Not Vintage….Yet

I like vintage bikes, but I also like bikes that aren’t vintage yet. On rare occasions I buy a new bike, like my Raleigh R600 which I bought new in the 90’s or my Hardrock that I think I bought in a showroom maybe late 80’s? More likely, I buy something relatively new like this 2020 Giant Fathom 1 and then ride it until it becomes vintage.

Sure this Giant is 3 years old, but it is like coming out of the Stone Age when you consider that my newest mountain bike prior to this was full-suspension Stumpjumper from 2005 and my newest hardtail was actually vintage, from the 90’s. The new feature list is pretty long: 27.5″ x 2.6″ boost size, thru-axle, dropper post, 1×12 Sram drivetrain with NX clutch derailleur and DUB press fit bottom bracket. Add to that the upgraded carbon bars and PNW grips and things are feeling pretty modern from my perspective.

I purchased this bike locally a few months ago at a price that seems good for this fairly low mile bike. Since then it’s been my go to bike and has several dozen, if not more, rides up and down Galbraith. I’d done literally no biking this winter so was really out of shape when I came back to town at the end of March. I had a lot of catching up to do for a guy who had already registered for both the Tour de Whatcom and Mt. Baker Hill Climb. I know that those are both road rides, but a “new” trail bike was a great incentive to spend too much time out riding.

And a hardtail seems to fit my slow never leave the Earth riding style. In fact I generally have found more joy riding my old Stumpjumper hardtail over any other bike that I’ve owned, however 26″ wheels, pogo stick front forks and v-brakes don’t really hold up well in a modern world. Oh, and dragging the large ring on the crankset can be a bit of a bother at times. The Giant seems to have all that I need to enjoy the local cross country trails or just trails as I usually refer to them; trails as opposed to downhill runs as many trails have morphed to become. The geometry is certainly more slack than anything I’ve ever owned and coupling that with the dropper post means that I’ve been more comfortable on some of the steeper trails. The stock Maxxis Ardent tires have worked well enough through a muddy wet spring and into the sandy loose summer months. They weren’t necessarily the best in wet conditions and not necessarily the best in sandy stuff so I guess that makes them a good all around tire, but they will likely be my next upgrade.

I did upgrade the bars and grips right away. The stock bars were a bit flat for my wrists so I took the chance getting a pair of carbon bars off Amazon that had a little more rise and some slight pullback. I went with the PNW grips be I wanted something really sticky as well as lock on attachment. Grips and bars were both good decisions. I’ve also transplanted a Brooks Cambium saddle from a road bike, just to see how it felt; super good and waterproof. Oh, and I got one of those shorty mudguards for the forks. My face and eyes think that was another good upgrade decision.

In the long run I don’t know if I will own this long enough for it to become a vintage bike, because I am kind of thinking that I might upgrade this hardtail to another hardtail, just one with a rear thru axle rather than the quick release. It’s not that there is anything wrong with it, but I do feel a bit of wiggle in the back end from time to time. I’m thinking that with the rear thru axle, would also offer a little more rigidity back there and that hardtail will be a bike that I’d be happy to ride it until it is vintage.

I do like hardtails.

I’m about 15 hours of riding into thinking that I won’t need to upgrade this hardtail. That wiggle out back that I kept feeling turned out to also be the creaking noise that I couldn’t track down. I upgraded pedals and bottom bracket; no bueno. I serviced the rear hub; no bueno. Cleaned and tightened derailleur hanger; no bueno. Traded for a really nice bolt on skewer; no bueno. I investigated maybe cracked rear stays or frame; luckily no bueno.

Then I found it. Press on rear derailleur and I get my creak but when I press on rear stay; no creak! Back to the dropout and I theorized that even though it is clean and tight, maybe it was rotating on the single attachment bolt because the dropout and the frame don’t match perfectly. Frustrated and only having red Loctite, I Loctited the hanger to the frame, not the bolt, just the flat of the hanger to the flat of the frame and tightened the quick release skewer. I would have preferred trying some of the remains pliable blue stuff, but I didn’t have any and as I said I was frustrated. Any way, 4-5 rides later and I’ve had no return of the creak and the rear end feels rigid as it should.

I do like hardtails.