You are probably NOT "all-mountain" riding if.....

you used a lift to get to the top of the trail.
you think your 8" travel bike "climbs well".
your protective gear makes you look like a Storm Trooper.
you consider a 20 min run a "long trail".
your non-riding buddies think your bike looks like a motorcycle w/o the motor.
you think 10 ft drops are small.
you think air shocks are weak.

you think a 3" travel hardtail is "enough bike".
you drilled holes in your rims to make them lighter.
you have carbon fiber water bottle holders.
you shaved your legs for the ride.
you drink Cytomax after the ride instead of beer.
you think 2 foot drops are huge.
you think coil shocks are to heavy.

Did I miss anything?

High fives and Chest bumps all around for that.

Although I'm sure people who fit those descriptions do a bit of all mountain as much as every now and then I dabble in the worlds of hucking it big and wondering if a rigid would get the job done.

You know you might be all-mountain when you blow off having a heavier bike saying, "hell I could lose the five pounds to make up for the bike" knowing full well you wont and more likely will go out and buy a case of busch heavy instead.

So you're saying that "all mountain" is another term for "mountain biking"?

Air shocks ARE weak. Especially if you are over 200lbs and want a durable shock. Coil shocks are more reliable. Bottom line. I guess I am not an all mountain rider.

So you're saying that "all mountain" is another term for "mountain biking"?

Yes, pretty much.

Air shocks ARE weak. Especially if you are over 200lbs and want a durable shock. Coil shocks are more reliable. Bottom line. I guess I am not an all mountain rider.

I guess thats why Fox has the DHX air :rolleyes:

Air shocks ARE weak. Especially if you are over 200lbs and want a durable shock. Coil shocks are more reliable. Bottom line. I guess I am not an all mountain rider.


I think the coil thing can go either way. There are lots of AM bikes that don't have coils... THough if I was 200lbs it would be a coil for me.

if you think 2.3+ tires are HUGE.
if you don't use a hydration/back pack.
if your helmet doesn't have a visor.
if you ride with fingerless gloves
if you are still using v-brakes

if your bike has 12mm rear thru axle or tires > 2.5
if your wheels have 36 spokes

:)

Did I make a sweeping statement? Yes. Just a little sarcasm for good times. Not all air shocks are bad. My preference and weight dictates a coil shock for my bikes. Air is just not on par yet imo. Especially for bigger dudes. Coil shocks are not always reliable either. Romic durability is not that great. With that said, coils shocks are more durable on the whole.

The DHX air has been nothing but problems for many riders. Check out the numerous stuck down issues. There is a whole bunch of riders that are not doing any actual riding because of this issue. Another common complaint of the DHX air is that the shock blows through it's mid range of travel quite easily.

The 5th air is famous for being a bad shock. Some don't have any problems with it, but many do. The Specialized Enduro changed the 5th air from it's line because of failures. The 5th air has quite a shaky history on the SC blur as well.

Not really what this thread is about anyways.

Later.

Hmm...I don't know. I just like riding bikes. I suppose my 575 is considered "all-mountain". But I bought it because I knew it could handle whatever I threw at it and I could get it to the top of the hill under my own power. I've never been a fan of terms like "cross-country" or "downhill" and I'm not really a fan of "all-mountain". I am a fan of riding bikes, and if it takes silly buzzwords like those I listed above to drive innovation so that I have cooler bikes to ride, I guess I can back that!

if you think 2.3+ tires are HUGE.
if you don't use a hydration/back pack.
if your helmet doesn't have a visor.
if you ride with fingerless gloves
if you are still using v-brakes

if your bike has 12mm rear thru axle or tires > 2.5
if your wheels have 36 spokes

:)

NO visor, No hydrapack, No armor (flannel shirt cause the sun was frying me). Note the fingerless gloves. I still use cantilever brakes on the hardtail.

I going have to go with poster numba one's description and kick this one to the curb.