I’ve always liked riding bikes. For years, it was just a way to get around—nothing special, just a practical way to get from A to B. That changed in 2018, when a friend moved away and left me his mountain bike. Suddenly, I found myself looking up bike parts, learning about maintenance, and planning longer rides just for fun. What started as a simple hand-me-down turned into a hobby that stuck with me.
At first, the world of mountain bikes felt a bit overwhelming. There’s a lot of information out there and everyone seems to have strong opinions about what makes a “proper” bike. I took it slow, talked to friends, and did my own research. Over time, I figured out what worked for me and what didn’t.
Mountain Bikes
So far, I have owned three bikes. The first one was a gift, while I bought the second and third myself.
Bergamont Revox 6.0
The Bergamont Revox 6.0 was my first real mountain bike. It was a bit too small, but it had features I’d never had on a bike before—disc brakes and a lockout on the shocks. The 3x10 drivetrain was pretty standard for the bikes I was used to. The bike was a good first impression of the current state of mountain bikes. Since the frame was too small for me, I continued the legacy and gifted it to a friend—time to buy a bicycle with my own money for the first time.
Bulls Copperhead 3
After a year, I upgraded to a Bulls Copperhead 3. A friend helped me pick this one at a local shop and this one fit much better, since the frame size was finally right. I started tracking my rides and exploring more of the area I live in. I even talked a few friends into joining me for a two-day tour—90 km one day, 100 km the next. It was the first time I realized how much you can see from a bike and how it’s the perfect pace for travel: fast enough to cover ground, slow enough to actually notice things.
Owning this bike also got me more interested in the world of mountain bikes. I started following new developments, reading up on gear, and watching videos about the latest tech. That’s when I first came across the 1x12 drivetrain and began to figure out what features I wanted in my next bike.
Looking back, it was a great choice to get started. The Magura MT4 brakes were amazing, and the Shimano Deore XT derailleur shifted very crisply.
Canyon Grand Canyon 8
In 2021, I bought a Canyon Grand Canyon 8. This was the first bike I picked out myself, after a lot of research and knowing what I wanted. A friend of mine had already bought a Canyon bike and was satisfied with the entire “buying a bike online” process. This bike offers a few things the Bulls Copperhead 3 didn’t: It has the 1x12 Shimano Deore XT RD-M8100 drivetrain and a dropper seat post. It also has a lockable Fox 34 Rhythm shock. The brakes are Shimano RT10 discs (180 mm front, 160 mm rear) with MT400 calipers. If any part of the bike felt like a downgrade, it was definitely the brakes. The Magura MT4s simply felt much better. The gear shifting is very smooth and crisp. Compared to the 3x10 drivetrain of the previous bike, it feels like a big step up. Being able to adjust the seat height at the press of a button is something I really enjoy. This allows quick adjustments to the seating position, which is very helpful for longer rides. Especially if you ride in more technical terrain, it is good to get the seat out of the way. This is also the first bike where I cared about the design—it looks very sleek and good-looking. It has made riding even more fun and I’ve started looking for new trails and longer routes. This is also the bike I used for my longest bikepacking tour so far: the Ciclovia Alpe Adria. I’ll write about that trip in a future post.
This bike has been a great buy so far. I still enjoy riding it, and there really isn’t a feature missing. Of course, there are always new parts I’d like to upgrade, but all the components on this bike fit my needs perfectly.
Maintenance
The more I rode, the more I realized it made sense to learn some basic maintenance. You don’t need much space or fancy tools—just a simple toolkit and a repair stand are enough for most things. Adjusting gears, swapping brake pads, and cleaning the drivetrain turned out to be pretty straightforward. YouTube and a good book were all I needed to get started. Keeping the bike in good shape makes every ride better and it’s also satisfying to fix things yourself. Learning these basics also meant I could help family and friends with their bikes.
Final thoughts
Mountain biking is still just a hobby for me, but one that I keep coming back to. I like the mix of being outside, getting some exercise, and tinkering with the bike. One big advantage is that you can ride alone or with friends. Riding by myself helps me to completely disconnect from the world, whereas riding with friends gives you a lot of time to talk. If you’re thinking about mountain biking, just give it a go and don’t worry too much about the details. Most things become clearer once you start riding regularly—at least, that’s what worked for me.
Enjoyed the post? Have questions or feedback? I'd love to hear from you! Feel free to drop me an email at blog@jerey.at.