as these kinds of features were rare when and where I used to ride back in the day. Where I live now there are not so many hills, East Anglia is pretty flat compared to Portsmouth where I grew up, so the bike park is more like what I would consider proper mountain biking to be as Hampshire was all single track trekking with my buddies. I don’t plan on getting a full suss any time soon and want to use MTB to remain fit so don’t plan to start looking at e-bikes any time soon either🤘🤞
Was Mountain Biking for 20 years , including downhill racing, been off them 17 years, back on them thanks to E-Bikes, and absolutely loving it again , I'm now 59 years old , it's all smiles per miles again
The wife(58) and me(54) have just gone eeb from jurassic, the best move ever, big smiles are back on our faces after every ride. Now covering 2-3 times the mileage each ride as well as actively hunting down big hills (not easy in the flatlands of Hertfordshire). Its my wife’s first full suss too and after a couple of years of hardtail madness im back on full suss too and its a god send, all my incompetence is soaked up im hitting higher and more stable speeds on the downs and not being killed by the ups. Win win.
I was just under 35 years old when I got my first mountain bike in 1995. I'm now 62 years old and still ripping. I might not be as fast as I once once, and I've definitely put on few unwanted pounds over the years; but I keep improving my skills, and these days I can afford to take MTB destination trips a few times of the year. On the other hand, when I do take these trips I am continually amazed by all the kids out on bikes, most of whom can make me look like a novice. That is so cool to see.! At this point, I don't have an e-bike, but being able to use one to "self-shuttle" and be able to get double or triple the number of downhill runs in is very appealing.
I’m 48 also as have been biking for a while, I would argue that a hardtail will more likely punish you for making a mistake where as a full suspension bike will probably save you for the same mistake.
Never too old to start! I'm 47 this year and started with a full-sus enduro style bike. Don't regret one bit! (I am considering adding an eMTB to my stable in 2023 though)
I'm 40, and got my first full sus last year, full steel frame, coil fork n shock, it weighs a ton, but only pushing me to get fitter. no ebike just yet!!
I’m 36 and bought my first bike in 20 years a week and a half ago . Finally after practicing I’ll be on the local trail after work this afternoon. So I’ll be testing out this age myth 😅
I'm 65 and finally got a fat bike so I don't have to stop riding in the winter. I love doing the drops, jumps and technical climbs. The more I ride, the more I like it.
I ride a rigid. A lot. And I ride it faster than a lot of people ride in general. It has absolutely taught me how to pick fast, smooth lines. When I hop on my squishy, I feel unstoppable. Different pedals have different pros and cons just like any other component. I wear as much protection as I can stand to wear or pack along on any given day, some days that's a half lid and gloves, some days it's a full face, and full legs.
I had the budget for any bike, chose another hardtail (Laufey). HT rider can crush it on a full sus immediately, full sus riders start to cry on HT when it gets gnarly :) Does that make the HT rider a better rider? Hardtail 'til you can't!😉
I'm 48 and 30 years of rugby and an accident later (now got dodgy knees and ankle) I had given up on MTB riding until I recently bought my eBike - it has genuinely changed everything. I love getting out in the Lakes and riding now because the hills are no longer a killer, your heartrate and fitness levels are just as good riding an eMTB and the fun has returned. Win-win for me, I wish I had done it years ago but I thought I could no longer do it as I couldn't manage the hills any more. But the downside is no more-hike-a-bike (common up here) as the thing weighs a bleeding tonne!! :)
I am 72 and started out on a full rigid mountain bike more years ago than I can remember. That's still a good way to learn skills, but harsh and not very forgiving! Still ride clipped in, but thinking I may give flats a try. I ride only full suspension bikes now and need/enjoy the additional cushion. Though I am still able to ride my local trails, the climbs have gotten progressively harder and I need to rest more often to let the old kicker and lungs recover. So I ordered a light weight emtb and am looking forward to hopefully keeping up with my sons and riding many more years to come.
I don't know where the name "Cockroach" came from. My wife and I had a few laughs over it. My name is actually Pat. Maybe I need to run a virus check!!
Hardtails definitely improve your overall riding capability, rode a hardtail for many years and was always slower than my full sus friends, Now on a full sus I'm considerably quicker than all friends that have been riding them alot longer
I've just turned 65 and love going on long wilderness rides as well as hitting the jumps and trails at bike parks. Definitely have no intention of giving up yet! The only concession is that I now ride en e-mtb which is just brilliant 😁.
I've owned several of both and totally agree with Neil, you can get away with so many mistakes on full sus. You know when you've made mistakes on hardtails. If you don't have the essentials when you make mistakes on larger features the consequences are also higher.
i think clips work well will hardtails, where as full-sus bikes dont necessarily need clips as the feet dont bounce of the pedals so much. But i am old and found clip-in pedals such a revolutionary change to toe-clips
The most appealing aspect of wearing clips is not actually the clips but the plastic shank in the sole of the shoes. On flat pedals your feet conform around the peddle as well as destroy your shoes, with clip shoes my daily shoes are kept from being destroyed... In Toronto there is a set of trails on the Don River that is very underappreciated. While riding one day we were doing the jumps and saw a group of guys on high end bikes just watching because if they crashed it would cost a lot more so I think any bike that gets you riding is the best bike...
I could tout my 50 years for the age myth, but instead I'll push a guy who's 80. Don't know his name, but a friend of yours in Bentonville, Rich Drew, posted a video recently of teaching this guy how to jump. He was clearing doubles like a madman. It was awesome.
I feel like the bike parks are kind of similar to skate parks in the sense of you have this open space to really hone your skills while at the same time having just wild trails to mess around on really helps you develop the technique and really develop your own style which in turn manifests you into and all around writer
overweight and over 40, bought my 1st ever hardtail in Feb last year. no previous riding experience apart from scooting around town on occasion with a cheap-o bike. my biggest issue is there isn't a lot of places to ride near me that won't kill me and no bike friends to help me learn. So i stick to the one or two flat trails and rides around town; I'm down ~40lbs since i picked up my bike.
That you have to be in an certain age for mountain biking is definitely a myth. I´m 52 now and was in a Bike Park for my 1st time this year. Just riding blue and hitting my first red trails (i have to learn veeerry much!) and i love it! My biggest problem is the lack of trails where i´m living. I always have to drive almost an hour with my car if i want to ride a "real" trail with more than a view hundred meters.
I started my off road biking last year at age 34 on 26" hardtail that I bought for 50 Euros and resurrected from near dead on a budget. Replaced the bars, serviced the brakes (Magura rim brakes to give an idea of just how old school), "new" used set of pedals, new casette (3x9), new shifter cables, new BB, new tires and tubes. As I'm living in the Netherlands and any of our Mountain biking is rather missing most of the "Mountain" aspect I'm not sure I'll ever go for a fully. Most of the trails around here really don't need full suspension. In any case the (s)crappy 26-er has given me a taste and made me decide I like it. Now I need to figure out what I'm going to eventually replace it with. As to the clipless v. flats debate, after a broken ankle in my youth and the slight misalignment this gives my left leg, I can't ride clipless pedals very well as my knees start hurting after a while being locked in like that and I can't afford to get a special bike fitting to see if it's a solvable problem. I haven't been able to DIY it. Flats give me just enough movement that it's fine so I'm sticking to flat pedals with good flat pedal shoes. Just a shame about the money I burned on clipless shoes
At 71 years old ,riding a full suspension upgrades make the bike fit better weather is freezing or hot. with snow in the mountains we’re now riding gravel with the same bike changing tires 29 x2,6 can’t wait for some powder snow riding down those gravel roads have access to a large wilderness park with like 50 lakes along the trails for camping an fishing now that’s what real mountain bikes do when we get old get a better bike to get us there but exercise is that difference.if we can’t mountain bike in heaven I’m not going! Thanks for sharing your thoughts 💭
Hardtails and flat pedals teach you to be a better rider and are the best place to start if you are looking to become the best rider you can be but that said a full sus is a bit more fun typically
At 56 I finally retired my 1990 GT Karakorum K2 which I have been riding as hard as fellow riders 20 years my junior on trails that were definitely more work for me to ride than them. I found a used Devinci full suspension 29r for a great price and can't wait to hit the trails. Sadly winter came the day I picked it up so it will be awhile before I can enjoy it.
I feel like the myth I do agree with was the hardtail one because I myself started out on a 27 5-in hardtail and I really learned a lot of good technique and really learning how to stay behind my bars which in turn help me with the 29-in wheel that I just slowly but surely got really acquainted with and now I see myself never going back to necessarily 27.5 on my mountain bike but I would like to set up a mullet
on the first myth another reason to get a hardail is maintenance because no rear end to get stuck. also for clips flats are better for me. the being attached to the bike is bad i can bail out without thinking. i ride emtb so efficiency isnt my main concern. havent found a tech climb i couldnt do yet.
Im always surprised at how little suspension I need even on some steeper segments. Usually have compression on full, usually 50-90mm actual travel on a hardtail. No full sus needed.
At 61 I can't imagine quitting any time soon. I do have a small electric dirt bike, and several gas powered ones. But I do all my own peddling on my mountain bikes. The dirt bikers say that you don't get old and quit. You quit and get old. Come to dirt bike camp at Akeley, MN and see seven or more of my friends roost off into the woods, aged between 58 and 72. Bring game too . We've been at it for a while. We're not slow. Check out Paul Bunyan Forest Riders for a trail map. Good stuff.
Getting 50 this December and still not thinking of getting an E-bike. Ant that even if I know way in over the 100kg mark due a work burn out. Now playing my hockey in the winter and MTB in the summer. Hopefully soon more energy and less weight.
Speaking of protective gear don't forget neck braces. Not so much for trail riding but for downhill. Take it from a guy that's had his neck broken... it's no fun!
I‘m torn on the hardtail. I rode hardtails for a long time in the 90s and early 2000s. Today I often find myself still riding like I was on a 90s bike and don‘t use the potential of my 160mm travel.
Hello peeps stonking video. I'm in well over my forties and have been mountainbiking for donkey years. You are never to young or old. Some of the places you get to go are just epic, and it doesn't have to cost you shedloads. Also I bike every day. It's the best. Big old 👍's GMBN.
I’m 37 and made the jump to e bike. When I’m with my acoustic mate I keep it on eco and ride with them but on my own trail or boost and I have so much fun just flying up the hills and getting in triple the laps. So 37 is the age to switch.
Regarding the last points, I'm 58 in a month and still riding as hard as I can,on an acoustic. Will get round to an ebike but reckon it will be a year or two yet.
As a 75 year old I dread the thought of owning an E-Bike. Regularly ride trails on a hard tail but moving to a hand built made to measure full suss in steel. Fox34 forks, Cane Creek rear in line spring etc etc. Love it all great fun, but no e-bike for me thanks very much!
Heck, I'm 60 and had a titanium hip put in last year and still go to bike parks. I ride with guys my age, older, and younger. My 30 year old son and I still go to bike parks together all summer! I mtb all over the US and will as long as I can. I'm sure at some point I'll get an ebike but, not yet!
I had motor cycle accident and shattered my knee cap 10 moths off work I ride a EMTB because it’s best for me and I cannot ride clips because my knee won’t bend enough to pedal in the clip position But I love to go out and ride almost every day weather permitting Love your channel and EMTB channel Doddy and Anna are great 👍🇦🇺🚲
Flat pedal rider going to clips is scary. I tried clips on my old orange c16r and hated it, couldn't get my feet out quick enough if something went wrong usually resulting in a injury so gotta be flats. Although on my road bike I feel safe with clips and can get out quick if I need to. Weird🤔
I guess the hardtail technique thing needs some concrete examples. Like what bad habits might you have if you've never learned to control a hardtail, and how will they get you in trouble even on your full sus? I would think maybe not worrying about casing things a bit more, which might one day get you in trouble? I'm not sure.
I agree with Martin. After 35 years of riding and racing. The techniques are much different picking and choosing lines on a Hardtail don’t coincide with blasting through a section. Go fast on whatever you ride though hammerheads.
for myself i think each type of bike will teach you a different technique. for example if you are on a trail and you need to get from A to B, a rigid, hardtail, full sus will all require a different technique. i say each bike type's reaction/personality will be different and will teach you different skills for each type.
im 50 was had a normal mtb and then went to the dark side and got an EMTB......have not looked back since. I can keep up with the rest and do more laps it handles just like a normal EMTB def the future.
I started riding in the late 80’s and started with pedal clips, then went clipless much later. I’ve never been a good rider, but someone that’s good with flats probably has much better technique than me. I’m rubbish with flat pedals.
I don’t think hardtails necessarily help with anything more than a full suspension bike does except line choice, which inevitably becomes more important on a hardtail
Being on an STD pedal I myself for his mountain biking is concerned the spd's probably one of the greatest inventions in cycling in my opinion the thought of writing platforms is fun but I just like the security of knowing that my legs are staying where they need to
One from me - strength is not a factor in mountain biking. I think that you need to be strong enough to do all of the tech 'trial'ish' stuff like bunny hops, jumps or just trials riding - you can be too weak for that and need to build strength to pull that front wheel up correctly. Technic is one thing - but strength is essential to execute it properly.
I’m 58 years old riding and racing cross country. No plans in my future for a e-bike. Also age is only a number. At 58 years old I’m in the best shape of my life and riding more technical trails then I ever had.
Doesn't matter what bike you have . It's getting out there and thrashing a trail. The size of my daft grin with the enjoyment is probably the same size as when I started out on my muddy fox in the '90s. Just get the best you can. Keep well all 👍
A up !! I'm of a certain vintage rode many a mile in my time,bought a emtb to add to the bikevault, loved it but keep rotating between the powerfly& VITUS hardtail simply because the VITUS is faster for me to ride at sustained speed, it's not quite as easy to power past the limiter on the trek emtb..iwanttoridemybike..
I wouldn’t say age is the limiting factor to when someone should get an e-bike, but rather ability. A healthy and fit 50 year old might not need an e-bike to really get around whereas a 25 year old riddled with injuries may need one.
After years of fully i tryed a meta ht and drave all i also drove with the fully but, after a season i decidet to come back to a fully (now a Meta SX) It was so horrible all the stairs, the drop on the trails an everything on flatpedals, i mean i make it all and almost dont get hurt but there was it almost, im 40 now and a full sus forgives my failures. I wanna slam down steps and so, i wanna make a little bunnyhop into them and its a crul thing on a hardtail!° Think i made a good descission. I just love it
6:03 - do you need to spend big? Some would say that more important is adventure and fun... Having said that - you can enjoy a cheap(er) bike but once you got spoiled with a better (and arguably - more expensive...) one, it's difficult to be back to the same enjoyment on a lower class bike 😐First-world problem, isn't it? 😆
I started on a full suspension. Once going to hardtails my technique is much better. Exponentially. I can now go to a full suspension and ride much better.
I was coming back to cycling at 40 and choose MTB. When I was young and some med issues stops my cycling at the club level, MTBs slowly comes to my country. Todays traffic proove my choice and Im happy. Also clips was logical option, I was dreaming about them when was young... 😀So Im not able to properly bunnyhop, relying on the clips. Guilty. When decision was made, I buy a 700Euro hardtail for me and cheaper trek bike for my wife and small bike for son. As my wife later gets some bad heart troubles, after surgery and treatment we decide this year to change her bike for realy expensive EMTB, so she is now capable to beat me and my son everywhere we can go. This gave her more confidence and she enjoy our rides. Growing son also got new bike, better than mine but he like it. So I must agree with Neil, this day technology alows us to ride together and enjoy. Except wife expensive Ebike, it wasnt financial disaster at begining.
some trail centres are just elongated bmx tracks. i understand it as it has to be built to handle the traffic but i prefer the adventure of the wilderness, personally
It's best to start on a hardtail because you're going to crash, and crash often, so why waste full suspension money on a learning bike. As for age, I'm 49 and I love the blue and black trails.
Speaking of the age Myth I'm now 56, after I turned 40 I went full on Roadie but always wanted to MTB more. At my age it was impossible to find people that wanted to go Mountain Biking. This year I said F#$%K it and bought a Full Sus and I ride with guys that are 15 years younger. Here in Ontario we don't have anything close to a bike park so most or all of the trails are Wild. I live near a set of crazy good trails we call "The Don Trails."
I also find and (don't) maintain my own trails in this anti-fun country I live in. No-one has stopped me yet, and I have recently found new forestry trails. Yesss. Wish I had a few more mates to enjoy them with.
65 and loving it! I'd definitely join you if I were closer man. I'm in SoCal. Actually, I've been around guys my age or older who shred much better than me. And I pad up every time.
@@speed2live SoCal is one of my dream destinations. I would love to be there, ride there, live there!!!
I'm 39 and just started again and absolutely loving it, don't know why I ever stopped.
"Get good on what you Ride" is my mindset, and I prefer Full Sus. Why 'limit' yourself if you don't need to? I'd guess that 90% of people can ride gnarlier terrain on a full sus that they would never dream of riding on a HT. I'm also from SW Ontario where singletracks are few and far between (The Pines, Hydrocut). So when I need to bomb through virgin woodland, full sus all the way. P.S. Age myth? PPffftt. Im 40, on the trail I'll meet people 20 years younger and 20 years older... Some of the 'older' guys shred harder than the younger ones!
I agree with Neil on the hardtail myth. Riding hardtail teaches you good trail and jumping skills.
Hear, hear!
Sorry, but hardtails limit people's skills. How does a hardtail help with jumping? I never understood that statement.
I got into mountain biking in 1995 when I was 37. I've been through a number of bikes since then. Today at 64 I don't miss an opportunity to ride. Have always ridden a hard tail. I plan to get my first e-bike when I turn 70. Still waiting for my flying car...
A full sis gives way more confidence, therefore you try more and get better faster. However, on a hardtail you can (and must) refine you skills more.
True!
Completely agree. Riding my hardtail down the same trail as my enduro bike feels completely different and there are advantages to each but in general the full sus can go faster and over tougher stuff
When I turned 65 I decided to get back into mountain biking. I try to hit the trails at least once a week, and I am having a blast. Hard tail guy btw,and no sausage rolls where I ride.
I am 61 and I am starting MTB, coming from motorcycle, both road and offroad. I have chosen an eMTB so I don't get discouraged riding uphill and it helps me keep up with the much younger riders.
I like Martyn's observation that you learn good technique for the bike you're on. I don't see how perfecting a hardtail would make me a better full sus rider.
Age? I turned 69 in October and I still love (safe) jumps (no gaps for me!), steep slopes, rock gardens, and eye watering speed.
Great video guys. Not too old to MTB?? I am 64 and just got into it recently after spending years on the road. Only regret is that I didn't do it sooner! Your never too old for sure.
Great video 😃😃 Full suspension for me , Bike parks 😎 , Flats , I still can't bunny hop 😬, Protection is essential and you are never too old or too young for MTB ❤ just have fun
20 years in Clips then I went and raced the national downhill championships on flat pedals on a trail bike and placed second in the 60 over class. Love flat pedals feel like I’m riding a motorcycle.
I'm 47 and just recently got my first MTB. It's a hardtail and I'm loving getting into the woods and exploring. I've even joined my local MTB club! Nothing against ebikes but I might wait a decade or so before I get one 😀
Great stuff. I took up MTBing last year at 47 too. Love it. SO addictive. I will also keep it analogue for as long as I can.
@@japanunfound Analogue Bikes! Love it!
And if you buy full sus you will love it even more :-) Imo HTs are for backpain lovers who love being kicked into ass from hard tail often :-)
@@danielstormy3660 I'm happy with a hardtail for now but may move to full sus at some point in the future.
@@mbrabs9204 Ditto! Dual-suspension bikes are not for me yet. Let us all see what future brings for us.
I am 64 and have been mountain biking since 1985. I was a tied in the wool roadie before that and couldn't understand why anyone would want to ride off road. I quickly found out and haven't looked back. No ebike for me, yet, and still clipping in.
I rode a hard tail for 15 years before I got my first full suspension, a Trek Y3 in 2003. I got my self my first bike for Christmas 2019. Whilst I love the ebike and wouldn’t be without it at age 45 I have just bought a Ragley Mmbop. No motor , no rear suspension and I am loving it. I ride clips on the hard tail and flats on the ebike.
I am 48 also and just got my first ever full suspension bike and loving it. My last bike was just a glorified commuter. You might never be to old, but definately more cautious. Takes a lot longer to get up when you fall down.
Got into mountain biking at 65 on full suspension focus ebike, had rarely been on any bike in my life.This sport has changed my life.
Tried a hardtail and a full suss and felt much more connected with the hardtail so that's what I ride. I mostly ride local paths around where I live so it works well.
Good stuff!
You’re too old…FALSE! I was in Bentonville this weekend and a 63 year old woman lined up next to me on Thunderdone at Coler MTB Preserve. Total inspiration for anyone wanting to get into it.
You’re too young…also FALSE. The kids out there were killing it! No fear, full send mentality. Love it!
I just turned 50 and after riding fully rigid bikes in the 90s I got my first hard tail about three years ago. I got a more aggressive HT after a year or so and found a bike park close by where I am now learning to jump and drop as these kinds of features were rare when and where I used to ride back in the day. Where I live now there are not so many hills, East Anglia is pretty flat compared to Portsmouth where I grew up, so the bike park is more like what I would consider proper mountain biking to be as Hampshire was all single track trekking with my buddies. I don’t plan on getting a full suss any time soon and want to use MTB to remain fit so don’t plan to start looking at e-bikes any time soon either🤘🤞
Was Mountain Biking for 20 years , including downhill racing, been off them 17 years, back on them thanks to E-Bikes, and absolutely loving it again , I'm now 59 years old , it's all smiles per miles again
Right on! 65 here and loving my pedal assist Orbea.
Never too young, never too old. I'm 58 and have been hitting the trail since my early 20's. And I'll keep on riding!
Same here …but 52! 💪🏼
The wife(58) and me(54) have just gone eeb from jurassic, the best move ever, big smiles are back on our faces after every ride. Now covering 2-3 times the mileage each ride as well as actively hunting down big hills (not easy in the flatlands of Hertfordshire). Its my wife’s first full suss too and after a couple of years of hardtail madness im back on full suss too and its a god send, all my incompetence is soaked up im hitting higher and more stable speeds on the downs and not being killed by the ups.
Win win.
I was just under 35 years old when I got my first mountain bike in 1995. I'm now 62 years old and still ripping. I might not be as fast as I once once, and I've definitely put on few unwanted pounds over the years; but I keep improving my skills, and these days I can afford to take MTB destination trips a few times of the year.
On the other hand, when I do take these trips I am continually amazed by all the kids out on bikes, most of whom can make me look like a novice. That is so cool to see.!
At this point, I don't have an e-bike, but being able to use one to "self-shuttle" and be able to get double or triple the number of downhill runs in is very appealing.
I’m 48 also as have been biking for a while, I would argue that a hardtail will more likely punish you for making a mistake where as a full suspension bike will probably save you for the same mistake.
Never too old to start! I'm 47 this year and started with a full-sus enduro style bike. Don't regret one bit! (I am considering adding an eMTB to my stable in 2023 though)
I'm 40, and got my first full sus last year, full steel frame, coil fork n shock, it weighs a ton, but only pushing me to get fitter. no ebike just yet!!
I am 58 almost 59 and still love MTB
Thats AWESOME! 🤘
I’m 36 and bought my first bike in 20 years a week and a half ago .
Finally after practicing I’ll be on the local trail after work this afternoon.
So I’ll be testing out this age myth 😅
That graceful tumble at 4:49 lol
I'm 65 and finally got a fat bike so I don't have to stop riding in the winter. I love doing the drops, jumps and technical climbs. The more I ride, the more I like it.
I ride a rigid. A lot. And I ride it faster than a lot of people ride in general. It has absolutely taught me how to pick fast, smooth lines. When I hop on my squishy, I feel unstoppable. Different pedals have different pros and cons just like any other component. I wear as much protection as I can stand to wear or pack along on any given day, some days that's a half lid and gloves, some days it's a full face, and full legs.
Hardtails are indeed good beginners bike to learn the basic technics. Same for learning bunny hops on flats and then switching to clips.
Absolutely!
I had the budget for any bike, chose another hardtail (Laufey). HT rider can crush it on a full sus immediately, full sus riders start to cry on HT when it gets gnarly :) Does that make the HT rider a better rider?
Hardtail 'til you can't!😉
I'm 48 and 30 years of rugby and an accident later (now got dodgy knees and ankle) I had given up on MTB riding until I recently bought my eBike - it has genuinely changed everything. I love getting out in the Lakes and riding now because the hills are no longer a killer, your heartrate and fitness levels are just as good riding an eMTB and the fun has returned. Win-win for me, I wish I had done it years ago but I thought I could no longer do it as I couldn't manage the hills any more. But the downside is no more-hike-a-bike (common up here) as the thing weighs a bleeding tonne!! :)
I am 72 and started out on a full rigid mountain bike more years ago than I can remember. That's still a good way to learn skills, but harsh and not very forgiving! Still ride clipped in, but thinking I may give flats a try. I ride only full suspension bikes now and need/enjoy the additional cushion. Though I am still able to ride my local trails, the climbs have gotten progressively harder and I need to rest more often to let the old kicker and lungs recover. So I ordered a light weight emtb and am looking forward to hopefully keeping up with my sons and riding many more years to come.
I don't know where the name "Cockroach" came from. My wife and I had a few laughs over it. My name is actually Pat. Maybe I need to run a virus check!!
Hardtails definitely improve your overall riding capability, rode a hardtail for many years and was always slower than my full sus friends, Now on a full sus I'm considerably quicker than all friends that have been riding them alot longer
I've just turned 65 and love going on long wilderness rides as well as hitting the jumps and trails at bike parks. Definitely have no intention of giving up yet! The only concession is that I now ride en e-mtb which is just brilliant 😁.
I've owned several of both and totally agree with Neil, you can get away with so many mistakes on full sus. You know when you've made mistakes on hardtails. If you don't have the essentials when you make mistakes on larger features the consequences are also higher.
i think clips work well will hardtails, where as full-sus bikes dont necessarily need clips as the feet dont bounce of the pedals so much. But i am old and found clip-in pedals such a revolutionary change to toe-clips
The most appealing aspect of wearing clips is not actually the clips but the plastic shank in the sole of the shoes. On flat pedals your feet conform around the peddle as well as destroy your shoes, with clip shoes my daily shoes are kept from being destroyed...
In Toronto there is a set of trails on the Don River that is very underappreciated. While riding one day we were doing the jumps and saw a group of guys on high end bikes just watching because if they crashed it would cost a lot more so I think any bike that gets you riding is the best bike...
I could tout my 50 years for the age myth, but instead I'll push a guy who's 80. Don't know his name, but a friend of yours in Bentonville, Rich Drew, posted a video recently of teaching this guy how to jump. He was clearing doubles like a madman. It was awesome.
I feel like the bike parks are kind of similar to skate parks in the sense of you have this open space to really hone your skills while at the same time having just wild trails to mess around on really helps you develop the technique and really develop your own style which in turn manifests you into and all around writer
overweight and over 40, bought my 1st ever hardtail in Feb last year. no previous riding experience apart from scooting around town on occasion with a cheap-o bike. my biggest issue is there isn't a lot of places to ride near me that won't kill me and no bike friends to help me learn. So i stick to the one or two flat trails and rides around town; I'm down ~40lbs since i picked up my bike.
That you have to be in an certain age for mountain biking is definitely a myth. I´m 52 now and was in a Bike Park for my 1st time this year. Just riding blue and hitting my first red trails (i have to learn veeerry much!) and i love it!
My biggest problem is the lack of trails where i´m living. I always have to drive almost an hour with my car if i want to ride a "real" trail with more than a view hundred meters.
I started my off road biking last year at age 34 on 26" hardtail that I bought for 50 Euros and resurrected from near dead on a budget. Replaced the bars, serviced the brakes (Magura rim brakes to give an idea of just how old school), "new" used set of pedals, new casette (3x9), new shifter cables, new BB, new tires and tubes. As I'm living in the Netherlands and any of our Mountain biking is rather missing most of the "Mountain" aspect I'm not sure I'll ever go for a fully. Most of the trails around here really don't need full suspension. In any case the (s)crappy 26-er has given me a taste and made me decide I like it. Now I need to figure out what I'm going to eventually replace it with.
As to the clipless v. flats debate, after a broken ankle in my youth and the slight misalignment this gives my left leg, I can't ride clipless pedals very well as my knees start hurting after a while being locked in like that and I can't afford to get a special bike fitting to see if it's a solvable problem. I haven't been able to DIY it. Flats give me just enough movement that it's fine so I'm sticking to flat pedals with good flat pedal shoes. Just a shame about the money I burned on clipless shoes
At 71 years old ,riding a full suspension upgrades make the bike fit better weather is freezing or hot. with snow in the mountains we’re now riding gravel with the same bike changing tires 29 x2,6 can’t wait for some powder snow riding down those gravel roads have access to a large wilderness park with like 50 lakes along the trails for camping an fishing now that’s what real mountain bikes do when we get old get a better bike to get us there but exercise is that difference.if we can’t mountain bike in heaven I’m not going! Thanks for sharing your thoughts 💭
Hardtails and flat pedals teach you to be a better rider and are the best place to start if you are looking to become the best rider you can be but that said a full sus is a bit more fun typically
At 56 I finally retired my 1990 GT Karakorum K2 which I have been riding as hard as fellow riders 20 years my junior on trails that were definitely more work for me to ride than them. I found a used Devinci full suspension 29r for a great price and can't wait to hit the trails. Sadly winter came the day I picked it up so it will be awhile before I can enjoy it.
What is a trail centre? A small bike park without a lift?
on a hardtail, you learn to pick line carefully
Love that the kid on the balance bike already had the habit of covering the breaks. :)
I'm 61 and still ride a analogy MTB ,been riding since 1990 but I'm thinking it's time to move to a EMTB??
I feel like the myth I do agree with was the hardtail one because I myself started out on a 27 5-in hardtail and I really learned a lot of good technique and really learning how to stay behind my bars which in turn help me with the 29-in wheel that I just slowly but surely got really acquainted with and now I see myself never going back to necessarily 27.5 on my mountain bike but I would like to set up a mullet
Bought a Husqvarna MCLE a couple of months ago. Lotta fun sure can go places in a hurry. Especially up wow. Enjoying the hell out of it.
on the first myth another reason to get a hardail is maintenance because no rear end to get stuck. also for clips flats are better for me. the being attached to the bike is bad i can bail out without thinking. i ride emtb so efficiency isnt my main concern. havent found a tech climb i couldnt do yet.
Im always surprised at how little suspension I need even on some steeper segments. Usually have compression on full, usually 50-90mm actual travel on a hardtail. No full sus needed.
At 61 I can't imagine quitting any time soon. I do have a small electric dirt bike, and several gas powered ones. But I do all my own peddling on my mountain bikes.
The dirt bikers say that you don't get old and quit. You quit and get old. Come to dirt bike camp at Akeley, MN and see seven or more of my friends roost off into the woods, aged between 58 and 72. Bring game too . We've been at it for a while. We're not slow. Check out Paul Bunyan Forest Riders for a trail map. Good stuff.
Getting 50 this December and still not thinking of getting an E-bike. Ant that even if I know way in over the 100kg mark due a work burn out. Now playing my hockey in the winter and MTB in the summer. Hopefully soon more energy and less weight.
Speaking of protective gear don't forget neck braces. Not so much for trail riding but for downhill. Take it from a guy that's had his neck broken... it's no fun!
I‘m torn on the hardtail. I rode hardtails for a long time in the 90s and early 2000s. Today I often find myself still riding like I was on a 90s bike and don‘t use the potential of my 160mm travel.
I am 62 years old, and I do not need an E mountain bike. I am very happy and sometimes quick on my P7 hardtail.
Hello peeps stonking video. I'm in well over my forties and have been mountainbiking for donkey years. You are never to young or old. Some of the places you get to go are just epic, and it doesn't have to cost you shedloads. Also I bike every day. It's the best. Big old 👍's GMBN.
would love to see the GMBN guys race using toes clips
At the age of 56 I still ride mountain bikes and I have been riding bikes since I was 10
And with all of the crashes I'm still going
I’m 37 and made the jump to e bike. When I’m with my acoustic mate I keep it on eco and ride with them but on my own trail or boost and I have so much fun just flying up the hills and getting in triple the laps. So 37 is the age to switch.
Regarding the last points, I'm 58 in a month and still riding as hard as I can,on an acoustic. Will get round to an ebike but reckon it will be a year or two yet.
I'm 51yo and an amputee of the left leg riding an analog Enduro bike. Never broken just better.
8:31 On My Channel,I always told my friend....it'snever too late to be a mountain biker😆😆
As a 75 year old I dread the thought of owning an E-Bike. Regularly ride trails on a hard tail but moving to a hand built made to measure full suss in steel. Fox34 forks, Cane Creek rear in line spring etc etc. Love it all great fun, but no e-bike for me thanks very much!
Nice Oz Trails hat. Glad to see representation for Arkansas
Heck, I'm 60 and had a titanium hip put in last year and still go to bike parks. I ride with guys my age, older, and younger. My 30 year old son and I still go to bike parks together all summer! I mtb all over the US and will as long as I can. I'm sure at some point I'll get an ebike but, not yet!
I had motor cycle accident and shattered my knee cap 10 moths off work
I ride a EMTB because it’s best for me and I cannot ride clips because my knee won’t bend enough to pedal in the clip position
But I love to go out and ride almost every day weather permitting
Love your channel and EMTB channel
Doddy and Anna are great
👍🇦🇺🚲
Flat pedal rider going to clips is scary. I tried clips on my old orange c16r and hated it, couldn't get my feet out quick enough if something went wrong usually resulting in a injury so gotta be flats. Although on my road bike I feel safe with clips and can get out quick if I need to. Weird🤔
I guess the hardtail technique thing needs some concrete examples. Like what bad habits might you have if you've never learned to control a hardtail, and how will they get you in trouble even on your full sus? I would think maybe not worrying about casing things a bit more, which might one day get you in trouble? I'm not sure.
I agree with Martin. After 35 years of riding and racing. The techniques are much different picking and choosing lines on a Hardtail don’t coincide with blasting through a section. Go fast on whatever you ride though hammerheads.
for myself i think each type of bike will teach you a different technique. for example if you are on a trail and you need to get from A to B, a rigid, hardtail, full sus will all require a different technique. i say each bike type's reaction/personality will be different and will teach you different skills for each type.
im 50 was had a normal mtb and then went to the dark side and got an EMTB......have not looked back since. I can keep up with the rest and do more laps it handles just like a normal EMTB def the future.
#gmbn I feel like hard tails can teach you better technique… but it’s not like you can’t learn it on a hard tail also.
I started riding in the late 80’s and started with pedal clips, then went clipless much later. I’ve never been a good rider, but someone that’s good with flats probably has much better technique than me. I’m rubbish with flat pedals.
I don’t think hardtails necessarily help with anything more than a full suspension bike does except line choice, which inevitably becomes more important on a hardtail
Being on an STD pedal I myself for his mountain biking is concerned the spd's probably one of the greatest inventions in cycling in my opinion the thought of writing platforms is fun but I just like the security of knowing that my legs are staying where they need to
One from me - strength is not a factor in mountain biking. I think that you need to be strong enough to do all of the tech 'trial'ish' stuff like bunny hops, jumps or just trials riding - you can be too weak for that and need to build strength to pull that front wheel up correctly. Technic is one thing - but strength is essential to execute it properly.
I'm 58, I bought a new Cotic Jeht this year. Hopefully I'll get 10 years out of it like my last bike. At that point I might have to go eMTB
I’m 58 years old riding and racing cross country. No plans in my future for a e-bike. Also age is only a number. At 58 years old I’m in the best shape of my life and riding more technical trails then I ever had.
Doesn't matter what bike you have . It's getting out there and thrashing a trail. The size of my daft grin with the enjoyment is probably the same size as when I started out on my muddy fox in the '90s. Just get the best you can. Keep well all 👍
I’m moved from flats to clips and it’s scary 😂😅
I can bunnyhop with flats so my hops in clips will hopefully stay legit 🎉
A up !! I'm of a certain vintage rode many a mile in my time,bought a emtb to add to the bikevault, loved it but keep rotating between the powerfly& VITUS hardtail simply because the VITUS is faster for me to ride at sustained speed, it's not quite as easy to power past the limiter on the trek emtb..iwanttoridemybike..
I wouldn’t say age is the limiting factor to when someone should get an e-bike, but rather ability. A healthy and fit 50 year old might not need an e-bike to really get around whereas a 25 year old riddled with injuries may need one.
After years of fully i tryed a meta ht and drave all i also drove with the fully but, after a season i decidet to come back to a fully (now a Meta SX) It was so horrible all the stairs, the drop on the trails an everything on flatpedals, i mean i make it all and almost dont get hurt but there was it almost, im 40 now and a full sus forgives my failures. I wanna slam down steps and so, i wanna make a little bunnyhop into them and its a crul thing on a hardtail!° Think i made a good descission.
I just love it
6:03 - do you need to spend big? Some would say that more important is adventure and fun... Having said that - you can enjoy a cheap(er) bike but once you got spoiled with a better (and arguably - more expensive...) one, it's difficult to be back to the same enjoyment on a lower class bike 😐First-world problem, isn't it? 😆
I started on a full suspension. Once going to hardtails my technique is much better. Exponentially. I can now go to a full suspension and ride much better.
Try a rigid single speed if you want to become a smoother rider.
Mountain biking is the best sport invented
100% 🤘🎉
And MMA. But I'm not gonna take it up.
I was coming back to cycling at 40 and choose MTB. When I was young and some med issues stops my cycling at the club level, MTBs slowly comes to my country. Todays traffic proove my choice and Im happy. Also clips was logical option, I was dreaming about them when was young... 😀So Im not able to properly bunnyhop, relying on the clips. Guilty. When decision was made, I buy a 700Euro hardtail for me and cheaper trek bike for my wife and small bike for son. As my wife later gets some bad heart troubles, after surgery and treatment we decide this year to change her bike for realy expensive EMTB, so she is now capable to beat me and my son everywhere we can go. This gave her more confidence and she enjoy our rides. Growing son also got new bike, better than mine but he like it. So I must agree with Neil, this day technology alows us to ride together and enjoy. Except wife expensive Ebike, it wasnt financial disaster at begining.
some trail centres are just elongated bmx tracks. i understand it as it has to be built to handle the traffic but i prefer the adventure of the wilderness, personally
It's best to start on a hardtail because you're going to crash, and crash often, so why waste full suspension money on a learning bike.
As for age, I'm 49 and I love the blue and black trails.
mtb is for all ages, all abilities, all pedals and all chassis' , and wheel sizes. Thats why it's so good
Clips? You mean those pedal stabilizer things. 👀😂
both martyn and neil are right about the hardtail vs full sus. but let's also agree that a hardtail is harder with less margin for error.
I like flat pedals
Clips are like straight jackets for the foot
I like freedom of movement
Does Rear Suspension Lock out Better in Big Jumps?