Is cycling actually an extreme sport?

George Morgan3 said:Yeah, I get it... but if I'm going all-in on a full-suspension, then it needs to actually be a real deal bike for serious trails, with more travel 🙂 and

For what I need right now, about 4 inches of travel front and back is plenty. If I decide to step up to something beefier later, I'll deal with that then... 😁

Look, I already gave you a piece of my mind about that Specialized Epic back in the day... so I eventually just decided that once it’s truly complete, it’s going to be the ultimate FULL 😁

It really depends on what kind of extreme you're looking for—whether it's downhill, freeride, trail, or dirt jumping... Personally, I’d go with trail riding, though I haven't actually pulled the trigger on buying a new bike yet. I've been getting my miles in on a Trek 3400 for about three years now.

I’m riding a Ken... specifically a Hoss. 😁

🙏 🙏

Hoss is really meant for those folks who have "heavy bones" 😁 so, how much do you weigh?

Here’s another one with a Ken—just a basic entry-level model... haha, I actually have the 🙂

George Morgan3 said:Hoss is built for people with "heavy bones."😁 How much do you weigh?

If you ask me, the Hoss is perfect for some light XC riding. The frame is beefy enough, and the fork actually does the job for me. What’s my weight? Around 155-160 lbs. I do some moderate trail riding, and the Hoss has been a solid choice.

Dana Sullivan said:In my opinion, the Hoss is built for serious XC riding. The frame is beefy, and the fork actually meets my standards. Weight? I'm about 155-160 lbs. I push myself pretty hard on trails, so the Hoss feels like a solid choice.

Given your weight, I’m guessing you’re on the shorter side, which likely means you have a smaller frame. Because of that, I find it a bit odd to see a 100mm fork paired with that specific frame size. Honestly, it bugs me that for that price point—around $1,100—Ken didn't spec this with higher-end components. At that level, you really should be seeing at least a Shimano LX class crankset, hubs, brakes, and derailleurs. Personally, I don't think this Hoss is quite ready for "serious" XC, but...

ruggedcrane22 said:Given your weight, I’m guessing you’re on the shorter side, probably riding a smaller frame, so a 100mm fork feels like a weird fit for that setup. It also strikes me as odd that for that price point—around $1,100—Ken didn't spec it with better parts. At that level, you'd expect the cranks, hubs, brakes, and drivetrain to at least hit the Shimano LX class. In my book, this Hoss isn't really built for serious XC, but still...

You've got that wrong. I'm 5'11" and the frame is an 18". 😁 A 100mm fork fits this frame perfectly. And yeah, the brakes are actually hydraulic Hayes because this is the Hoss 2005 SE model, not the one listed in CC. The way the frame and the fork are designed together definitely points toward more intense XC riding. That's just my take on it, though. Honestly, I'm totally happy with the bike... if I hadn't already sold it to buy something else, I would have kept it. 👍

Honestly, don't let those people who clearly don't know what they're talking about get in your head. Anyone claiming that owning a Trek ruins your street cred or that they're strictly just for riding to the grocery store definitely doesn't understand anything about bikes. I've been riding my Trek 4300 Alpha for three years now, and I can tell you firsthand, it’s absolutely fantastic—truly one of the best models Trek has ever put out.

Since we’re already talking about Ken... I’m actually thinking about heading out mid-week to pick up a brand new Cindrecon... if anyone feels like writing a little something about it...... http://www.konaworld.com/09_cindercone_en.cfm ...I really need it to replace my Corratec X-Verta that some soulless thief snatched right out from under me.... yeah, stolen 😢