Tom Scott
New Member
Hi, I'm Tom and I live in San Francisco. I've ridden bikes most of my adult life for transportation and exercise/pleasure. (I spent the 90s on my awesome Bridgestone MB4, my first real bike love. It was a "hardtail," or what was back then simply known as a "mountain bike." ) Anyhow, about 6 or 7 years ago my bikes were stolen from my basement and I thought, "Ok, maybe I'm too old for this bike stuff." So I held off replacing them. Eventually, I thought "Screw that, I'm not dead yet" so I bought a Trek Hybrid and fell in love with biking again, mostly on long rides around San Francisco. Employing the same "Screw that, I'm not dead yet" logic, a year or two later I bought my first proper mountain bike since my Bridgestone—a full-suspension Ibis Ripley AF. What a difference in technology 30 years makes. I love it.
Earlier this year, though, I noticed my endurance had dropped significantly when riding up giant hills. I've never been a strong or skilled rider but hill grinds are something I used to like, or at least not mind. But now it's becoming onerous and not fun at all. Then I got Covid and my energy dropped even further. Then I had a heart scare and I was limited from cardio for about 3 months.
Luckily my heart is fine and healthy and on Thursday my cardiologist cleared me to "Go for it, Don't Hold Back." Yesterday was my first time back on my Ibis in 3 months. Um, yikes.
So after somewhat exhausting months of casual research, weeks of circling finalists, and many days of hemming and hawing I've finally decided to take the e-MTB plunge. I think.
So unless I flip-flop again in a few hours I'm going to my local bike shop and order the Fuel EXe 8 GX AXS T-Type in Keswick Green. I was contemplating requesting tan sidewalls but my wife said it would "look like a girl's bike." So I think I'll just keep to the black tires. $7,400 is $1,500 over my max budget but I did some calculations (selling my Ibis, selling my Bruce Springsteen ticket, etc.) and I can justify it. Just to make sure I'm not a bad spouse I cleared this all with her.
Other contenders were the various versions of the aluminum Trek Fuel Exe's, and the various Orbea Rise options. But I've made my choice.
Wish me fortitude.
Earlier this year, though, I noticed my endurance had dropped significantly when riding up giant hills. I've never been a strong or skilled rider but hill grinds are something I used to like, or at least not mind. But now it's becoming onerous and not fun at all. Then I got Covid and my energy dropped even further. Then I had a heart scare and I was limited from cardio for about 3 months.
Luckily my heart is fine and healthy and on Thursday my cardiologist cleared me to "Go for it, Don't Hold Back." Yesterday was my first time back on my Ibis in 3 months. Um, yikes.
So after somewhat exhausting months of casual research, weeks of circling finalists, and many days of hemming and hawing I've finally decided to take the e-MTB plunge. I think.
So unless I flip-flop again in a few hours I'm going to my local bike shop and order the Fuel EXe 8 GX AXS T-Type in Keswick Green. I was contemplating requesting tan sidewalls but my wife said it would "look like a girl's bike." So I think I'll just keep to the black tires. $7,400 is $1,500 over my max budget but I did some calculations (selling my Ibis, selling my Bruce Springsteen ticket, etc.) and I can justify it. Just to make sure I'm not a bad spouse I cleared this all with her.
Other contenders were the various versions of the aluminum Trek Fuel Exe's, and the various Orbea Rise options. But I've made my choice.
Wish me fortitude.
