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New Bike? 2nd Hand Bike?
Hi
I am a beginner MTBiker.
I have only done a small amount of biking in the past as a part of the occasional mini triathlons & adventure races, so my 10 year old ladies Raleigh MTB has sufficed, same tyres for on and off road, rarely serviced, surface rust (you get the picture, but she gets me from the start to the finish just fine. Fondly named "Clunker" due to the noise she makes changing gears these days, I rather think it's time she retired as I am starting to get more into MTB, and while she's fine doing a 15km MTB, I think doing the 40km next week is really going to take it out of her. I personally want to put some road tyres on her and just use her for week day training, out with the kids etc, and get myself either a 2nd hand or new MTB (nothing too serious until I'm into it a bit more and know exactly what I want). My husband on the other hand thinks I should get a 2nd road bike for the weekday stuff and put money into giving Clunker an overhaul, new gears, breaks etc. His reasoning is the frame on her is really good. I dunno! I have no idea what I should even look for in a MTB, are they supposed to be heavy, what gear system, disc breaks???
I've included a pic of her 
A little advice would go a long way
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Hi
IMHO I wold always suggest to others to buy brand new for a beginner as you will have less to worry about anything going wrong unless you buy something from Kmart for $200 which would never suggest to anyone taking a bike off road.
I would at least be looking to spend $1000 on a bike and also the other items such as a descent helmet, shorts, gloves etc.
May seem like a lot but like with any sport, you have to start somewhere and getting secondhand usually doesn't last that long and will have to spend more in the ling term.
Thanks for that. I've already spent the bits and pieces on the shorts, gloves, good seat but didn't really think much about the helmet, I just got one to match the color of my bike
Is there a big difference with a helmet? And I definitely didn't want a KMart bike lol Will use our local bike dealer, they are terrific.
second hand for sure
I got my partner into mtb and she is now hooked !! I got a $700 second hand mens small bike dually great condition 26er that was a $3600 bike only 3 years ago if you look around there are some amazing deals especially with 26ers and small frames as they are hard to sell at the moment ... Good luck
If you have a good relationship with your local bike shop or are keen to foster such a relationship then I would suggest buying new for your first 'serious' MTB. Whatever your budget, they should have something suitable. That relationship will give you confidence to get out there and have a go with the knowledge that your LBS has your back, so to speak. As has already been mentioned, buying new should also provide some comfort that everything should just work. If not, your LBS should fix it.
You should take every opportunity to ask questions and learn as you go so the next bike (there is always a "next bike") might be 2nd hand, but much higher up the spec list for not much more money. The knowledge you will gain over time if you pay attention and carefully consider all the advice that will come your way will make you much better informed. Then you'll have the confidence to sift through ebay, Gumtree, NobMob classifieds (of course
) and wherever else and make your own decisions.
Don't spend any money on Clunker trying to make it a 'better' MTB. Allow it to retire gracefully as a commuter bike or a starter bike for someone else. Any money you spend on it would be better spent on a new MTB. If you haven't already taken another, dare I say it, 'proper' MTB for a spin then you absolutely should. Chalk and cheese between what you have now and, well, just about everything that your LBS should be showing you.
Good luck and good riding.
Regarding your question about helmets, you can spend less than $50 to over $300, but as long as it is Australian Standards approved (and any helmet sold in Australia should be, just look for the sticker) it should do at least a reasonable job. Helmets cost more for reasons such as
- weight (lighter often more $),
- comfort,
- features (detachable visors, built-in camera mounts, etc),
- riding style (cross country versus downhill, etc),
- and fashion. Yep, just like everything else sometimes you pay for the name.
I've got Limar 757 Superlight. Couple of years old now. Cost about $75 from memory, but I wasn't chasing a bargain so probably could have got it cheaper if I'd tried. It fits my head well and seems to be well made so I've been very happy with it for cross country style riding.
It is important that your helmet is comfortable as you don't want it to be a distraction while riding. There are many brands and styles and each has a different 'feel' so try on as many as you can to get an understanding of what is right for you.
It is very, very important that your helmet fits you properly. An ill-fitting helmet won't do its job properly in an accident. It will likely also be uncomfortable.
For another hobby of mine I used to go by the motto of "how much is your head worth" and purchased accordingly. However, having looked around when buying my MTB helmet and a few times since when I thought of upgrading, I reckon just south of $100 should buy a very nice skid lid.
Hi Beau
Sorry to break this to you but Clunker is not worth doing anything with other than doing an odd bit of maintainence to keep her running.
Have a look at what others are riding & get yourself a test ride to see why. You should find the difference in suspension, brakes & general off road performance a revelation.
As for new or secondhand I'd say that unless you know the bike already your best bet is new. Despite many years of bike building I've still ended up spending a few hundred $s on used bikes costing upwards of $1000.
All the best
T
Just chiming in to second the suggestions made so far. Mountain bike technology has changed enormously since Clunker was built. The improvements are dramatic. New for your first, if for no other reason than getting the shop to ensure you are sized correctly.
Discs: yes, definitely. Hydraulic.
... double post.
Many factories have started to make female bikes since at least 2 years ago. They have slightly different geometry and parts to fit women. The new design in general is easier to control. I sold one of my ex bikes to a female. She said it is much much better and could not be happier. Don't forget MTB is risky and modern bikes can smooth the trail. Go to the shop/demo day so many good women bikes there.
New or 2nd? It is really depends what is available. For 2nd hand, u need someone to go with u and give u honest advice. But new bike is for sure! Happy shopping!!!
Thank you for your great advice.
I think it's time to retire clunker to cruising with the kids. With only a week to go until the Dwellingup100, she will have one last moment of "glory" to do the 40km
And I think it is best I go for new this time, as I've looked and looked on gumtree etc. and I still can't tell the difference between a Big W cheapy Giant to an expensive Giant?? When I have more knowledge & experience I can confidently upgrade.
Thanks Again
http://flowbikes.com.au/2015Bikes/Factor.html
At around $2200 and a 27.5 wheel, and the Mondraker forward geometry, they make a female specific bike too called the Factor go which has the same spec.
If I were to try and interpret your requirements based on what you've said and the current bike I'd say you're not looking for a mid to high-end dual suspension bike. A hardtail with honest mid-level kit will let you do the events you're talking about without breaking the bank.
If you want to go new it's always worth looking at Giant as they have good bang for the buck, a couple of options below:
http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-au/bikes/model/...
http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-au/bikes/model/...
There's also some great value with people trying to move 26" stock which is no longer in demand since the arrival of 29" and 27.5" and all of the associated hype. The link below is a good example, there's a lot of good spec there for $1,450.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Orbea-Alma-H-30-26-Al...
I wouldn't be afraid of good condition second hand either, there's a lot of bikes out there that have sat in sheds for years before being sold for a lot less that was paid for them. Stick to the major brands and you're pretty safe. Feel free to post up options you find to this thread and you'll happily get a lot of experts who'll share their opinion
Kmart vs entry level giant, in short, disc brake +$150, brand name adjustable fork, +$300, better tyre +$60, slightly better gear, +200, fully assembly labor plus first time service, $200, better frame, +$200, the figure just indicative only!!!
I got my sons off road bikes new and just upgraded him to a 650b small bike as he is still onlt 142cm at the age of nearly 8 yrs old it was the last 2015 with mechanical brakes for $500.00 its more than enough bike for him till I upgrade to hydraulic brakes .
So I went in and ordered my new bike. The guy that helped me was very knowledgeable & he is right into his MTB as well, does programs for kids etc. So I was happy taking his advice. After having a ride on the ladies and the mens bikes I went for the entry level mens Giant.
http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-au/bikes/model/...
I am tallish, so the frame of the mens is still very comfy and I have to say, I much prefer the color over the ladies choice. They make the mens bikes look serious but the ladies models look like I should be adding a flower basket and streamers???!
Hopefully pick him up this week & doing my 1500km challenge should be a little easier.
https://give.everydayhero.com/au/diana-and-lara
Anyway, just wanted to thank again for all your advice
Cheers
P.S. Next step, join the local MTB club!
Read the whole thread I luv a happy ending see you out there
Great bike. Very capable and exactly what you needed
You'll be a whole different person once you start riding Roger
Time to shred!