So....I have $300 and am looking for a new bike...

[dderidex]

Nothing inherently *wrong* with the bike I have now - still works fine 7 years on. However, the first 6 years of its life, we lived in NE Ohio with few biking opportunities (we were in a distant suburb of Cleveland and *nothing* was within reasonable biking distance).

Now we live in Bend, OR....and EVERYTHING is within reasonable biking distance. So we've gotten in better shape rather rapidly, and I'm finding my current bike rather limiting, now. It's a cheapo Huffy 15-speed mountain bike, and I'm finding that I can keep it in the 15th gear even going up half our hills! Needless to say going downhill is strictly coasting, as no gear is high enough to 'catch' so I could pedal any. The bike is just designed for slower speeds than I typically travel now.

As to the type....looking for a mountain bike, still. While probably 75% of the travel we do is on roads (more or less improved, depending), a good 25% is...well, 'offroad' would be putting it mildly.

These guys are our local bike shop, so it'd be easiest to buy from them.

What I was *looking* at was this bike. The brand comes highly recommended (at least, on these forums and the AT forums), and it fits my price point.

I guess my question is...well, they have a LOT of different types of bikes! What would be the difference between the bike linked about and, say, this one? Or, perhaps, this one? Aside, obviously, from the price!

Also - any other brands that shop carries worth exploring for a lower price point?

 

[boyRacer]

The difference between the XC and the Comp are higher-spec components... which are usually lighter and more durable in the long run... plus the comp has a way better fork and already comes with disc brakes.

I have the Sport version and im happy with it... its not a full-suspension bike so you're going to have to navigate your way around things instead of just bombing over them like full suspension bikes... 😀

Theres other brands like this Trek... IMHO... you get better value with the Specialized... but im a fanboy so don't mind me. 😛

 

[DrPizza]

Hmmmm...... is all your biking on the road? If you don't take it off the road, I'd go with something with narrower tires. My wife and I each purchased bikes yesterday so we could ride together. The one she got is very similar to the first one you have pictured (she bought a bike with a men's frame). We rode about 20 miles together today - she noticed that I was coasting on level ground for a much greater distance while she was peddling. (ie She got a workout, I didn't, over the same distance) I still can't figure out what's up with the fad to get bikes that are more like mountain bikes, especially for some of the people that I know personally who would never even ride down a dirt/gravel driveway.

Also, I'm curious, bR... I just bought a new bike yesterday and noticed the disk brakes for the first time. What's up with them? Some sort of marketing gimick? The only time I can see them as possibly being useful would be when riding in a lot of mud - since they'd be more prone to staying out of the mud...

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

I like Trek 😀

My local shops carry Swchinn, Trek, and a few other brands. For mountain biking and road biking eveyrone I know with a Trek hasn't been dissapointed yet

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Oh yeah, invest in a LOCK, spending an extra few bucks will be WELL WORTH IT

 

[boyRacer]

Originally posted by: DrPizza
Hmmmm...... is all your biking on the road? If you don't take it off the road, I'd go with something with narrower tires. My wife and I each purchased bikes yesterday so we could ride together. The one she got is very similar to the first one you have pictured (she bought a bike with a men's frame). We rode about 20 miles together today - she noticed that I was coasting on level ground for a much greater distance while she was peddling. (ie She got a workout, I didn't, over the same distance) I still can't figure out what's up with the fad to get bikes that are more like mountain bikes, especially for some of the people that I know personally who would never even ride down a dirt/gravel driveway.

Also, I'm curious, bR... I just bought a new bike yesterday and noticed the disk brakes for the first time. What's up with them? Some sort of marketing gimick? The only time I can see them as possibly being useful would be when riding in a lot of mud - since they'd be more prone to staying out of the mud...

disc brakes have better stopping power and modulation... plus like you said in mud... and in wet conditions where v-brakes just lose their braking efficiency. v-brakes IMHO are just fine where its dry and on the road... plus i like it simple. 🙂

maybe i'll switch to discs the same time i go to full suspension... 😀

 

[dderidex]

If you don't take it off the road, I'd go with something with narrower tires

Well, like I said in my initial post, we DO some offroad. From paths through the woods between roads to 'mild' downhill (we have a few buttes in the area that are quite a bit of fun) and along the canals....we get enough offroad that narrow tires are very definately 'out'.

Oh yeah, invest in a LOCK, spending an extra few bucks will be WELL WORTH IT

Have a fairly simple chain we got from Home Depot. Well, not 'simple', it's pretty good quality.

disc brakes have better stopping power and modulation... plus like you said in mud... and in wet conditions where v-brakes just lose their braking efficiency. v-brakes IMHO are just fine where its dry and on the road... plus i like it simple

Hadn't noticed the difference in brakes on those models. I can't see much difference in design on the pics, though. Is this something more than the brake pads of the older style, just moved closer to the axle? Or, is that all it really is? If it's a noticeable improvement, it may get me thinking about models that include it. Bend is nothing if not really, really dusty on ALL roads. High desert and all. Brake effeciency drops noticeably on any kind of moderately lengthy run.

As to full suspension...well, yeah, I *wish*. Just don't have that kind of money at the moment, I fear. Still, front suspension will be an improvement over the solid frame we have now.

I'll have to take a look at some of the Trek models....

 

[boyRacer]

The XC and Sport uses v-brakes while the Pro uses disc brakes... there is a noticeable improvement in braking power but if you're working on a budget and all you do is ride in the dry then you can save $$$ by just going with the conventional v-brakes.

 

[dderidex]

Well, I'll probably check out the store tomorrow. See if they have any specials or anything.

Is there anything in particular I should look for? Disk brakes look good, so I'll see if they have anything with that and is affordable.

For my needs, aluminum or composite looks to be the frame type I want (aluminum likely for cost), no?

I know I want front suspension at least, and that full suspension is probably too expensive.

Specialized and Trek are good brands. Looks like the shop in question also carries Cannondale, Bianchi, Giant, and Electra (??) as well.

Any other brands especially good or to especially avoid?

 

[boyRacer]

At that price range theyre all pretty much the same and made of aluminum... I don't think you'll find a Cannondale around $300 though... 😀

Cheapest decent full suspension is around $800 from Giant and Specialized... good luck. 🙂

 

[dderidex]

Hmmm...well, the only Specialized Hardrocks they had were the Pros ($599), which is out of my budget.

The girl there said the shop they have on the other side of town has a Giant bike in my size and the same price range (didn't catch the model, guessing per their site it must be a 'Boulder SE' or 'Boulder')

It looks comparable, thoughts? (FWIW, she said it would be lighter, for the same size, than the Hardrock - which is fine, as we don't do serious downhill or anything that would need a heavier frame)