Anyone Mountain Bike?

[GatorBuell]

Im getting back into it after about 10 years. I need to get back in shape and thanks to the Marines my knees and feet cant take running anymore. So im getting back on a M bike. I just bought a Trek 4300 for starters. Maybe next spring I will get a full suspension bike.

 

[09XB12Ss]

I did professionally for many years and plan to get back into when I hit 40. I was also heavily into the import/export business at a worldwide level. Trek makes great hard-tail bikes. Keep away from their suspension frames. Go with something that has the VPP (Virtual Pivot Point) or a Horst Link system. My top picks are Santa Cruz and Intense Cycles. Never get anything that has bushings instead of bearings in the suspension pivot points. They fail and wear out too fast. Don't get any of these funky carbon/thermoplastics frames. Carbon and metal parts will separate over time. Stick with metal alloys. Go with Fox shocks front and rear. Rock Shox are very unreliable. Stay away from them. Bad customer service.

 

[Sayjackb]

I don't, but it would be a blast... going along with my love for buells, i see my self on a cannondale when the time comes.. I guess i'm a sucker for out of the box thinking when it comes to structural engineering... Buell has the belt, the exhaust, the frame, the suspension, the brake, the swing are, the thunderstorm... Cannondale has that awesome "ARE YOU KIDDING ME" "YOU ACTUALLY TRUST THAT THING" single for design... AWESOME. welp, thats my thoughts on that...

 

[09XB12Ss]

Cannodale was always an outside the box designer. They came up with some very innovating ideas. Unfortunately they also had a very bad customer service. In their case it is critical since most components that fail generally can't be replaced with another brand. I had so many friends that gave up on the brand as much as they loved their product. Things may have improved but I wouldn't vouch for them.

 

[FIDOSOL]

I do a little mountain biking, nothing too hardcore ( in my opinion anyway). I'm relatively in shape I guess, can ride all day no matter the trail. Oh and just for a comparison, anybody on here got their 2 mile time? Mine was a 13:14 on the last PT test, been working on it though, want to break the 12:59 barrier by the time I leave Fort Knox. Reason being that most people come here and get soft and fat and outta shape, I figure I'll break convention and do the opposite.

 

[FIDOSOL]

Oh I forgot to mention, I ride a Haro Flightline Sport. Figured I would start off with a hard tail and if I get really into it then I will upgrade to full suspension.

 

[GatorBuell]

I had a Cannondale M500 then a M800, I also had a Gary Fisher for a short time but did not like it, this was the early 90's. But I bought the Trek because the only bike shop it town only carries Trek and they make a decent bike. If I really get into it I will upgrade to a better Bike. I was stationed in North Carolina and we went riding every weekend. Some nice trails up there not like the sugar sand down here in Florida but It will have to do.

Fido you army guys have it nice with only a 2 mile run . The Marines PFT test is 3 miles with a target time of 18:00, 20 pull ups and 80 sit ups in 2:00. My best time on the run was 17:53. But I was only 160lbs back then and a PT junkie.

 

[FIDOSOL]

Yea we got it easy, I'm sure...

Marine PT Test Standards...

Marine Corps Physical Fitness Test Points - Male
Points Pull-Ups Crunches 3-Mile Run
100 20 100 18:00
99 99 18:10
98 98 18:20
97 97 18:30
96 96 18:40
95 19 95 18:50
94 94 19:00
93 93 19:10
92 92 19:20
91 91 19:30
90 18 90 19:40
89 89 19:50
88 88 20:00
87 87 20:10
86 86 20:20
85 17 85 20:30
84 84 20:40
83 83 20:50
82 82 21:00
81 81 21:10
80 16 80 21:20
79 79 21:30
78 78 21:40
77 77 21:50
76 76 22:00
75 15 75 22:10
74 74 22:20
73 73 22:30
72 72 22:40
71 71 22:50
70 14 70 23:00
69 69 23:10
68 68 23:20
67 67 23:30
66 66 23:40
65 13 65 23:50
64 64 24:00
63 63 24:10
62 62 24:20
61 61 24:30
60 12 60 24:40
59 59 24:50
58 58 25:00
57 57 25:10
56 56 25:20
55 11 55 25:30
54 54 25:40
53 53 25:50
52 52 26:00
51 51 26:10
50 10 50 26:20
49 49 26:30
48 48 26:40
47 47 26: 50
46 46 27:00
45 9 45 27:10
44 44 27:20
43 43 27:30
42 42 27:40
41 41 27:50
40 8 40 28:00
39 x 28:10
38 x 28:20
37 x 28:30
36 x 28:40
35 7 x 28:50
34 x 29:00
33 x 29:10
32 x 29:20
31 x 29:30
30 6 x 29:40
29 x 29:50
28 x 30:00
27 x 30:10
26 x 30:20
25 5 x 30:30
24 x 30:40
23 x 30:50
22 x 31:00
21 x 31:10
20 4 x 31:20
19 x 31:30
18 x 31:40
17 x 31:50
16 x 32:00
15 3 x 32:10
14 x x 32:20
13 x x 32:30
12 x x 32:40
11 x x 32:50
10 x x 33:00
9 x x x
8 x x x
7 x x x
6 x x x
5 x x x
4 x x x
3 x x x
2 x x x
1 x x x

In order to pass the semi-annual fitness test, Marines must perform the minimum acceptable performance requirements shown in the chart below. Additionally, they must have enough overall points to meet the 3rd class fitness requirements (see below).

Minimum Fitness Requirments for Each PFT Event - Males
Age Pull-Ups Crunches 3-Mile Run
17-26 3 50 28:00

Marine Corps PFT Classification Scores - Male and Female
Class Age 17-26 Age 27-39 Age 40-45 Age 46+
1st 225 200 175 150
2nd 175 150 125 100
3rd 135 110 88 65


And now the army standards...

U.S. Physical Fitness Charts for Males

Age 17-21


Push-ups

Reps Score Reps Score Reps Score Reps Score
77 57 81 37 53 17 26
76 56 79 36 52 16 24
75 55 78 35 50 15 23
74 54 77 34 49 14 21
73 53 75 33 48 13 20
72 52 74 32 46 12 19
71 100 51 72 31 45 11 17
70 99 50 71 30 43 10 16
69 97 49 70 29 42 9 14
68 96 48 68 28 41 8 13
67 94 47 67 27 39 7 12
66 93 46 66 26 38 6 10
65 92 45 64 25 37 5 9
64 90 44 63 24 35 4 8
63 89 43 61 23 34 3 6
62 88 42 60 22 32 2 5
61 86 41 59 21 31 1 3
60 85 40 57 20 30
59 83 39 56 19 28
58 82 38 54 18 27


Sit-Ups

Reps Score Reps Score Reps Score Reps Score
82 66 81 50 55 34 30
81 65 79 49 54 33 28
80 64 78 48 52 32 26
79 63 76 47 50 31 25
78 100 62 74 46 49 30 23
77 98 61 73 45 47 29 22
76 97 60 71 44 46 28 20
75 95 59 70 43 44 27 18
74 94 58 68 42 42 26 17
73 92 57 66 41 41 25 15
72 90 56 65 40 39 24 14
71 89 55 63 39 38 23 12
70 87 54 62 38 36 22 10
69 86 53 60 37 34 21 9
68 84 52 58 36 33
67 82 51 57 35 31



Running (2 Miles)

Time Score Time Score Time Score Time Score
12:54 16:24 53 19:54 5 23:24
13:00 100 16:30 52 20:00 3 23:30
13:06 99 16:36 50 20:06 2 23:36
13:12 97 16:42 49 20:12 1 23:42
13:18 96 16:48 48 20:18 0 23:48
13:24 94 16:54 46 20:24 23:54
13:30 93 17:00 45 20:30 24:00
13:36 92 17:06 43 20:36 24:06
13:42 90 17:12 42 20:42 24:12
13:48 89 17:18 41 20:48 24:18
13:54 88 17:24 39 20:54 24:24
14:00 86 17:30 38 21:00 24:30
14:06 85 17:36 37 21:06 24:36
14:12 83 17:42 35 21:12 24:42
14:18 82 17:48 34 21:18 24:48
14:24 81 17:54 32 21:24 24:54
14:30 79 18:00 31 21:30 25:00
14:36 78 18:06 30 21:36 25:06
14:42 77 18:12 28 21:42 25:12
14:48 75 18:18 27 21:48 25:18
14:54 74 18:24 26 21:54 25:24
15:00 72 18:30 24 22:00 25:30
15:06 71 18:36 23 22:06 25:36
15:12 70 18:42 21 22:12 25:42
15:18 68 18:48 20 22:18 25:48
15:24 67 18:54 19 22:24 25:54
15:30 66 19:00 17 22:30 26:00
15:36 64 19:06 16 22:36 26:06
15:42 63 19:12 14 22:42 26:12
15:48 61 19:18 13 22:48 26:18
15:54 60 19:24 12 22:54 26:24
16:00 59 19:30 10 23:00 26:30
16:06 57 19:36 9 23:06
16:12 56 19:42 8 23:12
16:18 54 19:48 6 23:18

Minimum overall score of 180 with no less than 60 points in each event...

So minimum overall score for marines 135...
Minimum overall score for us army 180...
So the marines must have a minimum of
10 pull ups 45 CRUNCHES (not full situps) and 28:00 or any other combination that meets the minimum requirements above.
And the Army must have a minimum of
42 Pushups 53 SITUPS (not baby crunches) and 15:54 for the 2 mile (that would give you another 12:00 minutes for the last mile if you were a marine...

It's not really a fair comparison because the events aren't really the same at all. It's an apples to oranges comparison at best.

 

[GatorBuell]

Ha Ha, I guess things are different now, it was 100 points for 18:00 run, 100 points for 20 pull ups, 100 points for 80 (full sit ups) in 2:00. points were deducted for anything less. I never scored under 290 and we were tested every 3 months. I think a 250 was fail. But that was 14 years ago.

 

[EVLXB]

I used to do alot.... too old and fat now... upgraded to something with a motor

Old Trek Y-11

New (ish) 'Dale with a Lefty fork

 

[Devlsmurf]

FIDO---12:36 on my last PT test Run( I have an excuse though..I was sick). It's a fitting subject because add on Hard interval sprints on a recumbant bike at the gym twice a week to your normal PT routine and you should have no problem breaking into a sub 13.

 

[dave_xb12r]

I plan on buying a new "Big Hit" or similar soon. I either going to get Specialized or a Santa Cruz cuz they have GREAT warranties and are both less than an hour from my house.

 

[FIDOSOL]

good stuff, now if only I had the time, I only get to PT about once a month with the unit, so my run time is a product of doing my own thing after hours.
Some of my NCO's use the lack of unit PT to justify failing a pt test EVEN THOUGH PT IS THE SOLDIERS RESPONSIBILITY!!! It's cool I don't mind being more squared away than my NCO's...