Hey just trying to get some info on getting into mountain biking. I am lost when it comes to even start looking at them because there is so many!! I have tried a few other forums and seems to them everything is junk until you spend 2k+ on one. I am a newb looking to spend around 800 + or - a bit but not going over 1K this is my first bike! So any good info on some bikes would be great!
Anyone ride Mountain Bikes here?
- Thread starter 99slpss
- Start date
Bike Swap, Used rental.. Usually good place to start..
And pack out your trash,dang it !! Us snowmobilers are gettin grief !
http://www.snowest.com/forum/showthread.php?t=395693
And pack out your trash,dang it !! Us snowmobilers are gettin grief !
http://www.snowest.com/forum/showthread.php?t=395693
your budget just means that you will have to do a little more research and it will take a little time to find that deal. Yes you get what you pay for in mountain bikes and the more you spend the better equipment you get and the longer it will last. Like any sports there are trends that come through in waves last couple of years the term 29'er was all you heard referring to the tire diameter. bigger tires mean it rolls over bigger rocks better. do you need one not really they are nice that is for sure. tubeless verse tubed tired is a debate. tubeless are lighter but they do have their drawbacks depending on the terrain you will be riding it. They don't get flats that often but when you do you cant pull out a simple patch kit and patch them As 059 says you can find some good deals on rentals or at swap meets. in my area we have a bunch of parks and at the end of the season they sell off their rental fleets at killer prices and have some really nice equipment. but again the more expensive bikes have better components on them. that is where the cost comes from. the components. the lighter the bike the more expensive the components will be. the cheaper ones the components wear out or break costing you more in the long run. try to get the newest bike you can with the budget you have. Like everything else the older the bike the harder it is to find replacements parts because everyone has moved on great sport and a great way to stay in shape
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Used demo bikes are a great way to get into it, easy to get into a pretty dang nice bike with mild use and good maintinance for a fraction of the price. But like sleds, just time to start digging, I stick to dirtbikes in the summer as they cost almost the same and I enjoy em more. But downhill bikes are stupid fun for sure!
Just like anything we get involved in someone always has something better. I don't like to admit it but I spent $850 on a mountain bike back in the 90's it wasn't the best back then but it was pretty damn good. Now the component quality on that bike is entry level. I think you can get a pretty nice bike for less than a $1000. I'd suggest checking out jenson USA or price point. You can usually get a non current mtb for 50-60% off of retail. I don't think I'll ever bring myself to spending 5k+ on a mtb but there's plenty out there.
We've got some great trails back home, but I haven't ridden much since we moved. I tried to go cheap at first and kept breaking stuff. Finally stepped up and found a good deal on a nicer bike that held up to the down hill abuse and never had to replace another broken derailleur.
I've had bad luck with breaking spokes on the rear wheel, and this is just riding the mtn bike on rails to trails type stuff with a little single track dirt trails thru trees mixed in, but 95% of my riding is on hiker/biker sidewalks.
Trek non-suspension mtn bike 20 years old. Never broke anything. 36 spoke wheels.
Trek w/front suspension $400 bike 8 years old or so. Started breaking rear axles and spokes. After the 3rd axle and a few single spoke replacements, the bearings were bad so had to buy a new wheel. A few months later broke a spoke. A few months after that broke another spoke. They recommended all new spokes or another new wheel but I had the spoke replaced and quit riding that bike and went back to my 20 year old bike. 32 spoke wheels.
Trek w/front suspension $1200 29er bought last year. Broke a spoke last fall but caught it right when it happened and stopped riding it till I had the spoke replaced. Didn't ride much after that till this spring. About 7 rides (average 20 miles ea ride), broke another spoke. I'm going to take the wheel in tomorrow and see what they recommend as far as building a custom wheel and if they use heavier duty spokes. Oh, 32 spoke wheels.
They claim 32 should be fine but my experience tells me otherwise.
Trek non-suspension mtn bike 20 years old. Never broke anything. 36 spoke wheels.
Trek w/front suspension $400 bike 8 years old or so. Started breaking rear axles and spokes. After the 3rd axle and a few single spoke replacements, the bearings were bad so had to buy a new wheel. A few months later broke a spoke. A few months after that broke another spoke. They recommended all new spokes or another new wheel but I had the spoke replaced and quit riding that bike and went back to my 20 year old bike. 32 spoke wheels.
Trek w/front suspension $1200 29er bought last year. Broke a spoke last fall but caught it right when it happened and stopped riding it till I had the spoke replaced. Didn't ride much after that till this spring. About 7 rides (average 20 miles ea ride), broke another spoke. I'm going to take the wheel in tomorrow and see what they recommend as far as building a custom wheel and if they use heavier duty spokes. Oh, 32 spoke wheels.
They claim 32 should be fine but my experience tells me otherwise.
Before a bike can really be suggested, you need to know what kind of riding you will be doing. Your location will have a lot to do with this. Fro example, if you plan to ride Whistler bike park all summer, then you want a burly downhill bike. If you are in the Midwest, and are gonna hit the single track trails, then you will typically want more of a trail/XC style bike (trying to pedal a downhill rig uphill is not fun). Figuring out what kind of riding your are truly going to be doing is where you need to start.
After that, you will be able to find a bike in your price range. Look into the used market to see what you can find first. Typically you can find something a few years old, that has a good component group on it (typically upgraded from the original owner). If you are not into going used, then start going to your local bike shops and see what they have. If they have a hold over model, these are usually discounted (although you are at the start of the season right now, so discounts are much less right now).
Biggest thing to first determine is riding style/location. Until you have that figured out, no point in getting in the 26/27.5/29" wheel debates, full suspension or hardtail, XC vs AM, etc, etc.
If you have some local friends that ride, ask them what they have/ride. Also see if you can ride theirs to see how it works for you. Another thing to look for at your local trails is any demo days stuff going on. If there is, go check it out, and test ride bikes for free to see what you like and fits your style.
After that, you will be able to find a bike in your price range. Look into the used market to see what you can find first. Typically you can find something a few years old, that has a good component group on it (typically upgraded from the original owner). If you are not into going used, then start going to your local bike shops and see what they have. If they have a hold over model, these are usually discounted (although you are at the start of the season right now, so discounts are much less right now).
Biggest thing to first determine is riding style/location. Until you have that figured out, no point in getting in the 26/27.5/29" wheel debates, full suspension or hardtail, XC vs AM, etc, etc.
If you have some local friends that ride, ask them what they have/ride. Also see if you can ride theirs to see how it works for you. Another thing to look for at your local trails is any demo days stuff going on. If there is, go check it out, and test ride bikes for free to see what you like and fits your style.
Your best site for mountain biking is Pinkbike.
There is also a great classified section that has everything for sale http://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/
Like Surly1 suggested, it depends on where you live and what terrain you ride.
I found I needed 2 bikes, one for the bike park and one for XC.
There is also a great classified section that has everything for sale http://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/
Like Surly1 suggested, it depends on where you live and what terrain you ride.
I found I needed 2 bikes, one for the bike park and one for XC.
What are you wanting to do with it? That will dictate what kind of bike you buy, like others have said http://www.pinkbike.com/ is by far the best website for everything to do with bikes! I have been riding downhill bikes for years now, if you are interested in this type of riding PM me and we could talk about a bike in your price range. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRmeipNihvM
Ryan Rokusek
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I am riding in the Midwest on trails not much down hill. Just looking for a good place to start.
For the type of riding you will be doing in the midwest, I would suggest a Specialized Stumpjumper or a Trek Remedy, both companies have been making these bikes for years so you could probably get a really good deal on a good used one on http://www.pinkbike.com/
Trek: http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/mountain/enduro/remedy/
Specialized: http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bikes/mountain/stumpjumper-fsr/stumpjumper-fsr-comp-29
Here is the Buy/Sell section on pinkbike for XC bikes:
http://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/list/?location=194-*-*&page=2&category=2&price=600..1200
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How tall are you??
How much do you weigh?
Are you athletic?
Are you agile?
So Midwest riding? ... please link some local trails
I ride 5 days a week on trails with 6 climbs and decents. I climb about a mile elevation and travel bout 15 miles on dirt in under 2 hours.
Dos Vientos and Sycamore Canyon http://www.venturacountytrails.org/TrailMaps/DosVientos/AreaTrails.htm
Iv'e been riding since 1982 on good bikes. Before 1982 on kid bikes. I bought a newer bike this year started under 2 and I just went over 3 with breaking "light weight"stuff and upgrading to cheaper/heavier/stronger components.
First of all dealer mark up is double on retail. So a dealer gets a $2800 for about half
A perfect usedbike is at the very least 1/2 of retail . The bestdeals are buying an older bike from a person working at the biker shop WHILE getting free tune ups/ warranty from the local shop.
Without knowing more what would I recommend:
1. Go to a couple bike shops and get fitted for a bike. Every bike brand has their own way of sizing you to the bike.
Shorter frames are lighter and turn quicker BUT flip easier. Longer bikes are better for touring but not tight turns
2 Determine the type of frame. Most people on dirt ride at least with a front fork with shocks. Very bumpy trail riders go with full suspension and an may or with more suspension travel. (At this point it seams you should have an hard tail .... only a front suspension)
3 Look how the fame is built and geometry .... Cant change the angles of the frame... only the components attached. Plus where a rider weight is on the bike .... In the last 10 years bike weight distribution has really changed with the weight shifting back and to the rear wheel. Ask the shop how the angles ride .... quick slow touring race etc..
4 See this years models and track them back a few years to see if the frame is available a few years back so to get as better deal used.
5 Wheel size. Fiirst mountain bike IMHO go 26" ... cheaper to get yet still good. There are 2 other wheel sizes .. 29er which some say are optimal and 27.5 which are for shorties who can fit on a 29" bike.
6 The most expensive thing you probably wil have on a sub 1k bike frame is the front fork. I would look for an AIR FORK so you can adjust it specifically for your weightand riding style. Also a fork that "locks" out. There a knob to adjust the stiffness of the suspension.... and rebound. IMHO FOX makes nice forks.
7 gearing .... the latest trend is NOT to repeat gear ratios SO the new new thing is 2 gears at the pedal and 9 or 10 at the rear BUT a 3x10 or 3x.. 7 or 9 is more common
8 brakes .... hydraulic disc brakes are the best ... then cable disc then rim brkes. For the money Shimano SLX disc brakes are very good expecially if you go with a better rotor. disc brakes allow use of various types of brake pads to seewhat gripsbest for your style. metal semiorganic senthered etc.
9 Tire ... good luck !!!! Very very controversial... even worse than what is the best sled brand for the mountains.
Again IMHO look a at dedicated front and rear tire. I like the WTB brand an for 26" the Velociraptors are my old favorite BUT Michelin makes tires with a "chili" compound which grips better on rocks. For 29" I run the Bronson on the rear
Okat left out about 2 dozen more important things and a 100 more little things .... hope this helps.
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Height- 6ft
weight- 175
Athletic- yes, and pretty aggressive I like to push my limits!
Agile- Yes
I will get some links of our local Midwest trails here soon as I am still looking into those! I loved riding bikes as a kid until I got the old license and motorized toys, now 32 and ready to get back into it help keep me in shape in the off season of snowmobiling. Would love to get into some of the cool terrain though looks like a blast!
weight- 175
Athletic- yes, and pretty aggressive I like to push my limits!
Agile- Yes
I will get some links of our local Midwest trails here soon as I am still looking into those! I loved riding bikes as a kid until I got the old license and motorized toys, now 32 and ready to get back into it help keep me in shape in the off season of snowmobiling. Would love to get into some of the cool terrain though looks like a blast!
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S
Snappy Sledder
Well-known member
Where at in the "Midwest" are you? Nebraska? Kansas? Parts of SD? All have very different types of riding, and will require a different bike set up depending on what you'll ride daily and your type of riding style. Currently, I work in a bike shop doing all the service work, and throughout high school I did as well. donbrown brings up some very good points, although I would have to disagree on some of the pricing he brought up. You will always find the guys that buy a new bike every year, and will try to get out of it what they paid. Some local shops will help out on price, depending on what you're looking at. Try to find some hold over bikes, if possible. I know that where I work, we have upwards of 10 demo bikes in all sizes that are marked down very close to what cost is, and we just got them in and built a few months ago. All depends on what you're looking at and where you ride. If you're anywhere close to Omaha, PM me and I can give you a decent guideline of what to look for and where to start looking.
As for what I ride, I have a 26" hard tail. 120mm Fox fork, Shimano SLX rear derailleur and brakes, XT ice tech rotors, i9 hubs, Stans rims, and still playing with tire set up, currently Schwalbes set up tubeless. Just can't get comfortable on a 29er
As for what I ride, I have a 26" hard tail. 120mm Fox fork, Shimano SLX rear derailleur and brakes, XT ice tech rotors, i9 hubs, Stans rims, and still playing with tire set up, currently Schwalbes set up tubeless. Just can't get comfortable on a 29er
As Vector Boy mentions, where in the Midwest you are will have some varying degree's of MTB trails. However, most of these trails/areas will be fairly well suited for an XC or Trail segment of mountain bikes.
If you are in MN, the Twin Cities has a lot of great single track, and WI does too. You don't need anything more than a hardtail style bike for most of these trails. If you get up to Duluth or the UP (Copper Harbor), you can use a hardtail, but a 5" travel full suspension makes it more enjoyable. SD has some good rowdy trails too, that full squish is nice to have.
No matter what you purchase, it won't be able to handle "all" types of riding. So figuring out what you are going to ride 80% of the time, and dealing with it for the 20% is what needs to be done.
With your price range, and the general idea of your region, I would recommend sticking with a hardtail bike. You will get a better component setup on that bike, than a full suspension for sub $1k (unless you find somebody blowing one out). As far as wheel size goes, get whatever you like best. I prefer 26 and 27.5" bikes, as the chainstays are typically shorter, allowing me to manual and wheelie easier, and get a little more rowdy on the trails. I know many people that love 29'rs, and you can't go wrong there either (they are typically a little longer and more stable of a bike). It does seem that "new" stuff coming out is skipping the 26" tires. So if you like to upgrade a lot, stick with 27.5 or 29.
Also don't get caught up in the MTB "standards" stuff. Every company says what they do is the new standard. Personally I stay away from Specialized, as they like to do their own "standards" which are proprietary to them. Trek is getting this way too with some of their new stuff. But both companies do make good bikes and have a good dealer network. A couple other brands I would check out:
Salsa Cycles - MN Company
Kona - They make some fun hardtails in your price range
If you are in MN area, let me know; and I can push some ideas your way. FYI, I have a fried selling a Cannondale Prophet full squish (5" travel front and rear) all setup with Shimano XT components for an asking price of $800 right now. I have Felt Redemption 2 (6.5" full squish) for sale too (but it's slightly higher at $1200). The used market will get you potentially a better bike for your money, but you need to make sure to have someone really familiar with bikes look over it for you, as you can get burnt fast on a used purchase too.
Good luck, and if you get into MTB's it is an addiction, and you will prob be buying another bike soon. I am down to four right now (cleaned house on a few), and about to start building a fifth shortly (they all do something diff XC, downhill, DJ, AM, etc). Personally my favorite single track riding bike is my fatbike, if you can find a deal on one; they are blast to ride and you can ride all year.
If you are in MN, the Twin Cities has a lot of great single track, and WI does too. You don't need anything more than a hardtail style bike for most of these trails. If you get up to Duluth or the UP (Copper Harbor), you can use a hardtail, but a 5" travel full suspension makes it more enjoyable. SD has some good rowdy trails too, that full squish is nice to have.
No matter what you purchase, it won't be able to handle "all" types of riding. So figuring out what you are going to ride 80% of the time, and dealing with it for the 20% is what needs to be done.
With your price range, and the general idea of your region, I would recommend sticking with a hardtail bike. You will get a better component setup on that bike, than a full suspension for sub $1k (unless you find somebody blowing one out). As far as wheel size goes, get whatever you like best. I prefer 26 and 27.5" bikes, as the chainstays are typically shorter, allowing me to manual and wheelie easier, and get a little more rowdy on the trails. I know many people that love 29'rs, and you can't go wrong there either (they are typically a little longer and more stable of a bike). It does seem that "new" stuff coming out is skipping the 26" tires. So if you like to upgrade a lot, stick with 27.5 or 29.
Also don't get caught up in the MTB "standards" stuff. Every company says what they do is the new standard. Personally I stay away from Specialized, as they like to do their own "standards" which are proprietary to them. Trek is getting this way too with some of their new stuff. But both companies do make good bikes and have a good dealer network. A couple other brands I would check out:
Salsa Cycles - MN Company
Kona - They make some fun hardtails in your price range
If you are in MN area, let me know; and I can push some ideas your way. FYI, I have a fried selling a Cannondale Prophet full squish (5" travel front and rear) all setup with Shimano XT components for an asking price of $800 right now. I have Felt Redemption 2 (6.5" full squish) for sale too (but it's slightly higher at $1200). The used market will get you potentially a better bike for your money, but you need to make sure to have someone really familiar with bikes look over it for you, as you can get burnt fast on a used purchase too.
Good luck, and if you get into MTB's it is an addiction, and you will prob be buying another bike soon. I am down to four right now (cleaned house on a few), and about to start building a fifth shortly (they all do something diff XC, downhill, DJ, AM, etc). Personally my favorite single track riding bike is my fatbike, if you can find a deal on one; they are blast to ride and you can ride all year.
FU$% had a nice long informative post hit wrong button deleted it!
Cliff notes version.
Get a hardtail with modern geometry so that you are weight is not over bars. keeps you from going OTB "over the bars" when you try tech DH. OTB= bad will slow you down for awhile.
Try to get a travel adjust air fork. Very versatile setup, can keep fork down for XC turn it up for DH.
New rage is 27.5 or 29 wheels, best deal will be on 26 because of this.
I have a few year old 26 version one of these.
http://www.santacruzbicycles.com/en/us/chameleon
Also have a FS 6" carbon bike but that is $3-4K used. I can ride anything on my hardtail that I can on my FS bike, just need to pick a clean line. Hardtail will make you a better rider.
First bike hardtail 26 modern geometry better suited for AM riding with travel adjust fork.
If you like it step up to FS aluminum cheaper than carbon.
Looking for more get FS carbon bike, light and strong.
Don't let anyone tell carbon is weak I've seen crash tests carbon can take a beating. When starting out you will crash carbon not worth it for beginner. I still crash but from pushing it not from lack of experience.
When trying gnarly trails wear knee pads takes some of the fear away.
Most importantly keep riding it's hard and will suck at first, keep going you'll love it!
Cliff notes version.
Get a hardtail with modern geometry so that you are weight is not over bars. keeps you from going OTB "over the bars" when you try tech DH. OTB= bad will slow you down for awhile.
Try to get a travel adjust air fork. Very versatile setup, can keep fork down for XC turn it up for DH.
New rage is 27.5 or 29 wheels, best deal will be on 26 because of this.
I have a few year old 26 version one of these.
http://www.santacruzbicycles.com/en/us/chameleon
Also have a FS 6" carbon bike but that is $3-4K used. I can ride anything on my hardtail that I can on my FS bike, just need to pick a clean line. Hardtail will make you a better rider.
First bike hardtail 26 modern geometry better suited for AM riding with travel adjust fork.
If you like it step up to FS aluminum cheaper than carbon.
Looking for more get FS carbon bike, light and strong.
Don't let anyone tell carbon is weak I've seen crash tests carbon can take a beating. When starting out you will crash carbon not worth it for beginner. I still crash but from pushing it not from lack of experience.
When trying gnarly trails wear knee pads takes some of the fear away.
Most importantly keep riding it's hard and will suck at first, keep going you'll love it!
Lots of good info guys thanks!
I live in Minnesota, just north of the twin cities. I am thinking I would like to try a 27.5 or 29 hard tail of some sort.
I live in Minnesota, just north of the twin cities. I am thinking I would like to try a 27.5 or 29 hard tail of some sort.
So still think you should look at a hardtail with a 4 inch or more aggressive 6 inch travel air fork.
Why is more travel more aggressive? The fork travel changes the center ofgravity & the more the ravel the more you mustshift your (***) weight back when going own hill.
Why have any travel?
All those bumps are absorbed by something .... if not the bike then your cartlidge and tendons / muscles .... more fatique and less speed.
For me given similar trail I average
4 MPH on a rigid bike and have to stop to get the feeling back in my wrist & hands .
With a front suspension fork for me my average speed doubles ( on the same trail) to
8 MPH but have to stop every once in a while cause now my lower back gets tweeked and get more rear (pinch) flats
With a full suspension my average speed increases ( on the same trail) to
14 MPH but now I have more equipment failures cause the bike gets pounded while my body is feelin pretty good ... until I wreck which is usually at speeds over 30 MPH and afew over 50MPH
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