Look on the bright side of a junky bike

We’ve all been there and some of are still in this situation…a junky bike. For the most part, some of us that got into mountain biking for the first time didn’t drop $1k on a new ride. Nope, we opted for cheaper versions that cost between $60 (WalMart) to $250 (entry level bike at the LBS). Since these bikes weren’t really made for the abuse that mountain biking dishes out, we put up with the heavy, ghost shifting, and untrue wheels that these bikes often have.

What you didn’t realize is the sport actually growing on you. You see other riders on the trail with high tech gadgets like hydraulic brakes, wireless computers, heart rate monitors….full suspension…oooh. So with your eyes being opened to a whole new field of possibilities in riding, you then start saving up for a nice bike.

During the saving up process, you still ride your beater bike as much as you can. But once you get your new ride, you become extremely grateful for all the great doo-hickies your bike has. Such as brakes that work, gears that shift only when you want them too and that great squishy feeling of your new suspension.

Junky, beater bikes aren’t necessarily a bad thing. They’re great for helping you gain an appreciation for nice bikes. Plus they are perfect for people that are barely getting into the sport. Cuz’ we all know that newbies tend to crash more in their first few rides. I know I did! Heck I remember for the longest time, I was eating it every single ride I would go on. It wasn’t until finally started to learn how to handle my bike, read the terrain and become a smarter rider that I stopped crashing. So for you guys that are riding bikes that are less desirable, just keep riding them until things break and start saving up for a nicer ride!