skoorb- I have a Giant Rincon I bought back in '96 that I like a lot. It was an entry level bike at the time and I have abused the sh!t out of it. I would buy another Giant in a minute if I found one that I was comfortable on. Fausto is right, Shimano is what you are going to get for components. Find a bike that you are comfortable on, in your price range, so that you will want to ride it and then down the road upgrade the components if you want. Also don't rush into it, research what the different "levels" of each component is to get the best buy for your buck.
Do yourself a BIG favor and go to a bicycle dealership. Schwinn is a great brand. As is Raleigh, Trek, and specialized. Giant used to be a real good cheaper bike, made in an ex-Schwinn factory in Tiawan.
Your local dealer will have a good selection, professionally assembled.
Another issue is that a decent dealer will help you choose a proper fit . . . some will even give you a 'professional' fit testing to determine the optimum frame size, seat height (plus aft/forward adjustment), and stem length. You should still ride a bunch of bikes before settling on a particular brand or type. A quality shop will have a few knowledgeable and nice people to facilitate the process. Just explain that you are newbie . . . and avoid anyone not old enough to shave.
If you are in SoCal you can go to Supergo or Bikeology. They usually have some of the best closeout deals . . . you can also grab a copy of Mountain Bike Action and flip to their ad.
If you can get your lazy brother off his arse have him help you find a good deal. My first bike was used. I bought it from a guy who worked in a bike shop. I sold it three years later for the same price. Unless you bring a true expert along DO NOT buy used aluminum. Most people don't ride particularly hard but a few use and often abuse their rides. Aluminum makes great bikes (Klein) but the material is much more likely than steel or titanium to fail catastrophically. Avoid carbon fiber b/c in your price range there has to be something wrong.
1) Get some help . . . even if you don't buy from a local shop; you will need someone to provide a proper fit, perform adjustments on a new bike and routine maintenance if you decide not to learn.
2) A C-note goes a long ways in the low-end. You don't have to spend a mint but a knowledgeable salesperson will be able to explain improved performance and durability.
Helpful Trek site
Cheapie mail order dual suspension . . . but it should be the right size . . . assuming you are not overweight
Your local dealer will have a good selection, professionally assembled.
Another issue is that a decent dealer will help you choose a proper fit . . . some will even give you a 'professional' fit testing to determine the optimum frame size, seat height (plus aft/forward adjustment), and stem length. You should still ride a bunch of bikes before settling on a particular brand or type. A quality shop will have a few knowledgeable and nice people to facilitate the process. Just explain that you are newbie . . . and avoid anyone not old enough to shave.
If you are in SoCal you can go to Supergo or Bikeology. They usually have some of the best closeout deals . . . you can also grab a copy of Mountain Bike Action and flip to their ad.
If you can get your lazy brother off his arse have him help you find a good deal. My first bike was used. I bought it from a guy who worked in a bike shop. I sold it three years later for the same price. Unless you bring a true expert along DO NOT buy used aluminum. Most people don't ride particularly hard but a few use and often abuse their rides. Aluminum makes great bikes (Klein) but the material is much more likely than steel or titanium to fail catastrophically. Avoid carbon fiber b/c in your price range there has to be something wrong.
1) Get some help . . . even if you don't buy from a local shop; you will need someone to provide a proper fit, perform adjustments on a new bike and routine maintenance if you decide not to learn.
2) A C-note goes a long ways in the low-end. You don't have to spend a mint but a knowledgeable salesperson will be able to explain improved performance and durability.
Helpful Trek site
Cheapie mail order dual suspension . . . but it should be the right size . . . assuming you are not overweight
Freejack2
Diamond Member
- Dec 31, 2000
- 7,751
- 8
- 91
If you intend to pedal on streets where parts falling off the bike could cost you your life, get a good bike, trek or others are good. If your just going on trails and low traffic streets, don't waste your money. If the brakes fall off your $70 walmart bike on some trail worst case you fall down. Big whoop.
Best Site for Research
2000 Azonic DS-1 - $500
Specialized Stumpjumper M2 - XT parts, Judy Fork: $500
Like others have said, look around at mtbr.com. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.
Rob
2000 Azonic DS-1 - $500
Specialized Stumpjumper M2 - XT parts, Judy Fork: $500
Like others have said, look around at mtbr.com. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.
Rob
- Sep 29, 2000
- 70,150
- 5
- 0
<< you're only gonna ride it a few times and never touch it again, so dont bother. >>
Actually I'm not one of those people who doesn't excercise - I always do. I've biked every summer for years but normally not more than once a week or so just on the roads on a fairly low-end bike. There are some good trails around here though and I finally have the money for something decent.
If 2/3 of your riding will be on the road, look seriously at a HardTail vs. a full suspension. There is really no need to most people to have Full Suspension; in addition, unless you spend the big bucks, you are going to lose efficiency in riding a FS bike.
Rob
Rob
I wouldn't buy either one of those bikes.
Anyone that says their bike is "good for jumping" . . . abused it.
A like new M2 Stumpjumper is an oxymoron or this guy basically ride it a few times and never touch it again, so dont bother
Anyone that says their bike is "good for jumping" . . . abused it.
A like new M2 Stumpjumper is an oxymoron or this guy basically ride it a few times and never touch it again, so dont bother
I don't know if anyone brought this up, but for everyone considering a fairly high-end bike and ride it in a city environment, it may get stolen. I actually got my bike stolen while I was riding it!!!...got pushed off and the guy rode away. So now I ride a cheap k-mart bike with black electrical tape on it...its ok for city streets but it rattles (and has crappy gearing and 40lbs weight) when climbing.
I wouldn't buy bike from Wal-Mart, either from badly assembled bikes or cheap parts that can fail at anytime. From my personal experience anyway. The benefit is that I now am an expert at fixing bicycles since I bought a couple of them at wal-mart.
- Sep 29, 2000
- 70,150
- 5
- 0
<< I don't know if anyone brought this up, but for everyone considering a fairly high-end bike and ride it in a city environment, it may get stolen. I actually got my bike stolen while I was riding it!!!...got pushed off and the guy rode away. So now I ride a cheap k-mart bike with black electrical tape on it...its ok for city streets but it rattles (and has crappy gearing and 40lbs weight) when climbing. >>
Damn!!!
I would reccomend a Giant Sedona DX or SX..........
1) If you're not seriously into MTB...... You need something comfortable or you will quickly tire of riding it.......
2) For $400 or >less you won't be getting real quality components ( Shimano LX or better)
3) The yukon for all it's looks, will be less comfortable to a new rider and only slightly more cable on serious trails and thats only because of the tires that are on it.......
1) If you're not seriously into MTB...... You need something comfortable or you will quickly tire of riding it.......
2) For $400 or >less you won't be getting real quality components ( Shimano LX or better)
3) The yukon for all it's looks, will be less comfortable to a new rider and only slightly more cable on serious trails and thats only because of the tires that are on it.......
Skoorb, I was in the same boat as you last year when my GF wanted a bike so we could ride together. I have always been a big fan of Specialized, and right now I have a 1998 Ground Control FSR Pro (full suspension). She wanted a hardtail, so I went to the local Specialized dealer and they were closing out the 2001 inventory. I let her test ride a Giant, Trek, and the Specialized Hardrock A1 Comp. The Specialized fit her like a glove, had some nice components (Judy TT front shock), and looked fantastic. I believe I paid 400ish for it.
Here is a pic
She hasn't had a chance to ride it that much yet, but we will be hitting the trails very soon.
Here is a pic
She hasn't had a chance to ride it that much yet, but we will be hitting the trails very soon.
what?!? did GT go out of business??? if so thats horrible. theyre my favorite company. my GT mountain bike is great.
Skoorb - if you can pick a GT up on the cheap do it! out of the two youre looking at id definitley go with the giant. picking up a good used bike is a better option. ask around at some of the local bike shops for leads on good used bikes. imo itd be worth spending an extra $100-200 to put you up into a nicer bike. youll be happier in the long run, and the components will be substatially nicer (esp the front suspension).
itd be worth test riding specialized, voodoo, and trek
good luck and have fun
Skoorb - if you can pick a GT up on the cheap do it! out of the two youre looking at id definitley go with the giant. picking up a good used bike is a better option. ask around at some of the local bike shops for leads on good used bikes. imo itd be worth spending an extra $100-200 to put you up into a nicer bike. youll be happier in the long run, and the components will be substatially nicer (esp the front suspension).
itd be worth test riding specialized, voodoo, and trek
good luck and have fun
<< Anyone that says their bike is "good for jumping" . . . abused it. >>
Um, not true. I've bought and sold a few bikes with the label "good for jumping" from people on MTBR. What often happens there is that someone buys a hardtail and then realizes that isn't the bike for them. Each case deserves its own investigation.
<< what?!? did GT go out of business??? if so thats horrible. theyre my favorite company. my GT mountain bike is great. >>
Bought out by Pacific. So was Schwinn. :|
Rob
<< appreciate the pricey recommendations but the $300-400 price point is, unfortunately, 100% firm. >>
Hmm. Look around for an older (98-99ish) GT, then, I'd say. Maybe a backwoods? Concentrate on getting a good frame and, if possible, a decent fork. You can always worry about upgrading the other components as you go, if you decide that biking is your new love.
Rob
<< what?!? did GT go out of business??? if so thats horrible. theyre my favorite company. my GT mountain bike is great. >>
Mine too. That frame has taken so much abuse, including falling down a cliff once, and flying through the air at rapid speeds and "landing" in a creek 10 feet below. I can't believe that I survived that, let alone my bike!
Anyway, don't assume that you need front suspension either. If you go rigid, your bike will be lighter and it will ride better on the road. If you're just going to be riding on some simple trails, front suspension may not even really be helpful, and it introduces a host of new potential problems, and a lot more maintenance (you're supposed to disassemble the fork and clean it frequently)
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