Corey

iTrader: (1)

Sold my last one to Yoda on the board here.
It was an old aluminum Raleigh, very high tech when I bought it back around '88 or '89.

Took a different side street into work this morning, and low and behold was Center Cycle.
http://centercycle.com/

Close to work, will have to check them out.
If I end up with one, it will be equipped with disc brakes for sure, as the old trails I use to ride up at Greenwater have water, mud, and lots of twigs on the trails.

Not sure what brand to even look at yet.
I am also open to the type of pedals that snap into the shoes, as long as the pedal will also work the regular way.
I have lots to catch up on technology wise, as I have been out of the bike scene for eons.

Since I have camped a lot in the past up at Greenwater too, they have tons of trials up there to bike on.

I looked at Giant bikes in the past, and I see they carry them under the full suspension area.
http://centercycle.com/itemlist.cfm?category=49
Very huge selection there including prices.

I would also be using it around my neighborhood for exercise, but mainly want it equipped to handle tight trails too.

What is most popular these days for the type of shifters?
The last two mountain bikes from Trek I bought my sons many years ago had the grip twist shift on them.

Here is one example of a Giant, the Reign 2.
http://centercycle.com/itemdetails.cfm?LibId=37822

jrallan26

In my opinion I wouldnt get a dual suspension mtn. bike unless you are going to some monster trails. A hardtail bike with a suspended front end is more than adequate. I have a 5 year Trek OCLV with a Rock Shock. It has held up very nice. As for gearing, stick with Shimano XT.

BTW I still use GripShifts on mine, still working good......

Corey

iTrader: (1)

Thanks, still surfing a bit, found this one for a little more.
http://centercycle.com/itemdetails.cfm?LibId=37830



It is dual suspension though.
Saw one review on another Hayes hydraulic braked bike, and the guy did not like the brakes.
Had the shop switch to Avid brakes, and he liked them better.

Not sure if the Hayes Stroker Trail brakes on the above one are hydraulic or not.
Here are the specs, but the Shimano stuff I have not seen before I do not think.
Front Derailleur Shimano Deore LX
Rear Derailleur SRAM X-9
Shifters SRAM X-7 Trigger
The kind of trails I would take it on are single track scattered with rocks, roots, but mainly pretty well maintained trails too that are hard packed with forest debris.

So a front only suspended bike might be better?
My last bike had no suspension at all.

leebee

i have a giant rincon se hard tail, its a pretty decent unit. im looking at converting to disc brakes, all the necessary lugs are there so its just a matter of $$$. ive ridden a full suspension bike, a bit un-nerving as it can undulate while you are pedaling. any trail riding ive ever done, ive always been up on the pedals, lowers your c of g.

i did install the 'step in' pedals, they take some getting used to but once you get the hang of them, it second nature. too bad youre so far away corey, mine is up for sale!

lee

BT17R

Corey, there are some very good used deals on Craigslist now.

Whatever you go with, be careful of weight. It takes alot more effort hauling an extra five pounds up the mountain!

Oh, and invest in a stationary trainer like one of these:

http://www.performancebike.com/bikes..._400006_400037

Great for Winter use, tuning your components for best fit and for breaking in your butt and legs so you can climb like a goat. Then on the way down the mountain you smell like a goat.

BTW, the Tour is on Versus, this is the final week in the mountains and great motivation to ride.

The Ruckus

I went through this same process this spring. My wife wanted to get into mountain bikes, so I started researching. The best (and most frequent) advice I got was to go to multiple bike shops and try multiple brands. What you're going to get in a decent ($700-900 range) hardtail from gary fisher, specialized, giant, or trek are going to be pretty much equal level stuff. One may have better running gear and iffy forks, and another may have crap breaks, great components, decent fork, and crap wheels (full suspension is going to be overkill unless you plan on going head-over-heels hardcore downhill/all mountain lifestyle- and anything worth owning is $2k+). Mtbr.com is a great resource for researching any bike you could ever want. Their forums are good too, if you can handle all the "Oh geez, not another 'which bike should I buy' thread" comments. There's a wealth of information there, albeit some of it from elitist weight weenies.

What I would shop for #1 is a shop that gives a damn about me as a new rider and a source of future sales. #2, I would look for a bike that fit my body type properly. Frame geometry is different for every manufacturer, and as such, they fit every rider differently. Most shops should let you ride around the parking lot and may even allow you to put some money down for a demo rental, with that money going towards purchase price if you like it. If you find one that feels close, they should be willing to swap bits and pieces out pre-sale (at a discounted rate) and make those parts covered under the original purchase warranty.

All that being said, I bought a Specialized Rockhopper Comp Disc. I found it to be a satisfactory bike from a great shop that takes really good care of me, and the frame has a lifetime warranty. It has some "meh" parts on it, but that's where buying from the good shop comes in. Take care of me now while I'm new to this, and I'll come back to you when it's time to upgrade/raplace parts or buy the next level bike.

Also keep in mind, there isn't much markup on bikes, so they're not going to be huge on cutting deals or haggling... but if you're lucky (it is a bit late in the year for this) you can find last year's models at awesome prices. We got my wife's previous season Kona for $899 I think, and I believe it was originally $1200 or more.

BT17R

Corey, as Ruckus said, they're all a compromise to some extent in the sub-$1,500 category, so go with the best frame that fits and upgrade components later.

I buy components from a shop in Dublin, Ireland. Great prices, far better than US, quick shipping and top notch gear. I also buy the bikes online and assemble them myself. I don't buy the myth of supporting your local bike shop. I say support your family and save your cash.

Corey

iTrader: (1)

Thanks Bob and Ruckus.
Bob, I want to go brand new for the warranty and having a local shop do any major work it might need down the road.

Here is my main criteria:

* No heavy street driving, mainly neighborhood riding when not in the mountains.
* Trails I will encounter in the mountains vary from level romps through the woods, to steep climbs in places.
* Must have disc brakes
* Pedal setup can accommodate both clip shoes and regular shoes.

Bob, the Performance indoor trainer would be cool, I have seen them.
use to get their catalogs back in the late 80s.

This is the front only suspension list.
http://centercycle.com/itemlist.cfm?category=52

It seems prices have come way down since the last time I looked.
Here is a Specialized for $500.
http://centercycle.com/itemdetails.cfm?LibId=47835



I am willing to spend way more though to have better components such as the shifters, drive train, front fork/shock combo, ect.

Seems they have four brands.
Giant
Specialized
Kona
Santa Cruz

This Kona Blast for $699 looks pretty cool.
http://centercycle.com/itemdetails.cfm?LibId=53451



That shop is on the way back from my next work place I have to go to in a few minutes.
If I have time on my way back I might drop by, but I have a feeling I would blow my whole lunch break there.
Probably hit them up during the weekend since they are open both days, and I can spend more time looking at them.

My goal too besides having fun with the bike is to shed the darn extra weight that has been piling up over the years

Toddski

I know 90% of the people who love to ride usually go with a hardtail. I went with a full suspension that i can adjust the rear suspension as needed. I love the feel of a full suspension vs a hardtail.

I ended up purchasing a Diamondback. Its been a great bike. A little on the heavy side but i needed something that would take the abuse as i crash a lot

jrallan26

One thought, buy a frameset from Colorado cycle online. A frameset is a frame and suspended fork. Then piece together your components via a local bike shop. Then you get exactly what you want.

I did this with my OCLV. I will never buy another complete again.

Corey

iTrader: (1)

Todd, have you ridden a hardtail on trails too?
I know what you mean about crashing
First time I got my old mountain bike I took it upto a shooting pit up at Greenwater FS Road 73.
Riding along real slow when I flipped over to the right side, thus bending the derailleur

Had to take it to the shop to fix it, as it would not shift correctly, even with me messing with the barrel adjusters.

jrallan, I will ask the shop about that too, but more thank likely I will just get one that is all setup.

Then I will have to look at a hitch mount too that will clear my spare tire.
I have a few nice Yakima mounts at home for leaving both tires on, and also one where you take the front tire off.
Somehow though I do not think I will be using top mounts anymore.

Todd, I am sure you know about that one nice trail to ride up on 73 right after you cross the bridge that is on the left.
Parking is on the right side, and that will more than likely be the site behind the parking where I will be vacationing in a few weeks.

Toddski

I have ridden a hardtail on the trails. I do like the hardtail climbing hills. But with my rear shock, i can adjust it so it rides like a hardtail.
Going over the washboard trails i would rather have the full suspension with the option. All it takes is a couple of turns of the key and it stiffens up the rear.

I remember that bridge from my first 4x4 trip. Unfortunately i haven't ridden my bike up there.

OrRunner

iTrader: (1)

Corey, just my .02, but i ride an Iron horse 6.0 warrior, im not an every weekend rider but when ever i go out in the woods my bike is located in the back of the runner. I ride with 3 other people and have heard no complaints They have entry level bikes for 300.00all the way up to 5000.00 or something like that. i paid around 550 for mine and it came with disk front and rear, all shimano componets, rockshocks on the front and its a hardtail, no clip ins but i hate those for trails cause if you go down and dont unclip in time.....
crash and burn. I have been extremely happy overall, the only thing i need to get is some smaller road tires for around town lesiure riding(if i could find time) but the bike is equipped with quick realese rims so switiching them out should not be bad, also the ironhorse has a uniqe frame design for extra stregnth and is extremely light weight, good luck with shopping for the new bike and post some pics when you get it!

http://www.ironhorsebikes.com/bikes/...r/warrior6.php

OrRunner

iTrader: (1)

http://www.ironhorsebikes.com/bikes/...r/warrior6.php

im not sure why this pic has the rear shock as mine does not, i think this may be this years model, i have had mine for 3 years now, and i do not have a rear shock, they suck going up hill!

The Ruckus

Iron Horse has gone through it's share of issues lately. Not saying one way or the other on their bikes, just suggestiong it would be worth while to thoroughly research the future of warranties and the owner of the Iron Horse name. I think it might have sold to Dorel.

Corey

iTrader: (1)

Thanks guy's.
I have been to that mbr site before in the past when I researched a Giant bike long ago, but then I got laid off from Boeing back in early 2002.

I plan on trying to get down to that shop this weekend to see what they have to offer for $1.5K and under for a decent one in all four brands they carry.

Then there is the additional stuff, two cages/2 water bottles, bike rack to carry mine and another one, ect.

I use to have a very nice white Park stand to work on bikes, but I gave it to my X's husband a few years back.
May have to pick up one of those later too.
Very nice for cleaning the chain and doing other work on it.

On the brakes, is the non hydraulic discs about as good as the hydraulic ones?
I take it there is a thing on it you have to keep filled up with brake fluid?
That seems like extra weight and more maintenance than non hydraulic discs.

Will have to think about the clipless pedals too, but if they have a combo where you can use it either way that might be cool.
My last bike I had the yellow/black straps on to hold the shoes in place.
Worked like those plastic shoe things to hold your feet in place, but I liked these better.
Can not remember the name of them, but they were quite popular long ago.

habanero

For the trails you describe if price is an object I'd rather get a better equipped hard tail rather than an entry level full suspension. Better performance from the components is a big plus. I would pay attention to weight but not get in a knot about it. Definitely clipless over toe clips (straps). You'll fall some, but you'll (prolly) survive. I've got v-brakes on most of my bikes and Avid BB7 mechanical disc on one. Disc does stop nicely but the v-brakes have sufficed well on my cross country bikes.

My favorite single bike is over 10 years old but 98% of the parts have been replaced with upgraded stuff as the old wore out or broke. There is one major component I need to repair soon, or revamp it. I could shave about 10-15 pounds off the bike but it keeps eating too much ice cream.

Corey

iTrader: (1)

Good points Hab.

Tell me about it, a bowl every Friday (Sy-Fy, yes, they changed their name) and Saturday night (DVD night.)

OrRunner

iTrader: (1)

Ruckus, i didn't know that iron horse was selling out....lame, like i said i have had mine for about 3 years and no problems, i really like the design and how it fits my body, i will read up on that, thanks for the info,
Corey, if you spending a grand on a bike im sure you will get a very nice one, just make sure to ride it before you buy it and make sure you feel comfortable on it and your good to go!!!

Simon

My only advice is to test ride as many bikes as possible. Finding a bike that is comfortable and fits correctly is the most important I think.

That Giant you posted is a pretty sweet bike too.

-Simon