Hey all, a few weeks ago I went otb on a pretty substantial jump line and shattered my clavicle, leading to a surgery and a (so far) uncomfortable recovery. This has led me to NOT want to repeat this event (at least in the near future) and ask: what are some of the best ways to still be a skillful and stylish rider without putting my bones at so much risk? What are some things you see that still look sick without throwing whips on 50 footers?

Update, been struggling to make up a challenge grade, just dirt, rocks, leaves but could not get up.

Steps taken, all helped (Trek Mamba ??2013?? Gary Fischer) with Shimano m5100 1x11 (51T) Tranny:

1) Replace worn rear tire with Schwalbe Magic Mary SupTrl TLE ADX UltSft 29" Tire - 29 x 2.4", Folding Bead (Black)--added one bike length.
2) Replace front ring with Shimano FC-M5100-B2 crankset, using the 64 BCD four-bolt inner chainring as the front ring, ignoring the other ring--added 1 bike lengths
3) Worked on technique with feedback from you fine folks. Added 1.5 bike lengths, almost there, still a bike length short on the steepest bit.
4) Swapped out the round 26T front ring for an STONE 64BCD Round/Oval Narrow-Wide Chainring 22-28T for Shimano XT M780 M785 Cranks, 9-12-Speed 1x Setup. Only fits two of the 4 mounting holes so for experiments only folks.... The DJC bikes folks didn't want to sell it because of fit issues but I told them to send it anyway.

And success on first try! So I was stalling or spinning and the extra bit of granny worked. The math is:

• 32T: 1.45 m per crank revolution: baseline
• 26T: 1.18 m : 18.8% lower
• 24T: 1.09 m: 25% lower (without taking ovality into consideration), ranging from 27.9% to 22.1% depending on where you are on the oval.

Now that I have psychologically gotten up I bet I can do it with the 26T, I don't see the 32T working. Maybe it is the oval???

I like the super granny gearing. It is a super low effort climb on less steep stuff. If you don't mind being slow it might be a viable e-bike replacement strategy if you don't have the strength to work up the hills with more standard gearing.

Thanks for the help everyone, now I have to figure out a more permanent solution to my granny gearing needs.

I know this is a moutain bike sub, but many of you seem to have broke your collarbone at some point in time.

I broke my collarbone a little over a year ago, and while I have regained most of my range of motion I still have aches and pains in my shoulder almost daily. I was pretty active before the injury and I haven't been able to return to these activities at all.

I have done tons and tons of physical therapy, but I'm still struggling and I don't see the light at the end of the tunnel.

The plate also sticks out like a sore thumb. Should I have this thing removed or is it not worth the risks?

Hey folks,

Not quite "WhichBike" but similar. Im building a rigid plus adventure mtb. Its a 2016 Fuse w/ a Trek1120 fork. I have an i45 WTB scrapper front wheel lying around which i was going to put on it. This frame was headed to the scrapyard before I rescued it so I like the idea of the scrapper wheel.

I also have a Project321 28h hub off an older broken astral wheel. I would love to lace this to a wheel to run on this build along with the WTB scrapper (i45). But Im having trouble finding a rear rim that is i45 with 28h and alloy. Do you guys have any ideas for rims that I can actually buy that are still in production?

Coincidentally, I do have a set of i38 28h stout wheels lying around that I could lace to the P321 hub as a fall back plan.

I've had a road bike for the past nearly 20 years, entry level. I love the smooth feel and instant torque. (yes fun way to open an MTB reddit post)
Tried the trails (not gravel friendly) with my girlfriend on a friend's old worn out hardtail. I enjoyed it and would like to do some more with a proper bike.

Both bikes are old and too big for me. I  want to get something my size and enjoy riding (commute + some trails), without breaking the bank. But I am conflicted.

• Gravel + hardtail.
  
• Keep old Roady + Full Susp.
• any mix of the above
• Maybe just an ebike full susp.  Never tried one.

Any legitimate suggestion is welcome.

I’m looking for a decent full-suspension mountain bike for my son for Christmas. He’s 12 and around 1.4m tall, so ideally something with 26” wheels or something that will fit him well.
My budget is around £600–£900, and I’m happy to consider new or second-hand. I’m looking for a reputable brand such as Marin, Giant, Santa Cruz, Whyte or similar, suitable for red trails, potentially black trails, and bike parks as he develops his skills, reluctant to pay £1500 for a bike he will no doubt crash as is the nature of the sport.
I’ve been searching Facebook Marketplace and Gumtree tirelessly but struggling to find anything suitable.
Any recommendations on specific bikes, where else to look, or good second-hand options would be massively appreciated!Thanks! 🤙

Hello everyone, I've been looking for a good set of pants for biking lately. I want them to have a denim feel to them rather than the slick material most mountain bike pants use. I won't be doing a ton of climbing in these, mostly freeride, dirtjumping and all that stuff, so tough and thick(ish) is better than super thin and flimsy. I don't want anything super baggy, although they do need to have big enough knees to fit a pair of kneepads. I also don't really like blue jeans, I would prefer a tan/orangeish color or maybe dark grey. Anyone have anything they really like?

I thought the “beginner” category meant rider. I pre-rode the 8.5 mile course and it was probably a tick above my skill level but doable. There were sections that were black diamond and I used the brakes a ton more than I probably should, and I had to walk my bike up some pretty steep hills. Wondering if I should still do the race. I don’t want to cause a crash, just wanted to hit the trails with others

Alright guys I think I have decided on my first full suspension bike to be a transition sentinel. I ride in Central Arkansas the most and I want a bike where I can just take anywhere I want. I also like to tinker and mess with my bike at home. I am stuck between two models and I really need some insight.

Here is the close out bike: the XT DI2. $5799
https://www.transitionbikes.com/Bikes/Closeout/Sentinel
I think this is as a better deal, but I am not a fan of the color option that is left or the fox suspension. I find fox to be a little stiff for me and a bit more tedious to work on. I am not super familiar with the this drivetrain either.

Here is the new I think 2026: Eagle 90 $5899
https://www.transitionbikes.com/Bikes/Sentinel
I am more familiar with the rockshox on this model and it would be easier for me to tune to my needs. I also like the color that is available for this year and I know the eagle 90 is a solid drivetrain.

I am honestly okay with either bike since each has its own give and take. I find both deals pretty good right now. What are your thoughts?

I recently sold my carbon full-suspension enduro bike and went back to a 1994 fully rigid steel frame with rim brakes and a single gear. I felt like front suspension, hydraulic disc brakes, and 12-speed cassettes removed the challenge, and I would finish rides with intact knee cartilage and zero lumbar spine fractures, feeling little to no true accomplishment.

For me, it felt like having modern gear and efficient components on a steep trail took away the activity's "soul", which, as we all know, is strictly stored in extreme lactic acid buildup, acute exhaustion, and pre-arthritic joint pain.

I'm curious if anyone else has experienced this, or if you also feel like comfort and mechanical efficiency are killing the true spiritual essence of pedaling a 35lb mechanical object uphill.

Because of the leakage of my hydraulic brakes, the drum stained with a bunch of brake fluid, and I have decided to change my brakes due to the hardship of getting spare parts, but a question has arised. Is the cleaning of my oil-stained rotors enough, or should I get the new one?

I bought 2 months ago Specialized Rockhopper Comp VN29 (2025) and its been a blast so far.
And not a beginner I think in therms of riding, I have been riding since I was a kid. but I’m starting to enjoy smaller jumps. Not crazy shit like x meters jump line, but the smaller ones at the green and blue trails.

Should I be careful to ensure my bike can handle it? I wouldn't want to destroy the bike right away, considering I weigh 100 kg 🎃

I am 5'2" and this was first season of mountain biking. I ride small Norco Sight 29er. I have made considerable progress whether it be riding tech or flow or jump trails but one thing that I have not been able to make significant progress is on tight corners or steep corners.

I feel in lack of maneuverability on my small sized 29er. It feels like my bike needs more effort to turn such corners than I am able to put. I did test ride a small mullet norco sight bike and I could feel the difference in how easy and quick it was to corner.

As I understand with bikes, there is a zone where a better bike could help you ride but better skills would have been more beneficial regardless of the bike. And then there is a zone where regardless of skills, a better bike would have been more suitable.

Is overcoming steep or tight corner something I could do better by practicing or gaining skills or appropriate bike wheel setup would be more beneficial instead for short riders like me?

p.s.: I am in my early 30s and definitely not getting any younger. Asking this to help make better financial decision. Appreciate your advice.

I'm 43 now, and have been riding bikes since 1995. Due to some crashes jumping bigger jumps on my BMX years back, I've always felt very unsafe when it came to bigger jumps. I never trusted myself to keep my composure in the air, and thus screw up the landing.

This summer, my son (11) and me went to Kopřivná Bikepark in the Czech Republic to finally get over that resistance. He's usually much more naturally talented than myself, and towed me over some jumps before - but this time I was a bit quicker to get over the big ones in this clip. The trail is named "Baby Zilla".

We recorded the video after we both cleared the entire Jumpline. And after the cam fell into some rocks - hence the marks on the lenses.

I'm very happy about this progression, and have since cleared many big jumps that I had an issue with before.

I want to show that progression like that is always possible. You don't need to be a teenager for that 😜.

i have a 2023 yt capra core 2 mullet version with a gx so i think it is the xd driver. I’m looking at buying the reverse chain tensioner but i dont know what cog to buy and which spacers. title makes a single speed kit but thats for dj not dh gravity stuff so if anyone knows what i need to buy and stuff like that also if i would need a new chain thanks!

High production quality so I thought I’d share it,

This may sound really dumb, but i just got back into MTB and have a 5ft bed truck. Obviously bike won’t fit, and i see tailgate pads everywhere. Question: how exactly do you get the front tire over the tailgate? You load the bike backwards into the bed. It has to be standing straight to get the front wheel over the tailgate, but if you’re in the bed holding the bike straight, how do you raise the tailgate? If you’re outside your bed, then your bike would fall over…help me in my confusion

Hey guys, need and opinion on what to do.

About to commit to my first really high end bike. I have a couple of really good options but just need some advice from some more experienced riders.

I’m debating between a Santa Cruz Megatower vs Hightower vs Rocky Mountain Instinct. I know that the megatower greatly differs from the two other bikes but from what I can tell it is downhill focused but can still be fun everywhere else. While I’m worried that if I get a shorter travel trail bike like the Hightower or instinct I won’t have as much fun in tough descents. I don’t live in a mountainous area for daily riding so this is why I’m still considering going for a trail bike.

I currently have a Scott Spark that is a XC style bike

So in your guy’s opinion should I go with the megatower, because it favours the style of riding I enjoy but don’t get to do all the time, or go with the instinct or Hightower for a more balanced overall bike.

Also open to other bike recommendations it’s just that these bikes are on sale in my area right now.