nokio

i know some of you guys are really into biking, so try to keep in mind i want a CHEAPER bike and not a $4500 cannondale

is there some place that i can find mountain bikes for decently cheap online (if that even exists)

i was looking in a sports store in mammoth yesterday, and saw a gary f. bike for 450 with front suspension and nothing fancy...exactly what i want. since its the beginning of the season and the middle of nowhere, i figure that 450 is a higher bound on the price, but something around 400 for a simple bike would suit my needs. i just want some exercise on the fire trails around berkeley, nothing too fancy or expensive, just something that works well.

any pointers on what i should look for and what components to focus on? thanks!!!

astro

i'd suggest looking around for a used bike. $450 isn't going to buy you much of anything worthwhile new.

a guy i know up here as a gary fisher sugar2 avail for ~$700CAD.

astro

FOR SALE manitou mars supper just rebuilt with lock out, xt levers, single digit 5 brakes, bontrager race wheels, new XT octaspline cranks, sram 990 cassette, new chain, bontager sten and riser and also included is a bontrager flat bar, fox float rear shock, sram X9 trigger shifters, X7 rear derailer,

SIZE LARGE
GREAT DEAL $700

fdl

I guess it depends what sort of trails you plan on riding, but in that price range I would try and stick with a hard tail.

nokio

yeah i just wanted something with a simple front suspension. i know nothing about components so are there any things i should stay away from and other things i should look for?

CrockPot

get a hard tail first, learn technique, and then go to a FS bike if need be.

subinf

dean makes a nice soft tail, frame is pricey but you can usually find a decent deal on a used one

nokio

im gonna get a hardtail, just a front suspension

brakes, shifters, etc wise are there anythings that are a must? i stopped a bicycle cop with a cool specialized mountain bike, but he said he rides his work one for fun and didnt have any special advice

CrockPot

specialized rockhopper should be within your price range.

CrockPot

or...a hardrock with the disc brakes.

nokio

are disc brakes that much of an improvement? im a beginner, but im really athletic and will ride the bike into the ground, so if the brakes help quite a bit, ill go for them

CrockPot

IMO, they are worth it. the advantage of disc brakes...they are attached to the wheel hubs and calipers are attached to the frame. because the discs and pads are designed specifically for braking, they can stop as well, or better than rim brakes and do so in all conditions. also, if you've got discs, should you damage a rim while riding, it has no effect on the brakes. rim brakes wear much faster, and if you ride in sand or mud, these could effect the stopping power versus disc brakes.

nokio

thanks for the input! im 6'4 with really long legs (cant drive an s2k) so what size should i go for? the largest i can seem to find for sale in a rockhopper comp disc is 21"

nokio

so i found an 06 hardrock comp disc for 625 after taxes...i seem schiesty, but is there a way to get one cheaper? even an 05 maybe...i tried most of the stores around here, and they only sell 06's

CrockPot

nokia, if you're down in SoCal...try performancebike.com or wheelworld.com. performancebike.com will have sales from time to time, as well as times when they have no sales tax.

fdl

It really depends what sort of trails you will be on. This will dictate whether or not disc brakes are worth it IMO. Same idea for suspension setup. The advatange of a hardtail is that its much easier to climb with.

If you spend $500 on a FS bike with disc brakes, i'm guessing its going to be a HEAVY peice of crap. (Unless its used and a steal of a deal). Where as if you go hardtail all the money goes into a lighter stiffer frame and a decent front suspension. Thats my anyways.

nokio

im leaning toward a hardrock comp disc, but i notice that gt bikes with discs are WAY cheaper...maybe im a nub, but i always thought gt made very good bikes. am i misled here? allegedly, the components that come with specialized bikes for the same price are much better, so im thinking thats the way to go

fdl

Specialized > GT

I own a Specialized Stumpjumper. It kicks serious ass. Light as hell, fast, climbs like a goat, good components, and very tough.

lodi781

I just bought a stumpy fsr, which is more than you want to spend, but I would definately check out what specialized has to offer. They make great bikes with quality frames. My opinion is that it's worth it to spend a little more on a bike that has a good frame. You can always upgrade the components. And I think alot of us start out with the" i'm looking for something cheap" then realize that you end up doing more than you thought you would with your bike, and end up haveing to upgrade anyway. Atleast if you start with a good frame, you have a good platform to build upon, but you'll probably end up buying a new bike once you realize your hooked.

nokio

my thought process was to get something around 400 and see if i really like riding trails and use the bike often. if i get really into it, ill spring for a full suspension higher end bike, but right now, this bike is a feeler

subinf

yes. back in the day GT made some really nice bikes but a few years ago something went weird with them

CrockPot

kona bikes are sweet.

http://wheelworld.com/itemdetails.cf...gId=39&id=3810

G

Sorry to bump an old thread, but I am looking to purchase a mountain bike and need some guidance.
I was going to just go ahead and buy a Stumpjumper, but thought that I should broaden my search just to make sure.

I ride a variety of trails-from packed dirt, to loose rock. I want a hardtail with disc brakes, and something LIGHT!

The salesman who sold me my Guru advised me to look at KHS and Felt. I am not too familiar with KHS, and all I know of Felt is their tri bikes. Are these brands worth looking into?

I am looking to spend about $1500. What do y'all recommend?

mamboking

Kona, Specialized, K2

BEETROOT

Stumpjumper

G

Ha, yeah, I know about that one, I was this close to buying it yesterday but thought that I should do a little research on other bikes before jumping on it.

Anyone heard anything about Felt or KHS?

BEETROOT

Check out http://www.mtbr.com/reviews/, tons of info there.


Specialized Stumpjumper Disc = Average Rating 4.83/5


Personally, if I was going to spend 1500 on a hardtail I would probably put a custom rig together from Salsa Cycles.

http://www.salsacycles.com/frames_06motorapido.html


thats if you feel like having some fun with it

subinf

^- i love mtbr easy to get good reviews and feedback from members

G

Sweet! I have never heard of Salsa and will have to look into them.

Thanks for the info.

rise

I have the stumpjumper's lower end little brother: 2006 FSR XC comp
I'd love to have sprung for the stumpy, but the FSR XC Comp was in my price range suits me well.

Full suspension, front and rear lock out, disc brakes, FSR linkage all for around $1400.

Get bike to start with from what everyone has told me. I'm lovin' it so far!

BEETROOT

that FSRxc is a great bike... and not just to start with.


damn this thread is making me want to buy a new bike...

CrockPot

same here.

Sly Raskal

iTrader: (1)

Stumpjumper

mamboking

I want to build my own Santa Cruz blur but don't have the money yet....

rise

My FSRxc Comp - doesn't this make you want to go ride?

lodi781

^^ yes it does, to bad it's been a freakin monsoon here in CT the past couple of weeks, i'm waiting for the damn ark to float by

G

More flooding?

Oh, and yes it does make me want to go ride

nokio

i picked up a 2005 novaro aspen with discs from rei today for a pretty good price. i wanted a specialized bike, but i couldnt afford one as a bike to just test my interest. it rides pretty well, and i chose it over a k2 zed 2.0 with discs...it felt more stable and solid.

any opinions ?

Beelzebub

As a starter bike not bad. And it is a good idea to buy a cheaper bike to start off. No sense in going crazy (Like me) and buying a $5000 bike and then discovering you hate it. This is basically what I recommend to my firends, buy a cheaper bike (not crap) for around $500 if you do it and discover you like it then go out and buy the better bike and you still have the cheaper bike to take out mudding where you don't care if it gets caked in mudd.

Oh I am looking at this bike Kona King Supreme

Shift_it

Humm.. I own a Diamond Back Sorento that I can hang w/ the 1000.00 friends Specialized bike. My 300.00 sorento is bad ass and took massive abuse and rides great. Super light also