Approach Bike

[ketch]

So it seems that more of the stuff I am doing, the roads stop a bit short. I am starting to look for a Mountain bike for those approaches. I am am gettin into the fun issue. Over the weekend I did a ride with a 45# pack on a full suspension bike. The extra cush was nice for the bumbs wearing a pack. I am told a hardtail bike is more efficient for the uphill stuff though.

 

So here's the questions; For you that use a bike on approach or just getting to the trail head, do you recomend hardtail or full suspension? Also I have located a sweet deal on a full suspension bike, If the deal is pretty sweet are the differences worth passin up a deal?

 

Of course I am open to any other input that is relavant as this use of a bike is new to me.

[willstrickland]

Buy a full suspension bike. I say this as a hartail rider.

Most modern suspensions don't rob pedal power too much, and are not much heavier than a hardtail...those are really the only two upsides to a hardtail.

 

I rode a Giant NRS frame (full suspension) for a season in 2003, alternating between it and an older CAAD3 Cannondale hardtail (my normal ride for last 8 yrs). The hardtail was about 2 lbs lighter, but it puts a hell of a beating on my body compared to the full suspension. I could ride ALOT harder/faster on downhills on the full susp jobber and the "bob" you sometimes get on full suspensions when under hard uphill pedaling I never noticed on the Giant frame, nor on a Trek full susp that I demo'd. Rode an older Santa Cruz full susp that sucked. Felt like being on a pogo stick and pedaling in the wrong gear when trying to climb.

 

I am recommending the full sus because it will serve you better as an all around mtn bike that you can really do it all on from summer lift served resort downhilling to singletrack trail rides. Hardtails are pretty much for gram counting racing freaks and old dads who can't afford to upgrade (e.g. Me). 3-5" of travel is oh so plush compared to a hardtail and you will really notice it the next day in your back, elbows, wrists, etc. (plus you won't crash as much on downhills)

 

And go titanium, steel, carbon, aluminum as a frame material in that order if you have to make that choice (given reasonably close weight). An alum bike is way rigid and light (and a go-to choice for getting lightweight bang for the bucks), but a titanium or steel bike rides way, way, WAY smoother than Al and at least carbon feels dead rather than buzzy and punishing like Al.

 

With the current configuration of frames, the uphill efficiency adv of hardtails is greatly diminished. That's my take, I'm sure others will weigh in.

[luwayo]

i always say never again to bicycle approaches. but somehow i forget my vows. since i thrash my poor wimpy bod enough, i skipped the hardtail. my bike - Kona Kikapu (silly or cute, take your pick) is an acceptable wgt. could be better, but i can strip it down some - if i feel like putting money into it. it has lock-out to eliminate energy sucking pedal induced bob. it does the job well. btw: it's cheaper to get all your options at the shop on the initial purchase. i didn't know any better. sales seem to happen in january.

[layton]

dude, omfg. just buy an old piece of shit mountain bike for 50bucks and trash the fucker.

[JoshK]

bike approaches are kinda cool. I agree - go used. I like my carbon frame but lots of people don't like the dead feeling Will mentioned. Other than that - much like climbing gear - i would put weight at the top of my list for conerns.

 

-josh

[Arc]

lol

[ketch]

Thanks all for the input. Will, very good stuff and it seems like indeed full suspension is the way. Mike, Ya missed the point brother, I am the one who's old and I don't feel like gettin beat to shit. But really that is pretty much whats happen. I'm tall enough that I need a large frame. A local shop has a rental unit that doesn't move much as it is too big for most so he just wants to get it off the floor.

 

So it seems I'm going to take single track now.

[larrythellama]

kikapu is a good bike. they use the fox rear shock which has the propedal lockout..which works okay. there are extremely minor differences in the kikapu in the last 3 years, paint job and they change the name quite often.

[ketch]

Larry, Thanks I called the shop and the unit they have is the Kikapoo Deluxe which also has the Propedal lockout. I guess the trick is to pedal nice and rythmic not stand and step on them and it works well so I was told.

[MisterMo]

I've got a hardtail which is used primarily on logging roads of varying degrees of shittyness....Jack's Pass & stuff like that. I wouldn't want a full susp bike for that, and for what I do I think I'd be happier without the weight and energy robbing flex of even the front susp fork. Granted I'm always making mental comparisons to a superlight, stiff road bike but climbing on a mountain bike always paints this mental image of pedaling one of those spring-suspended Johnny jump-up things that hang in doorways for infants..........boing, boing, boing........and all the way up the hill I keep thinking how much less I'd be busting my ass on a stiffer setup.

 

Of course, if you're regularly going beyond the end of the road all this changes........

[luwayo]

yeah kikapu!

on cursory research the kikapu met my criteria.

 

then my own field testing confirmed that it was a good climber (despite propedal lockout being not 100%)....just as articles purported, and which information again i discovered after my purchase.

 

i desired the kikapu deluxe actually, but that was an extra $1000Cdn. critiscm i've read by testers mention that the deluxe (lighter) handles like a beaut, but the frame doesn't hold up to their heavy abuse - after a year. this article was about a year or two old i think.

 

reason for purchase: x-country which i'd like to get into more, and logging rd approaches (yuk). show us your bike when you get it!

Edited March 15, 2006 by luwayo

[larrythellama]

for a few pounds more the dawg is heavy duty bike with am 1" more of travel. i would have to say for the bikes being built today kona makes one of the better frames to withstand abuse and at a fair market value.

 

the 06' propedal should be better.

 

the energy lost from the bounce in a full suspension bike is gained ten fold from the abuse it saves your body on a long day of riding.

[luwayo]

the dawg is a more burly bike, and one that my 230lb buddy had to buy, for obvious reasons.

 

used as an approach bike tho, for carrying over deadfall, log bridges, creeks, etc. in addition to the 45lb pack - i think any extra wgt. is begrudged mightily.

[plexus]

dude, omfg. just buy an old piece of shit mountain bike for 50bucks and trash the fucker.

 

I'm down with this line of thought. Seriously, the lift and other technical specs, other than weight really should be inconsequential if it is only used as an approach bike. I'm down for something I don't mind thrashing, what can get me up some logging road (N Twin Sister, Monte Cristo) and that I don't mind if it is mutilated by a bear while I'm gone for most of the day climbing a peak.

[luwayo]

aren't those manicured service roads

[ketch]

So here is the report. I pretty much settled on a bike. I had a day yesterday so I loaded four days worth of stuff into a pack and did a couple abandoned roads. One of them was 6 miles long and had a section where there was 2000' of verticle in 3 miles of road. What I learned (1) with a pack on saddle position and weight position needs more work. (2) on the downhill if you relax on the brakes while still in the steeps, the acceleration is amazing. (3) on the long descent I really liked the disc brakes. (4) On the steep stuff, when you finally get to lowest gear and are tempted to get out of the saddle, you might as well get off and walk. (5)On the decent having full suspension was a definate plus. (6)This mountain bike approach stuff could be a real blast. I'm starting to plan a trip already.

 

Thanks for all the input. By the way I did end up with the Kikapoo Deluxe.