New to Forum, Need advice on MTB Bike

[CycleTheWorld]

Hello I'm new to the Forum and totally new to mountain biking. I am a road cyclist but had a running injury and so would like to supplement my road riding with mountian riding.

I would appreciate any advice on purchasing a hard tail used bike. I visited Craigslist.org and saw some but wasn't sure what to look for exactly when buying a used mountain bike. So any advice or hints on where else to look for decent MTB bikes in the DC area would be greatly appreciated. I'm looking for trigger shifters, triple crank, quick release wheels and seat post, not too heavy, front shocks, front disc brake. Would these features be reasonable to want in a bike under $200?

Thanks!

[jabberwocky]

Unless you have a knowledgable person willing to inspect the bike for you, I would recommend against used for your first mountain bike. You need a pretty detailed knowledge of all the components and their conditions to even be able to begin assigning them a value. Look at it this way: a good suspension fork on the bike may be worth a few hundred dollars if it is in good working order, or it may be worth next to nothing if it needs a complete rebuild to keep it working. And you need to know what to look for to be able to tell the difference. And this applies to almost every other component on the bike. Road bike components last far longer under typical conditions than mountain components.

I would recommend an entry level hardtail from a local shop. I can almost guarantee that it will be a less frustrating experience than trying to buy used.

[notrelatedtoted]

Plus, at $200.00 and under, chances are you are going to either get a very used mountain bike or a very poorly equipped mountain bike.

[CycleTheWorld]

Thanks jabberwocky and notrelatedtoted,

I did toy with the idea of buying a new bike and have looked at some websites to get a sense of what's available. It's just that the budget does not quite allow it at the moment. However, I am taking a friend who is a bicycle mechanic, along with me tomorrow to look at a used Diamondback.

If I decide against it tomorrow, are there any specific hardtails either of you would recommend if I do decide to go the new bike route? I suppose if I finance it, it could be doable.

Thanks much for your input. I truly appreciate it.

[jabberwocky]

Most hardtails in the "under 500" range at bike shops are pretty similar. The important thing is to test ride the bikes and get one that fits well. The other important thing about buying a new bike is to pick a good shop to buy it from. Pretty much all shops give free tune ups and maintainance for a period of time, and you will want to take advantage of that. Find a shop thats willing to spend a lot of time working with you to get a bike that fits perfectly and you will be much happier in the long run.

[CycleTheWorld]

Thanks jabber.....,

As I'm more familiar with road bikes, I only know of just a couple names in mtb bikes like Iron horse, GT, Diamondback.

I've heard that Giant makes better mtb bikes than road, is there any truth to that? I have a Trek and a Giant road bikes and I have never been happy with either the fit or the shifting on the Giant; plus the bottom bracket keeps loosening on me and the mechanic tells me Giant is notorious for that. So I'm kind of shying away from Giant based on this experience.

I'm also not sure what to look for in the fit for an mtb bike to tell you honestly. I believe it will feel different from a road fit.

What other brands are there that make decent lower end hardtails? Also I do not have any background on front shocks or mtb drive trains.

Like I mentioned earlier, if you don't mind sharing a couple of examples of what I could be considering, I'd greatly appreciate that.

[jabberwocky]

I actually started on a Giant hardtail (Giant Rainier) and was very happy with it. Some reputable brands for mountain bikes are: Specialized, Trek, Giant, Gary Fisher, Jamis, Iron horse, and Kona (there are others, but those are the big ones off the top of my head).

A pretty good resource for checking a particular bike or component is MTBR (http://www.mtbr.com/reviews/). They have reviews, and also a very active forum.

[notrelatedtoted]

Thanks jabber.....,

As I'm more familiar with road bikes, I only know of just a couple names in mtb bikes like Iron horse, GT, Diamondback.

I've heard that Giant makes better mtb bikes than road, is there any truth to that? I have a Trek and a Giant road bikes and I have never been happy with either the fit or the shifting on the Giant; plus the bottom bracket keeps loosening on me and the mechanic tells me Giant is notorious for that. So I'm kind of shying away from Giant based on this experience.

I'm also not sure what to look for in the fit for an mtb bike to tell you honestly. I believe it will feel different from a road fit.

What other brands are there that make decent lower end hardtails? Also I do not have any background on front shocks or mtb drive trains.

Like I mentioned earlier, if you don't mind sharing a couple of examples of what I could be considering, I'd greatly appreciate that.

I also started on a Giant back in 1992. I rode the hell out of that bike in all kinds of conditions, shipped it back and forth across the country numerous times and I still have it. I think Giant makes a good bike for the money, but that's just my opinion.

I'm no expert, but I'd say that mtb fit is a bit more upright than a road fit - presuming that on a road bike you're talking about a more "racey" (heheheheh) geometry. You should also look for more standover clearance (space between your crotch and the top tube) on an mtb than you're used to on a roadbike - some folks go as much as four inches.

Aside from fit, I'd say that the frame and fork are the two most important considerations. You can't upgrade the frame, and it won't be cost-effective to upgrade the fork. The drivetrain comes after that. I've heard that the difference between the Shimano alivio and deore lines is negligible, but I'd try to aim for at least Deore.

I'd try to ride as many bikes as you can to get a sense of what you like and dislike. I found a great deal on my road bike on craigslist, but you have to know what you want, be patient, and be able to grab it when you see a deal.

Good luck.

[Snot-Rocket]

As I'm more familiar with road bikes, I only know of just a couple names in mtb bikes like Iron horse, GT, Diamondback.

I'm also not sure what to look for in the fit for an mtb bike to tell you honestly. I believe it will feel different from a road fit.

What other brands are there that make decent lower end hardtails? Also I do not have any background on front shocks or mtb drive trains.


"New Bike Quest Thread Here" (http://www.more-mtb.org/forum/showthread.php?t=4397)

Granted, different price point, but good general info. My recommendation is to save your pennies until late August or until you have at least $500-600.00 bike budget- this will put you in a good range for a solid used and/or entry level new ride. July and August are muggy hot anyway and you can do some swimming / watersports for some cross training in the interim- ha, ha!

Anyway, per Trek, Jamis, Giant, Specialized, Gary Fischer, Rocky Mountain, Raleigh, Diamond Back, Iron Horse, Cannondale, etc. they all have entry level hardtails that are all the same to me- all likely to be 24-speed at the sub $500.00 price point...per your desire of relatively light weight, durable, etc. $500.00 is the sweet spot for you...

Per details like suspension, components- at this price point you are getting better technology then 4-5 years ago at an exponential order of magnitude, but stressing over these details ain't worth it...focus on getting an alum frame (light weight), some kind of suspensions, and ensure 1-1/8" steerer tube compatiblity (so you can upgrade fork later- like in 3-years or so).

Ultimately, buying new even at a $350.00 price point gets you shop service- like the Bike Lane has lifetime minor tuneup services...for a non-wrench, this is key.

Good Luck,

[CycleTheWorld]

Thanks to all for your advice. Yesterday I went and spent my bike money on a 24' ladder to clean my gutters. As a result I think I will be following the advice to wait till later and in the meantime will study the options a bit more closely to familiarize myself with the various options. In the process I'll test ride to add to my learning experience. I appreciate the time you have all taken to share info. Thanks again and cheers!

[traylseeker]

I'm fresh out of beginners school. Got into mountain biking recently and had a crash course in pain and fatigue. I strongly recomend keeping it cheap at first until you get a chance to try out some bikes. I was lucky enough to meet people from Richmond MORE who let me try their bikes. I learned how important the fit and feel is. I started off with a KHS piece of crap 19.5" full suspension at a reduced price. It wore me out. Fit and geometry was all wrong. after trying to make a Cannondale, GT, Specialized, etc. work I landed on a 21" Jamis front susp. hardtale disk brakes and trigger shifters and can ride that bike for hours and feel great.

[soreback]

as a roadie, ask yourself this question, "what kind of quality road bike could i get for $200?"... once you get the answer, subtract the word "road", replace it with "mountain"... and the answer is probably the same.