26 years with the same MTB
Discussion
So yesterday, I purchased a new (to me) mountain bike, for the first time in 26 years. My previous bike was just getting too expensive to keep going, which is a crying shame as I got the bike when I was 16 and up until last weekend, was still being used, albeit to ride around with my kids rather then me being a kid riding it. It needs 2 new tyres, front derailleur, new brake pads all round and there's loud clicking from the bottom bracket. I just can't justify chucking some more money at it. Surprisingly it's not like Triggers Broom either, the bottom bracket is original, the gears are all original, the seat post is original, the handlebar is original... ok the wheels, suspension, brakes all not original.
Not really sure what to do with it though now, Rayleigh M-Trax 1000s, some photos of it in use (the red thing).
|https://thumbsnap.com/8bPSHnkB[/url]
But here's the replacement, which I picked up second hand and seems in fine fettle bar the brakes seem weak, I've got new pads on order to hopefully cure that though.
[url]
As it's been 26 years since I've rode anything else, things seem to have moved on a little. I've not ridden in anger yet, but it feels very very different! Wonder if I can get 26 years service out of this one!
Anyone had a bike longer that's still in use?
Not really sure what to do with it though now, Rayleigh M-Trax 1000s, some photos of it in use (the red thing).
|https://thumbsnap.com/8bPSHnkB[/url]But here's the replacement, which I picked up second hand and seems in fine fettle bar the brakes seem weak, I've got new pads on order to hopefully cure that though.
[url]As it's been 26 years since I've rode anything else, things seem to have moved on a little. I've not ridden in anger yet, but it feels very very different! Wonder if I can get 26 years service out of this one!
Anyone had a bike longer that's still in use?
LordHaveMurci said:
Had my Cannondale for just over 21yrs, it now requires about £400 spending on it & I’m debating if it’s worth doing or not.
Repair it. Old US build MTB's are effing great. If you drive seriously in trails etc then it is time to buy a new bike but if not, then repair it, drive it and keep it. Todays market you don't get a good bike for 400...My bike is from year 2017. It is long travel enduro bike and basically every part is changed, usually for better quality. Now it is perfect for me and i think i will keep it for several years. Is it cheaper to keep one bike for longer and maintain it? For sure. Keep it long and upgrade parts? Possible or possible not but you get exactly what you want and need.
LasseV said:
LordHaveMurci said:
Had my Cannondale for just over 21yrs, it now requires about £400 spending on it & I’m debating if it’s worth doing or not.
Repair it. Old US build MTB's are effing great. If you drive seriously in trails etc then it is time to buy a new bike but if not, then repair it, drive it and keep it. Todays market you don't get a good bike for 400...My bike is from year 2017. It is long travel enduro bike and basically every part is changed, usually for better quality. Now it is perfect for me and i think i will keep it for several years. Is it cheaper to keep one bike for longer and maintain it? For sure. Keep it long and upgrade parts? Possible or possible not but you get exactly what you want and need.
So much nimbler & livelier than my lads 29er Voodoo Bizango, much lighter too!
But £400 on a 21yr old bike …
LordHaveMurci said:
LasseV said:
LordHaveMurci said:
Had my Cannondale for just over 21yrs, it now requires about £400 spending on it & I’m debating if it’s worth doing or not.
Repair it. Old US build MTB's are effing great. If you drive seriously in trails etc then it is time to buy a new bike but if not, then repair it, drive it and keep it. Todays market you don't get a good bike for 400...My bike is from year 2017. It is long travel enduro bike and basically every part is changed, usually for better quality. Now it is perfect for me and i think i will keep it for several years. Is it cheaper to keep one bike for longer and maintain it? For sure. Keep it long and upgrade parts? Possible or possible not but you get exactly what you want and need.
So much nimbler & livelier than my lads 29er Voodoo Bizango, much lighter too!
But £400 on a 21yr old bike …
Yes, old bikes are nimble and fun in a way. And if you want to have a proper new bike it is 1t£ i'sh
My first serious racing cycle was purchased for 12 pounds 10 shillings in 1967, when I was 13 years old. A fixed wheel track iron as they were called. A frame made by Major Nichols, and badged as a Cliff Peters who retailed it.
Bayliss Wiley large flange hubs, chrome spokes, tied and soldered, and Fiamme sprint rims. Barum tubular tyres. Milremo steel cranks with alloy chain wheel. Milremo steel pedals with toe clips and straps. Leather Brooks B17 sprinter saddle. Steel sprinters handle bars on steel Cinnelli stem.
Over the years, all parts replaced. Only the frame remaining original.
I raced regularly, and continued to ride it regularly until I had a hernia operation, when I retired it as I didn't want to hurt myself when furiously pedaling down hill.
I had the frame restored and it now hangs on the wall in our dining room.
I'm 68 now, and it's the longest thing I've owned.
Bayliss Wiley large flange hubs, chrome spokes, tied and soldered, and Fiamme sprint rims. Barum tubular tyres. Milremo steel cranks with alloy chain wheel. Milremo steel pedals with toe clips and straps. Leather Brooks B17 sprinter saddle. Steel sprinters handle bars on steel Cinnelli stem.
Over the years, all parts replaced. Only the frame remaining original.
I raced regularly, and continued to ride it regularly until I had a hernia operation, when I retired it as I didn't want to hurt myself when furiously pedaling down hill.
I had the frame restored and it now hangs on the wall in our dining room.
I'm 68 now, and it's the longest thing I've owned.
I bought a Saracen Eiger Cross from Halfords in 1992. Used it for a road trip from Gloucester to Mousehole.
It was still in regular road use in 2011 when it looked like this:
And it still gets almost daily use on the turbo trainer:
Although I now use a direct drive trainer, so there's no back wheel now!
It needs a paint as the sweat has ravaged the 30 year old original finish!
It was a bloody good bike.
It was still in regular road use in 2011 when it looked like this:
And it still gets almost daily use on the turbo trainer:
Although I now use a direct drive trainer, so there's no back wheel now!
It needs a paint as the sweat has ravaged the 30 year old original finish!
It was a bloody good bike.
Not as old as the OPs bike but I still have my GT Avalanche 1.0 2008 model so It's been with me for 14 years or so. Most parts are still original but I've had to replace the rear hanger twice due to crashes. The handle bar end caps have been replaced due to crashes plus I've changed the usual wear and tear items. I'm sure the rear derailleur is slightly bent and should be replaced. Could probably do with a new chain too.
It doesn't get taken out as much as it used to now but I've always had a soft spot for this bike. It was £500 back in 2008.
It doesn't get taken out as much as it used to now but I've always had a soft spot for this bike. It was £500 back in 2008.
I had a M-Trax like the OP, unfortunately I was young and didn’t treat it with respect and I think I probably got less than 26 months out of it let alone 26yrs!
Current longest serving member of the the fleet is a 2007 Cove Hummer. Doesn’t get much use these days but it still flies. In the age of long and slack 29ers with 1kg tyres it’s a revelation in pin sharp handling and responsiveness.
Current longest serving member of the the fleet is a 2007 Cove Hummer. Doesn’t get much use these days but it still flies. In the age of long and slack 29ers with 1kg tyres it’s a revelation in pin sharp handling and responsiveness.
I had a Marin Palisades Trail for just over 20 years and only retired it because the frame snapped at a weld whilst I was demonstrating my 'skills' to my son, who thought it was hilarious. Replaced with a Boardman MHT 8.6 which I like a lot, and compliments my Boardman Hybrid Team. I always keep bikes until they die.
mike74 said:
I've also recently gone from a 26 year old Marin Mount Vision to a 2017 Specialized Stumpjumper.
I'm also decidedly underwhelmed with the performance of the (Hope e4) hydraulic disc brakes on my new bike compared to my 26 year old XT V-brakes
My annoyance was suspension, because I had never had it and didn't want it. I evolved through BMX to MTB without suspension and never liked any bike I rode with it, So mine now is set really hard. The two advantages are losing the front gear changer which makes cleaning it up a lot easier, and school trip kids in the Peak District no longer shout 'There's Grandad on his Grandad mountain bike'. I'm also decidedly underwhelmed with the performance of the (Hope e4) hydraulic disc brakes on my new bike compared to my 26 year old XT V-brakes
My Boardman MTB uses Tektro hydraulic disk brakes and they are good, and I save all the bother of the Marin V-Brakes that seemed to need endless fettling.
Oldest bike is my Surly Long Haul Trucker tourer. Built from a frame in 2008.
Used for riding a cross the USA three times and various shorter tours. Now only used when touring. I have newer bikes for local rides as I'd be gutted if my Trucker got stolen
In Nevada loaded up with 14l of fluids before a 170 mile stretch with no services. Handled flawlessly with that weight.
Used for riding a cross the USA three times and various shorter tours. Now only used when touring. I have newer bikes for local rides as I'd be gutted if my Trucker got stolen
In Nevada loaded up with 14l of fluids before a 170 mile stretch with no services. Handled flawlessly with that weight.
I've got a 2005 Giant XTC that still gets occasional use - converted to rigid carbon MTB forks years ago, which could only be an improvement on the appalling Manitou things it came with.
MrsPB's 2004 Giant Boulder is now used by PBJnr1 with no probs. Not quite 26 years, but 18 is well on the way.
Also have a late-90's GT Tempest frame hanging in the garage for when I decide to go full retro. Which might be never.
And my 2012 Yeti ASR5 frame also hangs on the wall, with its cracked seat tube - it's just a good looking frame.
But, as with an earlier poster, I usually keep my bikes till they die.
MrsPB's 2004 Giant Boulder is now used by PBJnr1 with no probs. Not quite 26 years, but 18 is well on the way.
Also have a late-90's GT Tempest frame hanging in the garage for when I decide to go full retro. Which might be never.
And my 2012 Yeti ASR5 frame also hangs on the wall, with its cracked seat tube - it's just a good looking frame.
But, as with an earlier poster, I usually keep my bikes till they die.
I started to read this in the hope you were in a similar position to me. I have an old MTB I bought secondhand, a Boardman hard tail. I think it is from the 90s sometime, still ride it regularly, don't look after it properly, every year or so I have to spend big on keeping it on/off the road.
I was hoping you'd gone out and bought a new modern bike and were going to tell me how different it was to ride, what were the pros and cons. But I think your new bike is about the same age as my current bike!
I was hoping you'd gone out and bought a new modern bike and were going to tell me how different it was to ride, what were the pros and cons. But I think your new bike is about the same age as my current bike!
mike74 said:
I'm also decidedly underwhelmed with the performance of the (Hope e4) hydraulic disc brakes on my new bike compared to my 26 year old XT V-brakes
What levers are you using them with? I’ve got some E4s on tech 3 levers and they’re some of the best brakes I’ve ever used. Huge performance from them on my downhill bike. Gassing Station | Pedal Powered | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff