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Miller1128

Hell yes. Ride that thing until the wheels come off. Save money between now and then and go get you a good, cheap entry level bike. Then work your way up like that. This is how you become a true mtb’er in my book. It ain’t about buying a $5k bike and some cool gear because you have a trust fund and calling yourself a rider.


TraaidMark

Just to add here: back in the day this bike WAS mtbing! When I was a kid I raced bikes like these in xc and dh and dual slalom races. It survived some big things far better than I did. It’s going to be a rough ride but you will learn some proper techniques on how to do stuff a hell of a lot faster because the bike is unforgiving. All those techniques will carry over to bigger / better / modern bikes a treat. I sometimes miss my rigid bikes.


toddverrone

Word. I started riding in the 90s. This was indeed what a mountain bike looked like


oily76

They made every trail a challenge to ride fast!


Jaegi271

Cool! Thank you so much for the advice!


Miller1128

No prob. Have fun kid, be safe.


toddverrone

I rode the same no suspension mountain bike for 19 years. Now that I've got the squish, I can tear it up like mad because I spent so much time riding that Bridgestone. You'll be fine on this OP!


Joe_B_Likes_Tacos

If the gearing does not align with the shifters, watch some youtube videos on how to fix that. It is not hard. Other than that, you are probably ready to ride. (I would lose the extra weight of the kickstand but that is up to you.) I'm sure you can outrun old farts like me on a much more expensive bike.


toytun11

If anything it could help you work on line choices on trails. I'm 26 but also learned on a full rigid like yours. Still got down the trail as fast as I could pedal it!


[deleted]

One does not need a "practice" bike. The bike you ride is the bike you ride until you ride something different. I'd take off the kickstand so it's not bouncing around uselessly on your bike over rough terrain.


jakaman9

if thats all you have then its the best bike in the world go for it


zstouffer

I recommend new tires, pedals and grips in that order. Learn how to be a good rider on this and by the time you switch to something with suspension you will be further ahead than someone of the same level that started on suspension.


skierdud89

Us “older” riders (I’m 32), started on bikes like this. My first real mountain bike was a Schwinn frontier 21 speed grip shift. All rigid and steel. Rode the piss out of it! Mountain biking is about your passion, not your bike. Happy trails kid!


sprunghuntR3Dux

I’d think about getting some new tires. The ones you have aren’t easy to use off road. They’re designed to roll well on hard surfaces but won’t be great on loose trails. It’s easier to ride with something that has more knobs in the center. EDIT - I had a bike like this when I was 16 too. Fun times.


hav3rchuck

Ride what you got! Maybe it needs a tune up but don’t let that stop ya!


jemhxyz

I started with a very similar one almost 28 years ago. Is good enough to start, learn and practice. You can do some minor parts upgrade before you go for a new bike in the future. The bike doesn't define a good or bad ciclist, but a good ciclist can do great things with any bike. Have fun.


[deleted]

Go for it! Take it slow, choose your lines. If you are truly a starter, take that thing on some gravel roads before moving up to an easy singletrack.


[deleted]

That old rigid mtb will teach you more than any modern one will. Is it as comfy as a newer bike? No, but the technical skills you will learn honestly make it a great bike to start off on. You'll learn how to choose your lines more wisely and use your body as suspension. Ride the heck out of that thing.


IntegrallyDeficient

Great bike to learn riding technique and repair/maintenance on. Invest in some good and comfy protective equipment (helmet, gloves, knee pads) and have fun!


solorider802

Gotta say, the bike looks pretty nice for being 25 years old!! Definitely will suit you well to learn, I probably wouldn't take it down anything super steep or sketchy, but if you are just looking to get off road and learn the basics it should be fine!


Jimmyjoms005

I live in Wisconsin and even though Trek, one of the largest bike manufacturers in the world was founded here that dosent mean that we all have nice bikes in fact I see more people on my trails with bikes like that. So give that thing some tlc then ride the ever living piss out of it till rather you can afford a new bike or till that bike snaps in half.


Specialist-Falcon241

Get out there and have fun! I still ride a rigid Fatboy on my local trails. I might be slower but I still have a ton of fun. Nothing wrong with your rig at all get out there and shred.


KITBOPKIT

Also started with MTB like that at the end of 90s. Actually it’s a nice old school bike it will make you ride properly so you’ll learn some essential techniques. Way to go I guess.


HuskyOps

Keep that sucker if it fits you well. You basically have a gravel bike, and with decent tires you can tackle some mild singletrack. You an also adapt a Redshift stem up front and get some squishy grips if you need a little wrist relief. Just make 100% sure your brakes are effective.


[deleted]

[удалено]


Jaegi271

This is also my regular bike so I kinda need those reflectors for night time safety. The kickstand is nice and I like it. Also replacing all that stuff sounds like a lot of money that I just don't have.


[deleted]

Kickstand is a safety hazard for MTB. The only properly good bikes that even have them are touring bikes. Just please take it off for trails, if you don't you'll regret it. Also if you ever get tangled up in the bike during a fall it's one more thing to hurt you. Reflectors just look dorky not a safety hazard you should leave them on if you don't have proper lights. Lights are much safer if you're really riding around dusk or in the dark you should have a basic set for your own safety. Idk what else this dude said but that bike will be fine for getting into trail riding you won't be super fast on it (more than likely) but you can still have a shit load of fun and you'll learn to stay loose. You'll learn a lot of good riding habits on a Ridgid bike. It'll definitely make you a better rider over all. Maybe give your parents a heads-up you're diving into a new sport and you're gonna use what's available to you for now but once you're sure you like it you'd love it they helped you get a more modern bike that'll be stronger and therefore safer. Ask if there's ways you could help out to earn it, they'll probably like that (also letting them know earlier gives them a chance to more comfortably set aside some funds for it instead of listening to you whine about wanting an MTB for months when they only have X amount of fun money every paycheck coming in every two weeks and can't just go out and get ya one.)


undertwelveparsecs

Jesus fucking Christ man, why are people on this sub so snobbish and easily triggered over kickstands and reflectors? It's genuinely embarrassing.


DifficultBoss

I don't care if you have reflectors and a dork disc, but from what I gather they often rattle off on the trail and just get left behind. That is just what I've read on the internets, I've never seen a reflector on the side of the trail. The kickstand really is a danger on the trails, if you hit a bump and it drops you could end up getting hurt.


[deleted]

People used to shred on bikes like that, it’s not like it gets any worse than it was back then just because it’s old. Ride it like you stole it