[acresm22]

My bike riding experience has taken a funny twist. I used to be an avid mountain biker in the 90s, but I kinda drifted away with the arrival of kids and middle age. Some of my cohorts also drifted, but more toward road bikes instead of the couch.
My 10-year old needed a new bike this spring, so I started looking at bmx. Long story short, shopping for his new bike sparked an old flame. I was blissfully unaware of which bmx brands to seek out, and starked reading about DK. Turns out some DK models are available at Walmart...yes, Walmart. So we picked up a DK Fury (aluminum frame, cro-mo crank) at our local Walmart for $179, and the thing is just a hoot to ride. Just a great little bike.
I couldn't resist, and ended up buying myself the daddy version, also a DK from Walmart.com http://www.walmart.com/ip/DK-Xenia-26-BMX-Bike/17012261
So...I'm riding again, but not exactly on a mountain bike 

[jackman]

Very cool!  Riding a bike with your son is cool no matter what you get. Bmx bikes are cool in general and it's great to hear you got a good deal. Post pictures and good luck!

Cheers

Jack

[J-Pak]

I live in New Hampshire and there are 5 (!!!) Santa Cruz mountain bike dealers just in a 45 minute radius of each other. Similar with other major brands or more. Our state only has a population of about 1 million. I don't think mtb'ing is dying.

I used to ride avidly 10 years ago, and there are more dealers here now than there were back then. The amount of tech they can pack into a sub $1000 bike is also amazing compared to back then.

[jackman]

That's good  to hear!  I love mountain biking and a couple theories regarding the observations in this thread:

- maybe mountain biking is dying in the Midwest. Makes sense because there are very few great places to ride around here. Not like the coasts or Colorado, where they have great trails and hills.

- maybe the shops I hit we're anomalies.  They were in high end areas and most of their current bikes were road oriented.

-  cyclecross is getting more popular around here. Maybe the xcross growth has come at the expense of mtb.

I'm happy mountain biking is alive and kicking in certain regions.  It's a fun activity and I need to do it more often.

Sorry about all of the typos!  Using iPhone and having trouble seeing small print.

[JoshK]

Santa Cruz is pretty big here too.  I think they are trying to be the next big bike company. 

Out here in Toronto, we don't have much DH, so you don't see more of the DH oriented brands except custom made big 3 for the DH team.  We have apparently a pretty soft version of a lift access park. 

I would have expected to see more Canadian brands like Devinci, Cromag, and the like.  You do, but they aren't as big in the bike shops.

Lots of Spesh and then all the rest too.

[mcgsxr]

Does it count if you ride one, but not on trails?

I am putting 10 miles or so per ride, 3-4 times a week now on my old rescued Kona Kula.  But at present I am running it on urban tires (not slicks, but far from knobbies) to build legs.

If I get happy (lungs and legs) in the coming 12 months I will drop 2-3K on a full suspension bike like some of my friends, and hit the local stuff.

I can keep the old Kona as my road sled.

[acresm22]

After riding the single speed Xenia on some local trails, my interest in ss mountain bikes has been kindled. Do any of you ride single speed 29"ers? Seems there's a bit of a cult out there, and some really cool bikes at great prices. Nashbar makes a nice one: http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product_10053_10052_502354_-1___
So does Dawes: http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/dawes/deadeye.htm
And this one from Windor Cliff has some good press: http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/windsor/windsor_cliff29_1.htm

[DaveC113]

After riding the single speed Xenia on some local trails, my interest in ss mountain bikes has been kindled. Do any of you ride single speed 29"ers? Seems there's a bit of a cult out there, and some really cool bikes at great prices. Nashbar makes a nice one: http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product_10053_10052_502354_-1___
So does Dawes: http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/dawes/deadeye.htm
And this one from Windor Cliff has some good press: http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/windsor/windsor_cliff29_1.htm

I've pedaled around a couple of <20 lb ti frame 29ers with carbon fiber forks... they seem like they would be a lot of fun. I think a key part of the equation is light weight, combined with the easy rolling 29" wheels they have the efficiency to make ss work well off road. I'd have one if I had the cash...