# Wow! To my surprise this forum has gained traction.



## DIRTJUNKIE (Oct 18, 2000)

I haven't been paying much attention to this forum in the last year or so. I peeked in and realized it's now one of the more busy forums on the site. Does this mean the sport is aging? Or does it mean the ones in this forum have more time to spend shooting the **** behind a keyboard rather than out riding? Not sure what I'm saying I'm just happy to see more activity anywhere on this site these days. Keep it up, entertain me damn it!


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## waltaz (Oct 14, 2004)

I’m 56 now, and started on MTBR back in 2004. I get the sense that most of the people that are active on here these days are those that started back in the early-2000’s, and are now 50+. The younger generation(s) are on Facebook, Pinkbike, Reddit or whatever.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## Rev Bubba (Jan 16, 2004)

*We are retired and have time to post?*

I've been around here since the mid-nineties. Well before they revised the stats and showed people joining in the early 2000's who had been around for a decade before that. I still ride a hundred plus days between mid - April and early - November.

I think I used to be on line even more at work. I used a computer most of the day but I retired almost ten years ago and am now too busy to post all day.

As a whole, it looks like the mountain bikers I see are aging. The roadies too. Based on nothing but very unscientific observations, it looks like the kids (anyone under 30?) are into electric bikes.

I refuse to complain. That's what is expected from someone over 70 and I love to screw with people's expectations. I didn't say anything except "on your right" when I passed two guys on electric bikes on a climb this past Friday but it certainly felt good to do that... (yes, they were climbing too.)

Skiing has the same age issues. I instructed for years. Yesterday, a buddy who still instructs said he wasn't going back this season because he mostly taught mid-week and all the instructors who taught then too were over 70 and probably not going to teach because of COVID. Mountains may have to finally up their pitiful pay scales to attract people.

Getting old beats the Hell out of dying young.


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## evasive (Feb 18, 2005)

not where we live. It seems every other ride we come across a family or group with school-age kids. NICA went from a handful last year to 58 this year. It wasn't that long ago you couldn't buy a functional mountain bike for a kid. Not anymore, and we see them all over the place. I think that's promising.


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## Radium (Jan 11, 2019)

Interesting, Waltaz, I originally joined mtbr in 2004, too, and somewhere along the way I closed my account. I'm 66, and I don't see a lot of the old-timers on the site anymore.


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## cyclelicious (Oct 7, 2008)

I've always felt like a 50+ yr old mtbr. I don't know what it's like to be a 20, 30 or 40 yr old mtbr. I feel right at home


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## chazpat (Sep 23, 2006)

*Wow! To my surprise this forum has gained traction.
*
We let a little air out of our tires.


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## DIRTJUNKIE (Oct 18, 2000)

Being as old as the dirt we ride on has a certain status.


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## Nat (Dec 30, 2003)

MTBR is now frequented mostly by grumpy, intolerant old men. And Cycleicious.


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## Phillbo (Apr 7, 2004)

I am Groot....


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## atarione (Aug 24, 2018)

this forum is probably active because it is the geezers that still like forums.. the youth are probably all over on reddit and facebook?


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## Nat (Dec 30, 2003)

atarione said:


> this forum is probably active because it is the geezers that still like forums.. the youth are probably all over on reddit and facebook?


Exactly. Reddit, TikTok, Snapchat, Twitter, Instagram... not MTBR. May as well go to an AOL chat room.


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## Forest Rider (Oct 29, 2018)

Just wanted to post here to remain physically active.

As in I am physically here being active on the forum.



Not sure why you haven't been around, too TIRED I guess. Glad you are back, now get a GRIP and enjoy the ride. You are usually here and seem pretty well SPOKEn in your posts. Stick around a while to get the DIRT on all the current events. I'm spinning my wheels here to thinking of more dumb puns.


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

I wish it was more active, but I think this a dying communication form, sadly I don’t think I’ll evolve to Reddit or another social media; killed my Facebook profile a few years ago and never looked back.

I go to Pinkbike these days, not interested in their forum cuz it sucks, mostly read the views and the opinions of the reviews; those young people are so damn funny 🤣


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## tomboyjr (Jul 16, 2009)

Maybe this forum is active because you have to be 50 or more to be able to afford these bikes nowadays-lol. 

I just paid the most I have ever paid paid for a bicycle(more than double what the second most expensive was). I have paid less for some motorcycles and cars.


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## Crankout (Jun 16, 2010)

Yeah, we be agin' and whatnot..


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## DIRTJUNKIE (Oct 18, 2000)

Crankout said:


> Yeah, we be agin' and whatnot..


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## Crankout (Jun 16, 2010)

DIRTJUNKIE said:


> View attachment 1365697


Ha! New take on e-biking...


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## Father Brown (Jan 1, 2021)

The body ages but the spirit is forever young.


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## edubfromktown (Sep 7, 2010)

WHAT? speak louder...

lol


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## PierreR (May 17, 2012)

Young? I miss Compuserve.


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## Zguitar71 (Nov 8, 2020)

I started riding and racing BMX in 1982 when I was 12, moved to the MTB in 1987 when I was 17, moved to Montana when I was 20, still riding now and I’m 50. Computers and forums and smart phones and being 50 let me post on this site quite a bit and still have time to ride everyday either commuting or up in the mountain behind my house.


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## 2sharp7 (Aug 29, 2013)

DIRTJUNKIE said:


> View attachment 1365001
> 
> I haven't been paying much attention to this forum in the last year or so. I peeked in and realized it's now one of the more busy forums on the site. Does this mean the sport is aging? Or does it mean the ones in this forum have more time to spend shooting the **** behind a keyboard rather than out riding? Not sure what I'm saying I'm just happy to see more activity anywhere on this site these days. Keep it up, entertain me damn it!


Well, what else do you do while at work??


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## Klurejr (Oct 13, 2006)

2sharp7 said:


> Well, what else do you do while at work??


DJ does not work, he just posts on mtbr.com


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## Velobike (Jun 23, 2007)

Klurejr said:


> DJ does not work, he just posts on mtbr.com


At our age, we're not supposed to use 4 letter words like w***, but I suppose some of you are still young 'uns, so it's to be expected.


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## DIRTJUNKIE (Oct 18, 2000)

DJ bought a new gadget called a smarty pants phone. Seems he can post anywhere at anytime with that thingamajig.


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## DeoreDX (Jul 28, 2007)

I'm mid 40's so I keep an eye in here to get an idea what I get to look forward to in 5 years. I hit that part of my life where I've been more seriously injured sleeping than anything I've done on a bike  I used to frequent here in the early 2ks, maybe as far back at the late 90's but I can't remember if it went back that far.


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## old_er (Dec 27, 2020)

DeoreDX said:


> I'm mid 40's so I keep an eye in here to get an idea what I get to look forward to in 5 years. I hit that part of my life where I've been more seriously injured sleeping than anything I've done on a bike  I used to frequent here in the early 2ks, maybe as far back at the late 90's but I can't remember if it went back that far.


My father told me two pearls of wisdom. Don't get old, it sucks and don't have a heart attack, they hurt like hell.


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## Finch Platte (Nov 14, 2003)

Rev Bubba said:


> *We are retired and have time to post?*
> I didn't say anything except "on your right" when I passed two guys on electric bikes on a climb this past Friday but it certainly felt good to do that... (yes, they were climbing too.)


Lol, nice.


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## bachman1961 (Oct 9, 2013)

As per DJ's opening post, I think the mid to late 40's on into the 60's age range is a general sweet spot for much of the mtb 'scene', perusal and chat/posts. Earlier years seems quite busy and maybe still is for the younger set. This talk of reflecting and thinking more about the things we do and have done get deeper and longer winded as we get years of "experience".  Not sure when exactly I learned more of forums and sites of this nature but around 2002, I began thinking about a mtn bike beyond my 91 Hard Rock that would seem a step up and more Colorado-ready from a flatlands of Michigan experience. Reviews comments and info here started my shopping and learning search and from 02 or 03 forward, I was a 'member'. A few years on/off participating and I had lost my original sign in criteria so I renewed a second round a few years ago. Some kind reviews in the $400 to $600 range lead me to a local Kona shop at the time.

I'm def guilty of much perusal and posting as a vicarious outlet in non active riding stints. Poor planning, poor weather, too lazy and other things are easy excuses to not be on the wheels but seeing pics here and the comedy, debate, adventures and crafty wit of colorful personalities make it a nice segue.  More focus on typing and reading are a default of mine over a number of recent years due to my thinking this type of brain activity may just exercise the goods and ward off dementia or other foggy issues that come with age or a few bumps to the noggin. 

I treat a few sites/forums as the old days of the CB Radio. Just passing time, chatting about things of common interest, being able to sign in and participate when and where convenient and establishing some friends and contacts along the way. I've done so on motorcycle forums, car forums and firearms forums going back to the early 2000's.

MTBR is by far, my favorite. I blame the old farts and the young one's too. Anyone that can just blather on about bikes, fitness, music, health or ? and shoot some occasional bike pictures to post. It's all pretty much YOUR FAULT.


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