Mountain Biking

[Legzman]

Me and my fiance recently got into mountain biking after spending the day with her ******* in law at a wedding. I guess he's been big into it for several years now.

When I was a *** I grew up on BMX, so naturally I enjoyed the jumps! Something I find seriously lacking here in Indiana. I'd love to get into downhill/dirt jumping, but there's just nowhere around here to do it. So I've settled on the idea that 99.9% of the time I'll be riding rolling forest tracks at best.

Any advice for a beginner? What are some good quality bikes? Can't talk to her ******* in law since his recommendations start at $1500, he even trys to make that sound cheap. Should I go hard-tail or full suspension? I'd think hard-tail since full is best for downhill which I'll sadly probably never do.

 

[gunslingingbird]

I recently bought a Marin Hawk Hill. Marin is a good brand. It was recommended by several of my coworkers who are hardcore cyclists. The Hawk Hill is sort of the low end of the medium quality range of mountain bikes that Marin makes. It's a $1000-dollar bike, but I got it for about $650 during a sale at the factory outlet store. It has a shock-absorbing fork suspension, hydraulic brakes, double-wide wheel walls, 27 speeds, and an aluminum frame, so it only weighs about 15 pounds. I was told that this was a good model to start on for off-road biking. With a lower grade of bike I wouldn't have the suspension fork, the super responsive brakes, the thicker wheels that help maintain the shape after repeated impact, or the lightweight frame. The thing that pisses me off about bikes today is that they don't come with a chain guard, or a kick stand. I NEVER wear shorts, so my pants either clean the chain grease off the sprocket, or get shredded, and I always have to find something to lean my bike against.

 

[DudeRulez]

...and an aluminum frame, so it only weighs about 15 pounds...

don't want to be an ass, but 15 pounds on a sub 1000$ mtb with suspension fork ? i highly doubt that !

you have to pay top-dollar for a carbon-frame (or maybe even aluminium-frame) road bike to get into those weight regions, and that's, of course, without a heavy suspension fork.

---edit: by the way, this test of the "2010 marin hawk hill" model says the weight is about 30lbs.---
http://thebicyclebuyer.com/bikes/marin-hawk-hill.html

but to try to answer the question, legzman, if you are really only doing forest trails and not doing some hardcore downhill or trail action, i would definately go with a hard-tail. maybe even take a look at some 29er bikes.

i won't give you any brand names, because i'm from europe and that probably wouldn't help you, but over here, decent bikes start at around 800-1000€ which should be about 1200$ ?!

 

[STDiva]

Hardtail all the way. Unless you're racing professionallyor practicing to race professionally you don't need a full suspension bike. Hardtails are lighter, quicker, better on inclines and easier to maintain. It's a no brainer if you ask me.

We have a couple good trails here but nothing that would require full suspension. Plus I do a lot of inner city riding, and hardtail wins in that regard as well.

As far as bikes and price range go, you're not going to get a quality bike for under $800 unless you get a deal. The trails will break that bike down so quick, you'll be back at the bike store in a few months. If price truly is an issue, try police auctions. I bought a $2000 Gary Fisher in great condition at a police auction for $500. There's deals to be had. You just have to find them.

 

[Petra]

Me and my fiance recently got into mountain biking after spending the day with her ******* in law at a wedding. I guess he's been big into it for several years now.

When I was a *** I grew up on BMX, so naturally I enjoyed the jumps! Something I find seriously lacking here in Indiana. I'd love to get into downhill/dirt jumping, but there's just nowhere around here to do it. So I've settled on the idea that 99.9% of the time I'll be riding rolling forest tracks at best.

Any advice for a beginner? What are some good quality bikes? Can't talk to her ******* in law since his recommendations start at $1500, he even trys to make that sound cheap. Should I go hard-tail or full suspension? I'd think hard-tail since full is best for downhill which I'll sadly probably never do.

Ask Roald about the time him and FreeOnes took a guy out mountain biking... :1orglaugh

 

[gunslingingbird]

don't want to be an ass, but 15 pounds on a sub 1000$ mtb with suspension fork ? i highly doubt that !

you have to pay top-dollar for a carbon-frame (or maybe even aluminium-frame) road bike to get into those weight regions, and that's, of course, without a heavy suspension fork.

---edit: by the way, this test of the "2010 marin hawk hill" model says the weight is about 30lbs.---
http://thebicyclebuyer.com/bikes/marin-hawk-hill.html

Ok, so I just put it to the scale, and the weight difference between me with the bicycle and me without the bicycle was 24 pounds. It feels much lighter than that, though. Also, mine is a 2011 model. Don't know how much difference that makes, but I'm going by the scale.

 

[Ravenholm]

NEVER get a bike without front and back suspension. No suspension makes the bike feel like the bike is from the 1930s with every single bump you go over. Suspension makes all the difference.

 

[Legzman]

The thing that pisses me off about bikes today is that they don't come with a chain guard, or a kick stand. I NEVER wear shorts, so my pants either clean the chain grease off the sprocket, or get shredded, and I always have to find something to lean my bike against.

Adds to much weight I'd imagine?

you have to pay top-dollar for a carbon-frame (or maybe even aluminium-frame) road bike to get into those weight regions, and that's, of course, without a heavy suspension fork.

but to try to answer the question, legzman, if you are really only doing forest trails and not doing some hardcore downhill or trail action, i would definately go with a hard-tail. maybe even take a look at some 29er bikes.

I went to a sport store to check out some trek bikes. Just look. I asked the sales guy about the 29ers, he said they are faster and hold the corners better than 26.

Hardtail all the way. Unless you're racing professionallyor practicing to race professionally you don't need a full suspension bike. Hardtails are lighter, quicker, better on inclines and easier to maintain. It's a no brainer if you ask me.

We have a couple good trails here but nothing that would require full suspension. Plus I do a lot of inner city riding, and hardtail wins in that regard as well.

As far as bikes and price range go, you're not going to get a quality bike for under $800 unless you get a deal. The trails will break that bike down so quick, you'll be back at the bike store in a few months. If price truly is an issue, try police auctions. I bought a $2000 Gary Fisher in great condition at a police auction for $500. There's deals to be had. You just have to find them.

Good to know. Also never thought about police auctions.

 

[LukeEl]

I need to start mountain biking on my weekends instead of lounging about ******** at patio bars on my weekends, I miss it.

 

[squallumz]

Petra[/URL][/B], post: 5909866, member: 114093"]Ask Roald about the time him and FreeOnes took a guy out mountain biking... :1orglaugh

this sounds like its gonna be great.

 

[Ace Boobtoucher]

You know what is the hardest part of biking?






















Telling your parents you're gay.

 

[squallumz]

You know what is the hardest part of biking?






















Telling your parents you're gay.

:rofl2: !

 

[gloyster]

You gotta let that breeze hit you, and then up and down those hills. ZOOKS!

 

[georges]

Me and my fiance recently got into mountain biking after spending the day with her ******* in law at a wedding. I guess he's been big into it for several years now.

When I was a *** I grew up on BMX, so naturally I enjoyed the jumps! Something I find seriously lacking here in Indiana. I'd love to get into downhill/dirt jumping, but there's just nowhere around here to do it. So I've settled on the idea that 99.9% of the time I'll be riding rolling forest tracks at best.

Any advice for a beginner? What are some good quality bikes? Can't talk to her ******* in law since his recommendations start at $1500, he even trys to make that sound cheap. Should I go hard-tail or full suspension? I'd think hard-tail since full is best for downhill which I'll sadly probably never do.

hard tail, probably and older 2005-2009 model from specialized, trek or canondale with lx/xt 9 speed transmission.
I was given for free by a friend an old 1993 merida al bon with 21 speeds lx transmission but which is lightweight and allow me to ride fast. I might buy another mountain bike.

 

[Shifty]

You know what is the hardest part of biking?






















Telling your parents you're gay.

It's not that hard.

(that's what he said)

 

[BustyFan1]

Tried it and went back to my 1200CC Harley. No, you can't climb mountains but you can't do, well, lets just say FAST on a mountain bike either.

 

[Legzman]

hard tail, probably and older 2005-2009 model from specialized, trek or canondale with lx/xt 9 speed transmission.
I was given for free by a friend an old 1993 merida al bon with 21 speeds lx transmission but which is lightweight and allow me to ride fast. I might buy another mountain bike.

I've been looking online about comparisons between hardtail and full suspension as well as talking to her *******-in-law who is an avid mountain biker, to get an idea the pros and cons of both. For the type of riding I WANT to do, it would be best to go with full suspension. But for the type of riding I WILL be doing, hardtail is really the only option. At least around here I might be able to get some dirt jumping in once in awhile, there again hardtail is best for that as well.

So I've made up my mind of hardtail 29er from my researching. I still won't be getting a new one till next year at the earliest sometime. I'll have to settle with my wal-mart throw away bike for now. A $700 Trek with disc brakes should get me started though huh? I can replace components from there as the money becomes available.

I looked into FOX forks since that's what the BIL is adamant about. They start at $800. Fuck that! Saw one for 1600...not gonna spend that kind of money on a fucking fork!

 

[Legzman]

2 months later I'm a whole lot more knowledgeable than I was when I started this thread! Even joined a MTB forum. That has helped tons! Currently saving for a Giant Talon 29er. At least that's what I'd buy today if I had the cash.

I really think 29ers are the way to go for me. I know I've got the strength to get the thing rolling, beyond that I hear the downhills are crazy fun on a niner!

My shitty wal-mart bike, just isn't cutting it. But it is good enough for me to get hooked on this sport! I'll ride it till it falls apart. Which will no doubt come with some form of pain for me at the time when it finally breaks. Or just take it easy on the trails, maybe ride once more this year, then use it solely for paved trails with the fiance.

 

[L3ggy]

I miss my mountain bike. I'm gonna need to get another.

 

[Legzman]

probably not the safest activity to engage in...