It depends for _how long_ I would have to ride the _BMMB_.
When I'm not riding my main bike, I have an old '09 Rocky Mountain Reaper hardtail that I bought pretty beat-up for 100$ a few years ago. Tektro cable disc brakes, i19 rims, 8 year-old 60a Minion DHR IIs, coil-sprung-and-damped Rock Shox Dart 100mm fork. After a complete overhaul and a few left over parts swaps from other bikes (SLX 11 spd drivetrain, RF Chester crank, Tranz-X dropper post), I surprisingly take it out very often when I just want simplicity or an added challenge when riding with slower friends.
The only thing that I can't stand if the harsh fork top-out when lifting up the front wheel so I might install a rigid fork or another cheap suspension fork at some point. A dropper changes everything, and I had forgotten how annoying dropping the chain was. A clutch derailleur is another necessity for me on a BMMB.
Honestly, it doesn't take much to get me out riding and have fun. The look that people give when riding this bike on real trails is also an exercice in ego-management haha! The '18 Marin Rift Zone 1 I had was a perfect budget bike that would satisfy so many people before they fall into the never-ending upgrade trap. If I could only have one bike, it would probably be a modern hardtail like the Honzo with a Deore 12 spd drivetrain and a mid-priced fork.
Feb. 14, 2022, 5:41 a.m. - Martin
It depends for _how long_ I would have to ride the _BMMB_. When I'm not riding my main bike, I have an old '09 Rocky Mountain Reaper hardtail that I bought pretty beat-up for 100$ a few years ago. Tektro cable disc brakes, i19 rims, 8 year-old 60a Minion DHR IIs, coil-sprung-and-damped Rock Shox Dart 100mm fork. After a complete overhaul and a few left over parts swaps from other bikes (SLX 11 spd drivetrain, RF Chester crank, Tranz-X dropper post), I surprisingly take it out very often when I just want simplicity or an added challenge when riding with slower friends. The only thing that I can't stand if the harsh fork top-out when lifting up the front wheel so I might install a rigid fork or another cheap suspension fork at some point. A dropper changes everything, and I had forgotten how annoying dropping the chain was. A clutch derailleur is another necessity for me on a BMMB. Honestly, it doesn't take much to get me out riding and have fun. The look that people give when riding this bike on real trails is also an exercice in ego-management haha! The '18 Marin Rift Zone 1 I had was a perfect budget bike that would satisfy so many people before they fall into the never-ending upgrade trap. If I could only have one bike, it would probably be a modern hardtail like the Honzo with a Deore 12 spd drivetrain and a mid-priced fork.