Good beginner Mtn Bike?

[Dave]

In my experience, it's all about the frame. I bought a Specialized Hard Rock (hard tail MTB) in 2005 that is still going strong. Paid $500 for it at San Clemente Bicycle, it came with mid-level Shimano shifters and disc brakes. As these wear out, they are easily replaced or even upgraded to higher level Shimano stuff if I want.

Pay a bit more up front and you will be glad you did, you can still get one hell of a nice bike in the $500 to 1k range that will last you a decade or more.

 

[Dave]

I disagree with the cheap bike. A cheap huffy can ruin the experience. Hit a local bike shop, tell them what you are looking for, they will hook you up. I have been riding my entry level trek hard tail for years. Still love it.

Agreed!

 

[mtnbike28]

An example of what Dave said - this is my 1994 Trek 930 steel frame and original fork, I just painted the frame and put it back together with left over parts from other bike projects to take camping, etc.

 

[Scott]

I think my plan is to hunt cl and look for something used at a good price, then rebuild as necessary.

 

[Fowldarr]

Do your self a favor and hit the bike shop first. They will help you know if something fits.

 

[TangoBlue]

Do your self a favor and hit the bike shop first. They will help you know if something fits.

Exactly - then you'll at least have an approximate size bike that fits you. Remember, not all makes are sized the same.

 

[Scott]

Do your self a favor and hit the bike shop first. They will help you know if something fits.

That's the plan. Hit the bike shop, look at what's available and the price, then see what I can find in the pre-owned market once I figure out what I like. I may end up just buying new, but we'll see.

 

[Joker]

A cheap huffy can ruin the experience.

Stop that's a really misleading statement, most of my gear is cheap like my $50 Coleman tent and it doesn't ruin my experience because I don't have an Oz tent or a Yeti cooler; sorry I think it it better to take my boys camping with cheap gear instead of not camping at all. Has your shooting experience been ruined because you bought a Mossy500 instead of a Benelli M4, I highly doubt it.


Guys I think you are missing my point I'm not talking about getting a cheap bike and keeping it I'm talking about using it for a couple of months tops to determine true need vs wants based on his first six words, "Budget is a Major concern" so I wouldn't recommend spending even a couple of hundred on something you may end up not using. Great idea about shops that rent but look for one that will discount the price of a purchase because you rented from them; the EMS shop here does that with kayaks and probably does that with bikes as well I've just never asked about it.

A Brooks Brothers suite is nice but its a complete waste of money if it just sits in your closet.

 

[Fowldarr]

So, I was at walmart the other day, most of their bikes were $100-200. I swung by the bike shop, and they have bikes starting at $400. I would start at the bike shop. I realize it is double the money, but if you buy a cheap tent and it leaks, it will ruin your experience. If you buy a cheap stove and you can't control the temp you can burn your food, or not be able to cook it.

A decent bike is worth it.

 

[Joker]

So, I was at walmart the other day, most of their bikes were $100-200. I swung by the bike shop, and they have bikes starting at $400. I would start at the bike shop. I realize it is double the money, but if you buy a cheap tent and it leaks, it will ruin your experience. If you buy a cheap stove and you can't control the temp you can burn your food, or not be able to cook it.

So your saying if I cant afford expensive gear like an Oz tent or Snow Peak stove or a Gary Fisher bike it "WILL" ruin my experience; should I just stay at home on the couch. Does everybody agree with that or do you buy what you can afford and replace what you can when you can? I guess we'll disagree but I believe its better to be out in the woods riding, paddling, fishing, camping you name it with cheap gear as opposed to not going at all.

A decent bike is only worth it if you ride it enough to justify the cost, a $10k bike is worth it if your an avid rider and ride daily; or of course have a disposable income.

I have a decent bike and it was not worth it.

 

[Fowldarr]

No, I said that in certain circumstances, cheap gear will ruin your experience. Especially for somebody new to the sport. But a cheap bike is different than a cheap tent. Go pedal a huffy up a rocky hill, then pedal a decent bike up the same hill, it makes all the difference in the world. I didn't suggest buying a $10k bike. In fact I think you can get in the sport with good reliable equipment for under $1k. Still a lot of money, but money well spent if you plan on riding more than a couple of times a year. A tent will pitch where it will pitch. I don't have an oz tent. I have a Kelty I bought on clearance. I don't believe you have to spend a fortune. But I believe that The experience can be enhanced with quality equipment.

So, in short, do not stay at home on the couch, but in my experience you will have more fun walking up the hill than trying to pedal a cheap bike up it.

 

[glamisdude]

While I usually like to stay out of these type of arguments, I have to agree with Fowldarr. A Walmart bike will last you maybe a few months when you get started, but if you decide to keep with biking your out the cost of that bike (worth nothing used) and the cost of a better one. I've been riding for over 14 years now having ridden nearly every type and quality of bike over that time. You really get what you pay for in a bike, but after you pass the $1500 mark the return diminishes quickly. I don't know how serious you are about starting to bike but I would stay away from Walmart bikes and the like, the worst bike you can buy of a real brand will be leaps and bounds better than some of the best Walmart bikes. My advise, I you think you will become very serious about or are unsure buy a used good bike from Craigslist in the $300-$500 range (hardtail will get you more bang for your buck). Typically bikes in this range you can ride for a year and then sell it for nearly what you paid for it when you decide you want a better bike or its not for you. This is how nearly all of riding buddies got started. Hope this helps and good luck!

 

[bruinlad]

I would definitely stay away from department store bikes. I'm not saying that known brands such as Trek, GT or Specialized are indestructible but chances are the injuries you sustain when you take a fall might end up more serious than they would be if you were riding a decent entry level bike not only due to rider error but also equipment failure. Trust me when I say its not a question of if you'll fall but when and having a bike that can take that gives you more than half the chance to perhaps be able to just walk away w/ just a scratch or bruise. And for quite some time now I've noticed that the Walmart bikes have warning decals stating that they are not intended for trail use perhaps to avoid any liability issues.

The most common of which is frame construction. All you have to do is check out the welds on a Walmart bike and compare them to brands mentioned hereinabove and you will see the difference. Safety is your number one concern for its not matter of whether or not you'll fall but a question of when. Another big part of the enjoying the sport is comfort. A typical trail ride can last anywhere between 2-3 hours round trip and riding a bike that doesn't fit you will ruin the experience. Comfort in this particular sport is achievable in many ways, most notably with the proper bike geometry, and this involves the frame, seat post, stem, handlebar rise, length of the crank arms, etc. Also equally important is choosing the proper seat to suit you since a 3 hour ride can be quite taxing to the dangly bits. Oh and don't forget to get some good grips as well. It's not a one size fits all type of deal and your local bike shop can help you with this.

And I say this because I've been racing bmx bike since I was a kid and have been building my bikes since I was teen learning from summer jobs at local bike shops. And these sir are just my own opinion/advice.


Besides CL, there are several online forums that have for for sale/trade sections. Try these one below for starters. GOOD LUCK


http://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/
http://www.singletracks.com/
http://www.socaltrailriders.org/

 

[Gooseberry]

I would definitely stay away from department store bikes. I'm not saying that known brands such as Trek, GT or Specialized are indestructible but chances are the injuries you sustain when you take a fall might end up more serious than they would be if you were riding a decent entry level bike not only due to rider error but also equipment failure. Trust me when I say its not a question of if you'll fall but when and having a bike that can take that gives you more than half the chance to perhaps be able to just walk away w/ just a scratch or bruise. And for quite some time now I've noticed that the Walmart bikes have warning decals stating that they are not intended for trail use perhaps to avoid any liability issues.

The most common of which is frame construction. All you have to do is check out the welds on a Walmart bike and compare them to brands mentioned hereinabove and you will see the difference. Safety is your number one concern for its not matter of whether or not you'll fall but a question of when. Another big part of the enjoying the sport is comfort. A typical trail ride can last anywhere between 2-3 hours round trip and riding a bike that doesn't fit you will ruin the experience. Comfort in this particular sport is achievable in many ways, most notably with the proper bike geometry, and this involves the frame, seat post, stem, handlebar rise, length of the crank arms, etc. Also equally important is choosing the proper seat to suit you since a 3 hour ride can be quite taxing to the dangly bits. Oh and don't forget to get some good grips as well. It's not a one size fits all type of deal and your local bike shop can help you with this.

And I say this because I've been racing bmx bike since I was a kid and have been building my bikes since I was teen learning from summer jobs at local bike shops. And these sir are just my own opinion/advice.


Besides CL, there are several online forums that have for for sale/trade sections. Try these one below for starters. GOOD LUCK


http://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/
http://www.singletracks.com/
http://www.socaltrailriders.org/

All the above is spot on and would use it to start. One thing I would add is to get a hardtail or one with just front suspension this way you learn to handle bike on the trail and will be all the better when you step up to a springy bike. It's fun to blow by springy bikes on a full rigid fat bike on group rides.

 

[bruinlad]

If no one has posted it yet, here's another useful site to remember. I use it for researching older mtb's for specs and msrp whenever I build one from the frame up or just simply buying a used one. An important thing to remember is to know the year, make and model of the bike being sold particularly on CL. If the seller isn't quite sure of the year, since the brand and model is easy they are actually decals on the bike itself, just search a year or two before or after and you will most likely find the bike being sold.

http://www.bikepedia.com/


Some tips when buying used, is to ask permission to ride it around, use the brakes and the shifters. Ask the seller to turn the bike upside down (if he/she doesn't have a work stand) and spin the wheels to see if they're true. Look for dings on the frame and rims as these may compromise their integrity. Look at the components to see if they're pretty banged up, check the chainrings and rear cogs if the teeth are worn down as all these can be costly to replace. Check the side walls of the tires for cracks as these may cause a blowout. Some scratches are fine as long as they're not too deep after all it is an mtb. Bottomline is, if used not abused, you want to end up with one that only requires minor tuning or worst case scenario cable, chain or inner tubes (if not running tubeless) replacements at the most. You can also use your observations to bring down the price a little bit. I find that sellers often not so firm w/ their pricing when it comes to a knowledgeable buyer. The worst they can say is no!


I almost forgot, if its a suspension fork, whether its coil sprung, air or combination of both, make sure it still springs back. Check for leaks on the seals and deep scratches on the stanchions as these could lead to the fluid leaking out. Rebuilding the fork can be costly if you don't know how to do it yourself. Sorry for the long-winded post but I figure the more you know the more likely you'll find a good used bike for a fraction of its original cost

 

[TangoBlue]

March 27 was the original post... I wonder if the OP has taken some action yet? Or perhaps... OH - look - shiny!

 

[Scott]

March 27 was the original post... I wonder if the OP has taken some action yet? Or perhaps... OH - look - shiny!

No action taken yet. I've decided if I'm going to do it, I'm going to buy a preowned decent bike, and not a big box store bike. Been busy lately, and need to save some more pennies before taking the plunge.

 

[SpongeX]

I had good experiences with Giant. They make a large portion of other peoples frames as well as their own. They can put together a really solid bike for reasonable money because they have huge buying power.

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[Scott]

I had good experiences with Giant. They make a large portion of other peoples frames as well as their own. They can put together a really solid bike for reasonable money because they have huge buying power.

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I'm looking hard at pre-owned Giant hard tails right now.. Mostly because the $$ is right for a used one.

 

[SpongeX]

They are usually cheaper new as well and in my experiences the quality of the frames and components are right up there with most companies. I would have bought my 4th giant last summer but got a great deal on a Felt virtue.

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