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      01-30-2020, 06:58 AM   #54
Tambohamilton
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Drives: E91 330d
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Herefordshire

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Quote:
Originally Posted by M_Six View Post
Need some advice. I was going to pick up another bike to do some trail riding. The trails I would ride would be a converted rail bed, which is mostly flat and hard packed with sandy spots, and the local lake trails, which have some very technical hilly spots that I would mostly avoid (or walk them if I couldn't). I'm over 60, so I won't be sailing through the air like Mr Tonka and the other daredevils here. I might hit some of the less well kept dirt farm roads as well. I'd be going with flat pedals as opposed to SPDs.

Trek is the brand the LBS carries. My other 3 bikes are all Treks. I was pretty much settled on a Trek Stache 7. But the manager of the LBS is trying to convince me to go with a full suspension bike like a Fuel Ex. He says it would work better for me on the hilly trails so I wouldn't be dismounting and walking them. Money is not the issue here as both bikes are within the same price range. I'm not that familiar with either bike as far as ride comfort and handling. And I don't want to make the mistake of dumping $2500-$3000 into a bike and then find out I should have bought something different.

So I'm looking for advice on which bike would better suit me for riding mostly flat trails with the occasional foray into hillier stuff. I'll add that I'd rather have a bike that is less capable on the hilly stuff but more suited to flat trails than vice-versa. I worry a full suspension bike would be overkill for the flats and not as quick on the flats. But having ridden neither, it's hard to say.
You may well be best off with fs, if only for comfort and saving your knees. The fuel ex may not be a bad shout, but I think my first recommendation from trek would be a top fuel; XC/trail bike, not full-on trail bike. If it feels a little skittish on descents, just switch to a slightly burlier/stickier tyre and you'll be good as gold. For starters I'd go a size up from Trek's recommendation, and fit a slightly shorter (-10mm) stem to compensate.
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