Anyone Mountain Bike?

[bluebublelove]

I'm looking into getting a mountain bike and am overwhelmed with the advanced and custom options all over the internet....I just want a simple, trail capable bike, anyone with experiance or good suggestion, I'd love to hear from you...thanks! peace.

 

[Guest]

what kind of riding you going to do.

xc,dh,freeride,dj,trials,4x? just normal have fun weekend warrior trails riding???

i ride but i ride more agressive xc,dh,freeride and i have been learning how to dirtjump and ride street..

 

[treble]

hey bbl, I know where you are coming from.... I found it overwhelming

I put types of MTBs in 3 categories. Path riding, trail riding & downhill. This is my opinion not everyones...Then I looked for a bike for the purpose I wanted. I was after a trail type bike that can do ok on easy/moderate trails and ok on city paths.... not really downhill.

Path riding bikes are usually lighter because the frame doesn't need to be so strong. Tyres are narrow and suited for road/path. Brakes can be normal or disc/hydraulic.

Trail riding bikes are going to be stronger/heavier frame. Tyres will be wider and treaded. You can get hybrid tyres that have heavy outer tread and inner is more like a road tread. Shocks on front - look for a lock out which locks shocks for road/path and free shocks for trails n bumps. Again disc or normal brakes.

Downhill are another beast altogether and I know very little about these. Can be heavier frame and dual shocked. Brakes again as you like. Tyres are going to be off road.

Bike weight and tyre thickness have impact on what you do. Road (thin) tyres are shit in sand or lite stone and you will squirrel all over the place. Trail tyres are harder to push and you loose momentum faster when you stop peddling on road surfaces but are better for the loose stuff.

Have a look at Giant's web site for MTB types. They group the bikes according to what you want to do. If you want to do some lite trails then start at the Yukon and work up or down from there. The tyre choice you need to discuss with the bike shop. They should let you do a little test drive as well.

it was about 8 months before I could by the bike I chose but man am I pleased with it. I go out most days after work for a quick 15miles and 30 or so on the weekends.

good fun.. luck with your choice

treb

 

[bluebublelove]

thank you treble. thats basically the breakdown I needed.

mysterX....thats my problem....alll these abbreviations make my headspin..

 

[Growda]

I've got a Giant Yukon and I love it. Well priced and it's held up well to moderate trail riding and everyday for a year to and from work. If you're a guy invest in a "Specialized" ergonomic seat, will save you a ton of pain, best 30bucks I ever spent. Only problem I can say I've had is calipre alignement on the disc breaks, not sure if anyone else has this issue?

Growda

 

[I Used To Grow]

whoa! nice

 

[Guest]

get a full suspension bike man! you wont regret it!

 

[treble]

hey Growda. The yukon was my second choice... great bike. I got a local bike co equivelant and it is easily as good. W4L I was always curious on those, especially where they shock under the seat.... it looks weird when you first see it....

The other advice I missed out was gears... am using 24 gears here. There is a ratio for everything and I think one is reverse... you peddle so damn hard to go anywhere you end up going backwards. I think its about 1 mile an hour meybe

So think about gears. Anyone got a recomendation on gears?

Growda, I had the same issue. I took mine back for 1st service because I was dragging a disc. The guy said... shouldabeen back a month ago so hey..

But I feel like I am dragging again....after bike toppled.... so am worried its a "feature" of the disc brake... that they can go out of alignment or something.... other than that they work and damn well. I could also have been extra susceptible to the momentum loss on the tires.... feel like your pushing against something all the way through the ride..... riding with your brakes on isn't smart...

treb

 

[pico]

Kona makes very nice bikes. I have a custom built Kona Unit single speed. That thing is sweetness.

I was a bike mechanic for 5 years and built up a Mountain Cycle San Andreas full suspension. Totally tricked out, spent like 6 grand at cost building the fucking thing. It was stolen and I got the single speed front supsension only Kona. I have to say I love to ride the Kona more then I ever did that big full suspension. Depends on your type of riding. I do a little bit of trials too so I like how nimble the kona is.

Cheaper disc brakes can be hard to adjust sometimes. They usually only have 1 piston and push against the rotor bending it slightly to push against the brake pad on the other side. More expensive types usually have 2 or 4 pistons. I used to have some 4 piston disc brakes that were sick.

 

[bluebublelove]

what are the pros and cons of full suspension vs single suspension....also, single speed, is that the same idea as the gears on a bmx bike? just one single speed? is there any advantage to that over having different gear ratios? I'm willing to spend a pretty penny on my bike, I just want it to be what I need, I'm gonna be taking it on and off road in equal parts so will need one that is tough, comfortable and good for endurance also....thanks guys!

 

[Growda]

Treb, I've become a regular at the tune up desk not even needing topples, just a few high curbs one time

BBL, full suspension will be luxurious if you're riding trails and highly recomended for riding downhill/any jumping, you get comfort but sacrifice power, if you're not doing any city riding/comuting I say go for it, but the extra speed and response of a hardtail I prefer on the road EDIT: 18-24 gears should do ya, never heard of a single gear mountain bike...maybe it's for the prairies?

Growda

 

[pico]

Single speed mountain bikes are gaining popularity. Less to go wrong. Less to think about when riding. Stronger wheels. For every gear added to a cogset the wheel loses about 10% of its strength i have heard. I probably would not reccomend a single speed as an all purpose bike though. If you have a good road gear it is probably too hard for moutain biking. If you have a mountain biking gear you will be spinning like crazy going on a flat road.

Full suspension can be nice. Like growda says, you will lose some of your power when the shocks compress. Some shocks have lockouts to reduce this problem. But you still have more weight with a full suspension you have to lug around.

I would say a hardtail would probably be your best bet. But go down to the local bike shop and take a few for a spin. Maybe even rent a hardtail and a full suspension for a day and see what you like better.

 

[NserUame]

If you're not going to huck yourself off ledges you won't really need a Full Suspension bike. They're typically heavier, the back isn't as tight, and they are by far more expensive. However, if you're taking 20 foot drops regularly you have no choice, that rear shock will prevent your bike from getting warped.

Kona makes nice bikes, Marin used to make decent bikes at a reasonable price, Yukon makes some awesome FS and DH bikes if that's what you want. I haven't paid much attention in the last 5 years so things have probably changed drastically. Hydraulic Disk brakes are always a good investment though.

 

[jcsmooth]

Hey Growda!

I've got a Giant Yukon as well, and I love it.
It's really reliable and can handle nearly everything you put it to. I rarely ride on trails, but when I do, I take everything within stride (or is that circle?).

95% of the time I'm using my bike to get from one end of my city to the other, which means taking roads, sidewalks, lawns, fields, and gravel. My bike has no problem and I can get to my destination quickly!

Hope you find the bike you're looking for. I just thought I'd add my review of the bike's capability and reliability.

JC

 

[NiteTiger]

All I ask of you mountain bikers is that you please stay on your designated trails.

I had a buddy that was on a hiker only trail end up with two busted ribs when a mountain biker came blasting down the trail and slammed into him.

Then rode off, leaving my bud to hike out 4 miles with busted ribs.

Also, I've seen a rider take a nasty plunge off the side of a hiker trail because it just wasn't wide enough for him to get around hikers on the trail. Sad thing was he had plenty of time to stop, and the hikers had stopped and moved against the wall, but he just kept going. Fortunately he wasn't hurt, but had to carry the bike out, and got fined at the trailhead by a ranger.

Those bikes are a tad expensive, I believe. :wink:

On the flip side, I've got some buddies that ride on a MTB only trail near my house, and they love it. I've seen some of their videos, and it looks like an absolute BLAST! I'm just not that graceful anymore

 

[bongasaurus]

ive had a marin hard tail for a few years now. great bike. no problems really. very happy with if so far for the price i paid

 

[DumpsterDiver]

I've also had a Marin hardtail for the past 14 years and with the exception of minor maintenance and a couple replaced rims it's served me well. I paid $1000 and got more than my money's worth. Btw I ride on average 20 miles a day, mostly road these days but occasional offroad. I will be looking to upgrade soon and I'll stick to the hardtail for my purposes. When I shop I try to make sure the package has the best components for the price. Do a little homework and find out what's what. My bike is Shimano XT all-round, hubs, derailleurs etc. You pay more for quality but you get a better experience with more durability.

 

[NserUame]

Uh when I said Yukon, I meant Yeti...all that talk about Giants through me off.

Also, can't forget Specialized. They have a decent bike in every price category.

 

[HeadyPete]

Hey everyone, hey JC!

I vote for the hardtail. Some rear suspension is hard to pedal, depends on frame design, and if there is a lockout. More expensive, more to tune, more to go wrong....

I have a heavily modded 97 Cannondale F1000 and a couple years ago I replaced the dreadful headshock with a Bomber 100 mm fork MX comp and it is night and day. Get riser bars for a more comfy ride, plus a comfy seat and a hardtail with good disc brakes will serve you well.

If I was gonna buy a bike I'd go with either Kona or Rocky Mountain, but there are plenty of sick rides to choose from. Go to the bike stores and test ride the bikes. Buy some MTB magazines and read up on the latest technology and the mag's opinion of new bikes.

Good luck and I can't wait to see what you decide on.

 

[Guest]

i'm more into road bikes than mountain bikes but i've done some mountain biking and would say don't get a full suspension bike unless ur gonna be riding downhill for real, its not worth it and is just gonna slow u down...the front shock is normally gonna be enough but if ur gonna be riding on a mountain then fuck it and go full...