Why is Everybody Riding Old Mountain Bikes Now? And other trends of 2026

My 1988 Schwinn KOM. Alt or X Biking is a growing community in 2026

What's In in 26'? What's out? It seems 26' isn't dead and is doing alive and well in 2026. We've come full circle, from the before times when road bike mania hadn't yet gripped us with carbon fiber bikes and Livestrong bracelets.  The times before group rides, rallies or criteriums dotted the cycling landscape and where the path and pavement cyclist reigned supreme. The 90's mountain bike, or ATB as it was once called and currently is also called, was the ultimate multi-use path slayer. Comfortable, rugged and simple, these machines survived on simple maintenance and frequent use. There wasn't much to go wrong or break on them, provided they weren't being sent off any drops. Now a new generation is getting their hands on these old school wonders and seeing where their imaginations can take them.

The fable of Lance Armstrong has now become a cautionary tale, and newer generations don't understand the old road cycling culture or why they would ever risk their lives riding with cars. The constant innovation of road bikes with proprietary parts and built to fail features like electronic shifting has left a bad taste in the mouths of a consumer who is now as price conscious as ever. Ask most people, they want a forever bike now. Steel frame, cable analog shifting, external cable routing, all these features make more sense to both the beginner cyclist and experienced alike. Even tubeless tires is seeing a decrease in popularity as TPU inner tubes are coming into the scene. Whatever people can do themselves and fix themselves is what they are interested in. Meanwhile, most bicycle retail is still focused on the 10 to 20 percent of the market who have recession proof pockets. The bottom 80 to 90 percent of people are ignored to appease the few. 

That is why younger people, most in the Millenial or Gen Z category, are rediscovering the old school mountain bike. For most of them, all they would have to do is to step into the family shed and pull out their dad's old bike. That is a very economical proposition rather than spending thousands on a new one. Additionally, those who don't have a dad can buy one cheap on Facebook Marketplace, OfferUp, Craigslist or from an estate sale. These old bikes are everywhere. Most of them are in great condition if they were stored indoors. 

Style is important in 2026, and 90's bikes have it in spades. Dayglow or multicolor paint jobs, old logos, elevated chain stays, quill stems and other design features make these bikes a statement on wheels. Most in the X Biking community swap out the zero rise handlebars for swept back, bmx style or moto bars with a considerable amount of rise than the older ones had. A brooks leather saddle, some flat pedals and a front basket later and voila! You have an X bike. The occasional drivetrain junky may install a 1x drivetrain, or go full retrogrouch with vintage Shimano XTR parts.

Some X Bike enthusiasts organize group events on social media, but many are now taking to the outdoors on solo rides as a mental retreat, to unplug from things like their electronic devices and social media. To many in this community, the metrics for exercise and enjoyment are measured in smiles, not miles. Even when that is the case, it's easy to log many miles when enjoying the experience. Most of my riding these days, nearly all of it, is done on my gravel bike or on my 90's mountain bikes. I can easily average 60 or more miles a week riding this way. 

So to recap, what's in in 26'?

-90s mountain bikes

-Style

-Unplugging from the matrix/screen detox

-prioritizing mental and physical health

-gravel

-multi-use paths

- Consistency and sustainability

-Recycling and Upcycling old bikes

 

What's out?

-Lance Armstrong and gatekeeping

-carbon fiber

-road cycling

-roadie club rides

-cadence sensors, power meters

-David Goggins mindset to cycling (pain cave)

-Fad and crash dieting

-Bad faith actors on YouTube that promote vegan diets for cycling

What's out is the 10 to 20 percent of the market that bicycle retail still caters to. I have found myself buying my last two bikes online for this very reason. Recently, Primos Cycles and others have introduced a competitive price point for complete gravel bikes with common sense but modern features. It is up to manufacturers and retailers alike to see the writing on the wall and bring back durable, fun bikes at an affordable price point to win over the next generation of cyclists. In the meantime, maybe dad's old bike can do everything we need it to.