^ Thank you. Sorry i name dropped. I used to road bike alot before college and met alot of people on the US Postal service team.

^^ Dude i'm sorry have you ever been on a road bike? I've had plenty of experience and have learned from quite a few very very well known people and when you're in a draft line of 20+ people you DO NOT WANT to use your front brakes. The back brakes are always used because they provide more precise braking control, and help you utilize the draft better. Attemping to use your front brakes in a draft line will result in you hitting someone in front of you, or you getting hit from behind.

[Edited on June 18, 2007 at 11:05 AM. Reason : .]

6/18/2007 11:02:54 AM

^hey buddy, did you read the thread title? MOUNTAIN BIKING.

Quote :

"I've still yet to see a mountain bike with only a rear disc, but I've seen lots with a front disc"

exactly. the front brake should be used more frequently and will produce better results when riding offroad.

6/18/2007 11:07:43 AM

Yes i saw the post, but when someone makes an incorrect statement about road biking i had to correct it. I do my share of mountain biking.

"Do not use the front brake if you are turning at the bike's limit. The
front tire is using all its traction for turning. If you use your front
brake, it will lose its grip and wash out. A front wheel slide is almost
impossible to recover. A back end slide is easier to recover. Also, the
brake tire is doing less work than the front, therefore, you can use some
of its "spare" traction for braking."

"In loose terrain, use more back brake than the front. The front has
less traction because it is being "plowed"."

Last time i was in the rockies there were lots of turns and very very loose terrain. On that trail i used more back brake than front. You guys make it sound like it's all front, completely not true.

6/18/2007 11:15:41 AM

Can anyone offer up any tips on installing V-Brakes (previously had cantilever)?

6/22/2007 2:56:12 PM

installed the V-Brakes (Avid Single Digit 7, brakes and levers) this weekend and couldn't be more pleased. it's an incredible upgrade from my old cantilever system. in all it cost me about $200 and 3 hours work, which was all well worth it.

next step (when I have the dough) is to get a new fork and headset. for this I'm thinking RockShox Reba and a Chris King headset. CAN'T WAIT!!

[Edited on June 24, 2007 at 6:17 PM. Reason : I got the bug again]

6/24/2007 6:10:43 PM

I read this entire thread, and I gotta say, this whole front brake rear brake debate is borderline retarded.

First off, some of you sorta touched on it, then forgot about it in your arguing, but different situations require different uses of your brakes. Negotiating a tricky downhill section, yes, your front brake is going to give you a ton more control where-as you very well could start skidding with your back brakes. But, you're a damn moron if you think the front brake is the one to rely on moving at anything over 5 mph down a hill. Steady pressure on front brake + unexpected root/hole = compression of your suspension = your hand instinctively grabbing the brake harder and you taking a fun trip over the bars.

Quote :

"exactly. the front brake should be used more frequently and will produce better results when riding offroad."

Like I just pointed out, you can't make this blanket statement. Most any downhill I am riding or even a flat section approaching a turn, I'm keeping pressure on my rear brake lever and will start using it first and then feed in my front brake as needed.

Sure, you have more stopping power with your front brake. So what? That doesn't mean I need that stopping power all the time. Durr.

Same with the road, I don't get why it is suggested to use the front brake all the time. I ride in packs 5 inches off peoples back tires all the time. It's always the rear brake first and the front when I need more power. I don't skid the rear on the asphalt, ever.

[Edited on June 25, 2007 at 12:03 PM. Reason : *]

6/25/2007 12:02:14 PM

^ Exactly. Mainly with road biking when you ride 5 inches off someones tire you always use the back brake first. Varys more with mountain biking.

6/25/2007 12:04:31 PM

Well I guess I'm rarely riding up someone's ass, but I still use the front brake more frequently and with better success. Obviously it depends on the situation.

6/25/2007 4:14:40 PM

Quote :

"Well I guess I'm rarely riding up someone's ass"

never been road biking? Yes it depends on the situation.

6/25/2007 4:18:41 PM

What kind of situations are you using the front brake more? How fast (or should I say, slow) are you riding? If I used the front brake where I am normally using my back brake, I'd be washing out and endoing at every turn.

I can see if someone is just cruising through the woods at 4-5 mph, then yea, I guess the front brake is fine.

6/25/2007 4:19:01 PM

OK, this thread has gone to the shitter with the brakes debate...I recently accidentally purchased (2) Forks off of eBay for cheap - A late 90's Manitou X-Vert (single crown, not the dh fork) and a early 00's Judy. Assuming they are both in the same condition, which of the two would you prefer?

6/25/2007 4:50:20 PM

the judy

6/25/2007 4:57:51 PM

Lets see everyone's bikes

6/25/2007 6:02:14 PM

so ive recently been looking to get a new bike, i liked a few specialized bikes, mainly the rockhopper comp disc and the rockhopper pro disc. the pro is definitely more expensive, but you also get more. however there is an older model stumpjumper in the store that they will sell at around the same price as the rockhopper pro, only thing is that its a womans model - the differences arent that much, but i wanted to see if anyone else had something to add - other than the opinion of the dude trying to sell it. i rode it and its amazing, the fox suspension is just rediculous and the lighter weight. is it worth the buy?

6/29/2007 8:09:14 PM

what's the best bike shop in the raleigh area?

6/30/2007 12:25:39 PM

^^i've got the stumpjumper pro and i love it. it's kinda hard not to. the fox talas has 5" of travel which makes for a comfortable ride and the juicy brakes have great stopping power. a great bike. i love it.

^take the trip out to cary and go to the spin cycle.

6/30/2007 1:02:30 PM

I have a road bike built up for my upcoming race. Sponsors supplied me with components, frame and wheelset.

I'm so excited. In theory, it will weigh in under 14 lbs. I'll post pics soon.

[Edited on June 30, 2007 at 1:13 PM. Reason : .]

6/30/2007 1:13:11 PM

^^ so are you saying that a "womens" bike would still be worth it for a guy?

6/30/2007 1:42:51 PM

i would say no b/c womens bikes are a lot different. the geometry is different. the shocks are sprung lighter, the grips are thinner. i even think the wheels are different. they're just made for a womans frame, so unless you're around 5'5 or weigh 130lbs, i'd stick with a guys bike.

6/30/2007 2:13:25 PM

yeah, that was what i was thinking. that fox fork is crazy nice though.

6/30/2007 2:44:04 PM

Quote :

"Lets see everyone's bikes"

6/30/2007 4:59:38 PM

the limited green one

[Edited on July 1, 2007 at 12:48 AM. Reason : x]

7/1/2007 12:47:33 AM

assplay

7/1/2007 10:45:32 AM

Quote :

"what's the best bike shop in the raleigh area?"

I'm not sure which is the best, but I'm sure that the worst is Cycle Logic on Hillsborough. Fuck that place.

7/1/2007 12:01:56 PM

Gary Fisher Marlin

[Edited on July 1, 2007 at 4:55 PM. Reason : .]

7/1/2007 4:55:03 PM

Quote :

"the worst is Cycle Logic on Hillsborough. Fuck that place"

agreed. they have no idea what the fuck they're doing.

7/1/2007 5:11:35 PM

anyone ride Felts around here?

7/1/2007 5:39:37 PM

I need some opinions on a first serious mountain bike purchase. I've had the department store stuff since I first started riding. I'm not looking to get more into mountain biking and trail riding. I've got several co-workers that ride and all of them have told me I need to go disc brakes. That's pretty much all the detail I've been able to talk with them about it. I stopped by a local bike shop and they showed me a Cannondale R7 with disc brakes. I'm just looking for some more insight from you guys on brand and features I should look at. Thanks for the help.

7/3/2007 5:32:25 PM

Among Giant, Cannondale, Specialized, Trek, and even Iron Horse, Gary Fisher, GT, etc, you are going to get a similar bike for the same amount of money. In general, your buddies harping on disc brakes probably don't bike that much and want to sound cool since disc brakes are at this point still "new" to the mtb world (at least, to someone that hasn't been bike shopping in the past 2-3 years).

You don't need disc brakes, but virtually every bike made now that is worth it's weight will have them.

How much are you looking to spend, how much riding are you looking to do.

Quote :

"I'm not looking to get more into mountain biking and trail riding"

You didn't mean to put the "not" in there, right?

Figure to spend 700-800 on a solid quality hardtail, and probably 1100ish on a solid quality fully suspended. You can get bikes cheaper, and if you think you are only going to ride the thing once every other week or so, and not too hard, then this would be an option. I'd also scour craigslist thoroughly as you can get some really nice bikes with a minimal amount of use for a lot less money (standard bikes from shops are plentiful, so they seem to depreciate quickly just like a car does when you drive it off the lot).


^^ I see a few of them in my rides. The S32 is nice. But I guess the brand just hasn't gained in popularity yet. It seems the stores around here push either Specialized or Trek for the road people, or insideout pushes Cervelo for their tri folks.

7/4/2007 10:57:23 AM

^Yes I didn't mean to put the "not" into it.

7-800 is a lot for a starter bike. I had sticker shock from the Cannondale F7 for $479. I would like to keep price range at or below $500. I search Craigslist last night but didn't find much in my area. I'm not really looking for a bike that will not lose value. I don't care if it's value drops from $500 to $50 after I walk it out of store. As long as it will get me around the trials and I can have fun with it, I don't expect the need to sell it. Also, I don't want a full suspension.

Doing research on these things is almost rocket science. Just knowing what brands to look at is almost impossible. Thanks for the list you gave.

7/4/2007 11:18:53 AM

Well, that is why I am asking how much riding you intend to do. Would you rather spend $400 now, ride it pretty hard for the next year, and have to drop another $2-300 in it when all your components are worn, or spend that money now and have a bike that is going to last 2-3 years of pretty heavy riding provided you keep the drive train clean and oiled?

If you aren't going to be really hammering it hard on the single track, then a sub $500 bike will last a few years without too many headaches.

Ok, I'll start talking specs. In the MTB land, your drivetrain choices were Shimano in different flavors. It used to be you had the choice of Deore, XT, and XTR. The Deore stuff was good, and XT and XTR would be if you were pretty serious about the biking. In the past year or so, shimano has been capitalizing on their name and offering levels even lower than Deore, which are generally kinda shitty. Recently, SRAM has started offering component groups, and their offerings are where Shimano used to be. That is, all the SRAM offerings (X.5, X.7 and up) are good. Marzocchi has followed a similar sort of trend in regards to their forks. They have some really good top end forks, but their lower end ones aren't so great (smaller stansions, generally cheaper parts).

So lets look at some bikes. I'm using performancebike and Iron Horse bikes as an example, just because it is easy to search and compare.

This is a lower end Iron Horse hardtail for $350. I wouldn't go any cheaper than this if I were you.
http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=23356&subcategory_ID=3050
Look at the specs.

Quote :

"Crankset: FSA Dyna Drive, 42/32/22T Alloy Bottom Bracket: FSA Power Drive Brakes: Hayes MX4 Mechanical Disc w/ 6” rotor Wheelset: Hubs: Alloy, QR 32H; Rims: WTB MTX 2.4 Disc Chain: KMC Z-72 Fork: Marzocchi MZ Comp, 100mm travel Handlebar: MTB Aluminum Riserbar, 620mm wide, 30mm rise, 25.4mm clamp diameter Rear Shock: NA Tires: Ninja 26” x 2.10" Front Derailleur: Shimano FD-C050 Rear Derailleur: Shimano RD-M410 Shifters: Shimano STM405 Cassette: SRAM PG-830, 11-34T, 8-speed Levers: Tektro RS360A"

Generic Marzocchi fork, kinda crappy (probably the lowest end Hayes, I'm not sure) disc brakes, and front and rear derailleur with the Shimano name, but wtf is FD and RD? It isn't Deore/XT/XTR, thats for sure. The crank and bottom bracket are generic FSA brand. In general, this bike will work ok, but the front fork isn't going to be plush, the drive train isn't going to be crisp, and if you are carrying any weight at all (200+) you'll be risking breaking the stuff much sooner.

Ok, next step up
http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=23881&subcategory_ID=3050
$500 bucks, what do you get

Quote :

"Crankset: FSA Dyna Drive, 42/32/22T Steel Bottom Bracket: FSA Power Drive, 73mm Wheelset: Hubs: Alloy Disc, 32H; Rim: WTB SX-24 w/ eyelets Fork: Marzocchi MZ Comp, 100mm travel Grips/Tape: NA Rear Shock: NA Stem: Ritchey V2 Levers: Shimano Alivio Rear Derailleur: Shimano Deore Brakes: Shimano Deore Mechanical Disc w/ 6” rotor Shifters: Shimano Deore Rapidfire Front Derailleur: Shimano Deore, 34.9mm clamp"

Hey, look at that. Deore stuff. Much better than the other no-name Shimano stuff from the other bike. Also, you get a better brake than on the other bike. Still the same generic fork and crank, though.

Ok, next step

http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=23358&subcategory_ID=3050
For $550 (on sale)

Quote :

"Brakes: Avid BB-5 w/ 160mm rotor Levers: Avid FR-5 Frame: Double Butted Aluminum Hardtail Bottom Bracket: FSA Crankset: FSA Gamma, 42/32/22T Alloy Seatpost: FSA SL-280 Stem: FSA ST-OS-190LX Handlebar: FSA XC-282A-OS, 18mm rise Wheelset: Hubs: Alloy Disc, 32H; Rim: WTB SX-24, 32H w/ eyelets Chain: KMC HG-73 Fork: Marzocchi Race, 100mm travel Rear Shock: NA Pedals: Shimano M505 Clipless Cassette: SRAM PG-950, 11/34T, 9-speed Shifters: SRAM SX5 Triggers Rear Derailleur: SRAM X.7 Front Derailleur: SRAM X.7, low clamp"

Hey, check that out. Now we are getting into SRAM X.7 parts (which, If my memory is right is kinda in between Deore/XT in regards to quality). And you now get a better fork, you also get a better crankset, and you also get Avid BB-5s, which are better brakes than the first 2 for sure. It also comes with the clipless pedals, which are a $50 addition when you get ready for them (the bike shop will probably throw in platforms for you for free). And since this bike is on sale for $550, it's actually quite a snag at this price point. I'd expect this bike to be in the $700 range normally (retail list at $900).


This bike will last you 3 of some hard core riding no problem, and longer if you take good care of it. The first one, hmm. I'd honestly expect you to start having trouble with it after the first year.

Don't skimp if you can help it. What is another couple hundred dollars for a much nicer bike, less headaches, and your health?

[Edited on July 4, 2007 at 11:46 AM. Reason : x]

7/4/2007 11:43:56 AM

^Thanks for all the input. I'm in Charlotte and there is a Performance Cycle shop down here. I'll have to stop by there this weekend.

Now this might be a dumb question but say I started out on the cheaper bike you listed, could it be upgraded later to improve certain aspects? or is this just complete bonehead type move?

Also, I'm about 5' 9" about 210lbs. I have short legs and a long torso. How do you determine what size frame you need? This is probably the reason why I want to purchase from a store. I know the local shop I visited told me that when I got ready to purchase they would put me on several bikes and make sure everything worked for me. I got the feeling they were going to tailor the bike to my body sorta like getting a custom set of golf clubs.

7/4/2007 12:06:42 PM

If this will be your first "real" bike purchase, I would definitely purchase from a local shop as opposed to online. If you pick one up online, you generally have to put it together yourself (it's relatively easy but the adjustments and cabling can be a pain in the ass if you don't know what you're doing). Local shops will usually include a year long or so service period for maintenance on the bike as well.

In regards to improvements, you can replace damn near every component on a frame if you wanted to. The frame on cheaper bikes is usually pretty poor though and there's a good chance you'll end up spending more to improve than if you just purchased an equivalent bike to start.

When you head to a shop they should give you an idea of what to look for in frame size/geometry. Make sure to try out several different brands/bikes to see how the ride feels, there isn't really a generic way to select geometry.

PS: Make sure you wear a helmet on the trail, they closed down one of my favorite CA trails because some idiot without a helmet cracked his head open.

[Edited on July 4, 2007 at 12:40 PM. Reason : Bah]

7/4/2007 12:30:27 PM

i just bought my first bike since i was a kid, specialized rockhopper from all star bikes behind meredith, $689 plus 2 yr warranty

7/4/2007 12:59:34 PM

Quote :

"Now this might be a dumb question but say I started out on the cheaper bike you listed, could it be upgraded later to improve certain aspects? or is this just complete bonehead type move?"

Indeed, as mentioned, and if you are really strapped for cash, this might not be a bad option to get started mountain biking. Generally, it's still a bit of a pain and cost prohibitive to try and upgrade entry level stuff. Not only are you paying markup on the components separately, but then you are paying the mechanic 35-40hr to install your parts for you. So, usually, if you are thinking it's time to upgrade, you end up stretching your current bike a year longer, selling it for what you can get, then just buying a new one with the parts you want already.

Quote :

"Also, I'm about 5' 9" about 210lbs. I have short legs and a long torso. How do you determine what size frame you need? This is probably the reason why I want to purchase from a store. I know the local shop I visited told me that when I got ready to purchase they would put me on several bikes and make sure everything worked for me. I got the feeling they were going to tailor the bike to my body sorta like getting a custom set of golf clubs."

Yea, this is definitely a pro for going with a store. At 5'9", you're looking at a medium or a ~17" in most any bike frame. A MTB fit isn't as crucial as a road fit, because you are standing up more and shifting around more, but it is important to get it pretty close.

[Edited on July 4, 2007 at 1:19 PM. Reason : x]

7/4/2007 1:17:59 PM

Quote :

"PS: Make sure you wear a helmet on the trail, they closed down one of my favorite CA trails because some idiot without a helmet cracked his head open."

No worries there. I'm a very safety conscience type of guy. My brain will always be covered.

Quote :

"Indeed, as mentioned, and if you are really strapped for cash"

I'm not really "strapped" but can't get my head wrapped around the idea of buying a $6-800 bike to go tear up in the woods.

Quote :

"A MTB fit isn't as crucial as a road fit"

Just as long as I have enough crotch room. I'd really like to have kids in the future.

7/4/2007 4:26:27 PM

^If you're seriously looking to get into trail riding, it's going to be in your best interest to have a more moderately priced bike....and yes, $6-800 is about the median to start with. The cheaper the components are the worse the ride is going to be(drivetrain especially). If you just want to hit the woods for a bit every now and again, something like that first Iron Horse would be fine; but if you actually ride several times a week that bike probably won't work for you. A cheap drivetrain will have you wanting to murder somebody after a day's ride.

Haha, they actually have padded shorts to reduce the testicular manslaughter on long rides.

[Edited on July 4, 2007 at 7:04 PM. Reason : *Testicular manslaughter]

7/4/2007 7:01:58 PM

I just wanted to give everyone a heads up. Happy Fun Racing is hosting their annual Huck-A-Buck on July 15th at Crabtree County Park. It's a lot of fun and geared toward those people who haven't raced before. You just go up there the day of the race, sign up, race, then drink beer. It really is a great time. I'll be there drinking beer and signing people up. I hope you can make it!

7/4/2007 7:54:21 PM

Im trying to decide on a good aluminum hardtail - right now its between the Felt Q920 and the Trek 6700



FELT Q920

FEATURES OVER Q720
Fork: Motion Control Air Spring & 32mm Stanchions, LX Shifters & FD, Mavic Rims, Firex 2-Piece Crank w/External BB, Maxxis Tires, Superlight Alloy Pedals

FRAME
Q Series DB 6061 Aluminum, Hydroform Top Tube, Internally & Externally Butted Tubing, Monostay Design, Semi-Integrated HT, 3D Forged Dropouts

FORK
RockShox Tora 318 Air Motion Control Damping w/Lockout, 130/100/80mm All-Travel Adjust, 32mm Cr-Mo Stanchions, Rebound Adjust

DRIVETRAIN
Shimano Deore XT Rear Derailleur, Deore LX Rapid Fire Shifters & Front Derailleur, HG-50 Cassette

WHEELSET
Mavic XC-117 Double-Wall Rims, Shimano RM65 Centerlock Hubs, Stainless Steel 15G Spokes

COMPONENTS
Truvativ Firex 3.1 2-Piece Crank w/External BB, Sram Chain, Deore Hydraulic Disc Brakes 180mm FT/160mm RR Rotors, Maxxis Ignitor 2.1 Folding Kevlar Tires, Cold-Forged +CNC Stem

MSRP
$1,249


vs.



Trek 6700

Front Suspension RockShox Tora 318 Air w/postive air pressure, Motion Control, rebound, compression, lockout, 100mm
Wheels
Wheels Shimano M525 disc hubs; Bontrager Ranger rims
Tires Bontrager Jones ACX, 26x2.1", 60 tpi, folding
Drivetrain
Shifters SRAM X-7, 9 speed
Front Derailleur Shimano Deore
Rear Derailleur SRAM X-9
Crank Bontrager Race 44/32/22
Cassette SRAM PG950 11-34, 9 speed
Pedals Shimano 505, clipless
Components
Saddle Bontrager Race Basic Lux
Seat Post Bontrager Select
Handlebars Bontrager Select, 25mm rise, 31.8mm
Stem Bontrager Select, 7 degree, 31.8mm
Headset Aheadset Slimstak w/cartridge bearings, sealed, alloy
Brakeset Avid Juicy 3, hydraulic disc, 6" rotors

MSRP
$1099


Any opinions?

7/5/2007 2:29:44 PM

My wife and I each bought Trek 3700's last year. Definitely entry level, at $300, with the sub-deore shimano 21 speed drivetrain. For riding trails around Raleigh, there's really nothing wrong with them. I'll second the point that most of the components arent worth upgrading - I could buy a whole new bike for the cost of upgrading to a 9speed rear. Budget ~$150 for clipless pedals and shoes, I think they make a big difference.

7/6/2007 7:40:30 AM

does anyone know if Performance Bike charges to assemble a bike bought off of their website? They were out of stock of the bike I want but they were so busy so I didn't get to ask them if they charge.

7/6/2007 11:21:04 PM

[no]

7/7/2007 9:15:12 AM

^Yeah, if you buy it through them there shouldn't be any charge.

Actually if you buy it off the site and have it delivered to your house, I'm not sure. If it gets shipped to the store, there shouldn't be a charge.

[Edited on July 7, 2007 at 12:49 PM. Reason : *]

7/7/2007 12:46:29 PM

^you are correct.

There is no charge as long as the bike is purchased in store via their red phones.

Reason I asked is the bike I want is $100 less online vs in their on store. Price match like whoa.

[Edited on July 7, 2007 at 3:25 PM. Reason : posted by Clevelander]

7/7/2007 3:24:58 PM

spending $700+ on a noobs first bike is retarded.

yes, Chance can look back from his current triathlon/road biking/mountain biking/Endurance Magazine reading life and say, yeh a $400 4 years ago wouldnt be cutting it now... dur.

Most people aren't going to do that. My gf has a perfectly nice Gary Fisher Wahoo that was only $375. A friend of mine and also my brother have bone stock base Spec Rockhoppers for $500. My other friend has some ten year old piece of shit w/ a 60mm travel fork. I used to have a Rockhopper that i liked a lot but then sold for a full suspension iron horse. its fine too. My brother's gf has even done the Advanced Loop at Harris w/ us twice ON AN OLD ASS HUFFY!

The kicker is, we all go out once a week when the weather is nice and have a shit ton of fun. Nothing breaks. *shrug*

SO MY HUMBLE OPINION is that it doesnt take much to have fun. Yeh, if you want to race and compete, spend some money, but most people don't do that.

Personally i'd recommend a lower end Gary Fisher (i like my gf's bike a lot) or Specialized. The Rockhoppers are a good bang for the buck at $500. I like the GF Wahoo at little more than the Spec Hardrock at $375. The Rockhoppers also have a very solid frame that would certainly be worth upgrading over time.

7/7/2007 6:29:43 PM

^The investment isn't necessarily for racing/competing, it's more based on the amount and type of riding you will be doing. I have an incredibly heavy base model bike that I ride 3-4 times a week to get back in to shape after winter and I have to constantly fidget with it to keep it moving. Like I said above, if you're only riding once or twice a week the low end models are fine, however, 4+times a week will generally wear the hell out of an entry level bike pretty quick.

That being said, the new '07 Rockhoppers are actually really nice. I ended up buying one to replace my busted Stumpjumper and haven't been able to find any faults with it so far(aside from the plastic pedals). The frame seems to ride much more like a Stumpjumper than previous models so they may have changed the geometry as well.

Quote :

"My brother's gf has even done the Advanced Loop at Harris w/ us twice ON AN OLD ASS HUFFY!"

Haha, that's awesome.

[Edited on July 7, 2007 at 7:31 PM. Reason : freakin' grammar]

7/7/2007 7:31:16 PM

Quote :

"yes, Chance can look back from his current triathlon/road biking/mountain biking/Endurance Magazine reading life and say, yeh a $400 4 years ago wouldnt be cutting it now... dur."

My first real MTB purchase was an $850 previous year Giant Rainier that I snagged for $675 from Performance. My last bike before that was a rigid Huffy, over 15 years ago. What got me into biking was riding my buddies Giant Rincon ($300 from Performance), and I could tell after about 4 rides of it was lacking in component department. The shifting wasn't precise at all, the suspension was pathetic, etc. Hell man, you even set to putting money into your bike after how many rides, 10?

The guy has yet to tell us how serious he is going to be about biking. But if you're going to spend $500 on a bike, it's probably worth it to go ahead up into the entry level sweet spot, unless you are mechanically apt enough to do like you did and start swapping parts (and then buying an FS anyway).

7/7/2007 9:08:11 PM

I ended up getting an Ironhorse Maverick 5.5 that was $350 at performance. Starting out, I don't see myself hitting trails 4 times a week. I know my schedule and it won't allow it. Plus the main reason, I'm doing this is for the cardio. I can't stand running around a track, treadmill or stationary bike. I figure I might hit the trail twice max during the work week and once on the weekend. If I need to change the rear derailers, shifters, etc, it will be later on. One guy there told me he has a similar bike he's rode since 2005 and hasn't broke anything on it.

I rode around the parking lot for a bit to get adjusted to the shifters and brakes then hit a trail at Renaissance Park in Charlotte today. The bike did really well. The rider not so well due to the heat and humidity. All in all I'm happy with the bike right now. Maybe in a few months, I'll be wishing for a better fork but then again I might ride this thing for a year or two.

Quote :

"SO MY HUMBLE OPINION is that it doesnt take much to have fun."

That's my current opinion. A couple months from now I may have a different opinion. Oh well, I'll take it as part of the learning curve.

Side question: Anybody know how to get the new rubber taste out of a camelpak?

7/7/2007 11:42:47 PM

I just got back from the mountains, we rode Tsali just outside of Bryson City. It was incredible!

7/8/2007 3:01:22 PM

I HATE YOU

I have ridden Tsali twice, once when I just getting into biking and was in zero shape and could only do like 6 miles of it. The next time I was in mildly better shape and managed to get in the Right and Thompson loops. Then my bike was stolen (a hardtail). Since then (1.5 years), I have acquired a much much better fully suspended and i have yet to get out there to ride it at Tsali yet.

7/8/2007 3:03:53 PM