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Bought my self a Trek 6500 bike and I love it :)

J

jsbush

Diamond Member
Thanks for helping me chose a bike. I can get bikes if you guys want. It goes great for trails and road. Now I just have to get a map of all the trails around here.
 
Now all you need are clipless pedals after you get used to the bike. Never tried that fork - is it good?

I'm using a Trek 930, but almost nothing left on the bike is stock. New wheels (Mustangs, after destroying my old ones), new seat and seatpost (Thudbuster), new fork (Marzocchi Atom Bomb), new brakes (XT), new derailleurs (front LX, rear ESP 9), new cranset (LX), new pedals (Shimano 535), etc. etc.
 
Well I'm a newbie at this. I must say the fork did suprise me. This is the first GOOD mountain bike I've owned, but I have tired lots of different ones, and this fork is by far the best. I've tried rock shock jett I think it was and some other no name cheap thing.


Clipless pedals you say. Why? Whats the advantage?
 
What seat do you guys use (those of you with aftermarket ones)? Mine is quite uncomfortable after about two miles.
 


<< Well I'm a newbie at this. I must say the fork did suprise me. This is the first GOOD mountain bike I've owned, but I have tired lots of different ones, and this fork is by far the best. I've tried rock shock jett I think it was and some other no name cheap thing. >>

Yeah, the Jett is suck.


<< Clipless pedals you say. Why? Whats the advantage? >>

I find toe clips dangerous. If you want them tight enough to be very useful on the trails, they're too tight to get out of quickly. If you loosen them, then they're too loose and your feet slip out. With clipless you can tug as hard on them as you want and you won't come out. With a simple twist however, you're out. It's just a matter of getting used to them - most newbies don't remember to twist. Now it's second nature to me. You'll need dedicated MTB shoes, but after a while you'll want them anyway.

Also, check out the MTB Review website. Lots of useful info.

Manitou Magnum R Review. So it seems like the fork is not bad for an entry level fork. It should last you a while.
 
I manage to sprain my wrist after a fall using the clipless pedals. One foot still stuck onto the pelal. 🙁 Still sore after a few weeks. Might be micro crack, but I am too lazy to take my butt in to have it x-ray. Will give it another try after I get my courage back. 🙂
BTW, anyone know where to get a good deal on parts? I will attempt to build myself a new bike. Hope it will be a good DIY experience. 😀
 
Thanks, I'll check clipless out.

MrBond: I use the seat that came with my trek. I find it not so bad, but I used to have a ccm bike with a one of those long ccm seats on it.
 
The seat on my Mom's Trek isn't bad at all, but the one I've got on my Specialized is pure pain. I may have to visit a bike shop and see what they've got.
 
I think you will find that any quality saddle is uncomfortable for the first ride or two of the season, but fine after that. A very plush, squishy saddle will be cozy at first but real trail riding requires a fairly narrow saddle to enable the rider to move back and forth on the bike to accomodate the terrain. I ride a traditional Selle Italia Flite Titanium on all of my bikes, and it is quite comfortable for rides up to five or six hours.

IMO clipless pedals are far more secure and provide far better control and power transfer than toe clips. Off-road they are much safer as well, as they are quite a bit easier to get out of in a hurry. Start with them at their loosest setting until you get accustomed.
 


<< My pedals are clipless adaptable, does that mean I just have to buy the shoes? >>



I can't tell what they mean by that. The web site also calls them &quot;clipless adaptable&quot;, but they appear to be traditional clip-and-strap platform pedals. If they are truly clipless, they will have an obvious spring-loaded clamping mechanism of some kind. They should also have come with steel cleats to bolt onto your shoes if they are clipless.

I suspect that even if they really are clipless pedals, they are one-sided, which is never my preference. Quality off-road clipless pedals allow you to just blindly stomp on the pedal and click in on either side, as it is critical that you be able to get in and out VERY quickly, with little effort. If you are interested, here are some professional-caliber Shimano pedals for $69 US. I think Shimano has had to lower their pricing in the last year or so due to the popularity of Time ATAC pedals, which I have tried but disliked. I think the Shimanos are still the best, though many Time riders have a cult-like attachment (no pun intended!) to their pedals. These pedals are also cool, in that they have a larger platform, to allow you to ride more comfortably when not clicked in (I myself prefer a small, clipless-only pedal, but your mileage may vary).

Nice bike and good choice, by the way! Happy trails!

 


<< I ride a traditional Selle Italia Flite Titanium on all of my bikes >>

Best seat around and still one of the lightest.


As for clipless pedals look into the Ritchey ones since they are almost the same design as the Shimano but cost and weigh less.
 
I don't ride trails (yet), that'd require a different bike (I've got a specialized crossroad now), so I'm not too worried about a bumpy ride.
 
Congrats on your purchase! I still love my Mongoose Alta although it's a few years old I'll probably upgrade to a Trek, Kona, Gary Fisher, Cannondale, Specialized or something like that. I wonder what kind of front (not full) suspension mountain bike I can get for about $800 with a super strong but light frame and good high end components.

Anyone?
 


<< Congrats on your purchase! I still love my Mongoose Alta although it's a few years old I'll probably upgrade to a Trek, Kona, Gary Fisher, Cannondale, Specialized or something like that. I wonder what kind of front (not full) suspension mountain bike I can get for about $800 with a super strong but light frame and good high end components.

Anyone? >>



You will have many choices at that price point, and I would encourage you to test-ride extensively to see what you like. I recommend you buy from a good local shop who can properly fit you on the bike and provide service after the sale. The Treks and Specializeds are probably my favorites in terms of specs for the dollar (not coincidentally, they are huge companies and buy components in vast quantities). I am not a fan of Cannondale, though I think they have made a lot of strides since the days when I worked in a bike store (when they were horrible, and their quality control was so poor that I still tend to recommend people shy away from them).

Nowadays (unfortunately as far as I am concerned) aluminum rules the marketplace as a frame material on mid- to high-end bikes, and most of the bikes you will find will be aluminum. I prefer steel, which has a nicer ride and is far tougher and more repairable (albeit heavier). Titanium is really the best of all worlds, but you will not find it at anything close to an $800 price point.
 
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