What are the most underrated and most overrated things in mountain biking?

[johnny]

Uncle knows a lot about nothing hence trivia is something that fits in well.

He's been on mtbr for some time also and other online bike places long forgotten.

He is actually a real person and I've rode behind him many a time - note to all, riding behind in full view of the southern end is not something you get used to easily.

Sent from my F5121 using Tapatalk

I'm sure he is a real person, I doubt there are any bots posting on this forum. He pressed a button of mine, complaining about mods when they are just trying to keep the place on an even keel and acting like we owe him something after contributing SFA to the website. He can come back in a week, if he wants to.

Regards the trivia; people PM'd me with his answers that were VERY suspiciously like info copied from websites. Coincidence? Possible, but not plausible.

 

[Oddjob]

Under rated:
- good brake pads.
- bear outdoor masking tape.
- 2x10 XTR.
- skills training.
- titanium.
- Shimano M755 4 pot calipers.

Over rated:
- 12 speed.
- SRAM brakes.
- carbon frames.
- single speed.
- ceramic bearings.
- super/boost.
- trunnion/metric/pull shocks.

Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk

 

[Dales Cannon]

Someone needs to spreadsheet this. So far boost and carbon not looking good and mods coming out as the must have item this spring.

 

[hifiandmtb]

Regards the trivia; people PM'd me with his answers that were VERY suspiciously like info copied from websites. Coincidence? Possible, but not plausible.

That makes me sad. I honestly thought he was quite well learned on disparate topics

 

[PINT of Stella. mate!]

Underrated: Fire trail / doubletrack - Sometimes it's the only thing available in epic locations, it forces you to be inventive and you can skid away to your hearts content regardless of weather condition.

Overrated: The Beatles.

 

[Lazmo]

Overrated: The Beatles.

With or without Pete Best, Bernard Purdie and Billy Shears?

 

[Halo1]

But I like 780-800 wide bars

Didn’t realise people were cutting trees though

A few smaller trail side trees have gone one some of the tighter local trails over the years. I wish people would just cut the bars instead.

They must be going really fast!!!
If my 800mm bars clip a tree I usually hit the ground, tree stays standing through.

Just F wits trying to ride too fast.

 

[link1896]

Underrated: individualism and freedom of choice......to own as many god damn bikes as I want.

 

[Paulie_AU]

Over rated: Mega dollar bling builds...... cringe worthy (at least take the fkn enve sticker of ffs).

 

[pink poodle]

Overrated: modesty.

 

[stirk]

Over rated: Facebook
Under rated: Forums

Oh, and riding old bikes with basic technology such as cable operated brakes and hard tails, woot, a hoot! Scary as the missus with her horn on but a hell of a ride!

 

[downunderdallas]

Overrated:
Top of the line groupsets - SLX/XT and GX seem to work perfectly fine - couldn't justify XTR / XX1
Mega expensive alloy flat pedals - in this application I think the plastic fantastics work well are cheap and light - if you are like me you quickly bash them into rocks and the plastic ones even end up looking better

Underrated:
Casual trail ride - don't have to bust a gut getting to the top or break the land speed record getting to the bottom just have fun tooling around being out there!
Completing/clearing something you haven't done before even if it seems most other people can do it.

Overused:
Hero dirt!

 

[SummitFever]

Overrated:
- long
- low
- slack

Underrated:
- geometry that works up and down, left and right.

 

[ashes_mtb]

Underrated

- the satisfaction of performing repairs and maintenance on your own ride

Overrated

- doing shit yourself when there's a quality bike shop / workshop down the road with mechanics you trust

 

[ChrisJC]

Over:
carbon rims and bars
Anything from TLD
Plus size tyres... heavy, sluggish and unnecessary for the majority of riders.
Fat Bikes... see above!

Under:
Track standing
Flat pedals
Hardtails

 

[Cardy George]

Overrated:
-Trek Project One paint.

Underrated:
-light weight wheels, regardless of the material.
- hot wax as chain lube.
- guided riding tours. Spent three days riding in the Snowy Mountains years ago, no one seems to offer that any more.

 

[safreek]

Over:
Modern bikes


Under:

Old DH bikes

 

[Calvin27]

Underrated: Knees and spine that is under 25 years of age.

Overrated: Suspension.

In other words, I'd take a 21 year old me with a kona unit over old wheezer me with full suspension, fat tyres, pizza plate casettes, and thudbuster (dare I say e-power also lols)

 

[moorey]

Overrated: colour matching. Particularly bars.

 

[moorey]

Over:
Modern bikes


Under:

Old DH bikes

Old DH bikes with old tired parts, I’ll give a miss. Rejuvenating old bikes, and riding them, hells yes!

Overrated.

Half arsed ‘shreddits’ by half arsed riders.

98% of user and mag/web reviews of high end products. You’ve either been given something high end to try, and therefore don’t bite the hand that feeds you...or you bought said high end product, and it must be awesome, coz you spent lots on it.

Underrated. Redskins lollies. Gold.