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getting a new bike
NB: Originally posted elsewhere on the Global Riders Network and appears via syndication.
hi guys, i am new to the mountain bike scene i am 43 and about to retire from racing motorcross due to injuries. i am looking at mountain bike riding as a new passtime for me and my11yr old son but i know nothing about what to buy.is a hardtail bike good enough and what brand i am on a budget and tossing up between gt,specialised and giant. any advise would be appreciated greatly
Cheers,Maddo
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You will get a lot more bang for your buck with a Giant, especially 2nd hand. Just dont get anything older than a couple of years.
I'd suggest dual suspension, unless you want to be a zippy racer, or only want to cruise fire trails. Coming from a moto x background, I assume you will want to be launching gaps and drops and hardtails are not very forgiving on the bones. That said however, a hardtail is a good starting rig, but IMO you will outgrow its capabilities and will soon want something a bit more plush.
In the end how much you have to spend will be the cruncher.
I got back into mountain biking this year after a loooooooong break since my gen 1 bike of the mid 80's. My BiL lent me his hardtail and got me hooked! Though it was pretty apparent that if I wanted to ride anything rough then a dual sus was the way to go. Very happy with the bike I got.
I was looking at buying new for >$2.5k, but decided on a 2nd hand bike from ebay for $1k. As with most sporting things the most important thing about choosing a bike is the fit. No point snapping up a bargain if it's the wrong size bike. Look out for reputable brands and I'm guessing you've got enough mechanical nous from motox to tell if something's shagged. Components can be upgraded as you go, too, so they need not be a deal breaker.
Either way you'll have a hoot.
It has been asked before on a number of occasions about bikes when you are starting out. I don't think you mentioned a budget, so I will assume a $1000. For that price the difference in the components for the brands you mentioned is low.
Personally I would go a hardtail, I don't see why everyone suggests full sus bikes for first bikes, there is a lot to learn from riding a hardtail like picking lines, learning to absorb impacts through your body, making sure you land correct if your hitting small drops etc. Full sussers are more forgiving but I think you miss out on learning some key skills by going for a full sus bike, people tend to blat through lines as opposed to picking them for example.
I took my XTC hardtail to the French alps and could keep up with all my mates on full sus bikes on all but the knarliest of downhills. That goes to show it isn't the bike but the rider. I have had my hardtail for about 6 years now and have only just relaxed it for a full sus bike as I want something light for 100km races etc. For the trails around Sydney a hardtail is more than adequate.
stop into the local bike shops, tell em how much you have and see which one gives you the best deal. At the budget end of the market you can debate all day re which one is better value, ie, this one has better wheels, that one has better forks, the other has better brakes. Check out which shop will give you the best deals. 2011 bikes are rolling out, you may be able to get a deal on a 2010 bike.
Look for a full susser, don;t rule out norco or Kona. They both make simple good value bikes.
Agree with refresh. I just picked up a new Argon 18 roadie with DMT shoes, Speedplay pedals and Bell helmet for less than the retail price of the bike. I save $750 all up off the shelf prices in the store.
Giant duely is the way t go & I would sugest spending 2.5k+ ,with your background in motorcross I woudnt think u'd b happy with less .
thanks logan for the tips I went to some local bike shops
here in newcastle and after lots of talking I find I am leaning towards a GIANT talon1 for me and a talon 2 for my son they seem to be good
.
A great skill when riding hard tails but line choice is far different when riding a duallie so pretty much everything you pick up by starting on a HT goes out the window when you get a dualie anyway.
Under $1500 new go Hardtail as you are getting more bang for your buck and lower end dualies just don't work or last.
Once at the $1500 Dual suspension comes into it's own and unless you're doing a lot of touring I can't see the point of spending more than that on a HT.
re recommending a dually. It's absolutely an assumption on my part for sure, i'm thinkin at 43 years of age, with a history of being active, he wants to stay active. A dually will simply have him feel fresher after rides, meaning he can recover quicker etc etc etc. I'm 38 i ride a hardtail now but at some stage I'll go back to a dually, just for the comfort longevity factor.
thanks all, i think i am leaning toward the technical side of hardtail over comfort i will be doing most of my riding in newcastle and hunter areas, i am also buy ing my son a bike and on a budget of around $2000 i am leaning towards buying GIANTS. can't wait to hit the trails without the noise of our motorbikes...
Cheers,,Maddo
cool, they put out a good reliable package. Have fun, see you on the trails,
You can always stick a card in the spokes to help you feel at home!!!!!
haha i like that but i think i can get use to the quiet. i went and checked out more bikes today now im really confused on brands but my son still likes the giant i didnt mind the avanti
This site might help or confuse even more cheers
http://www.mtbr.com/
your likely to get a better deal if you buy 2 bikes at the same shop. Retailers have greater mark up on the bikes at the "budget" end of the range.
If you and your lad get into it, it won;t be long before you will both want to upgrade to something less "budget"
Just get the one that you think is the best deal, then start saving for the next bike in a year or so.
motorbikes you can get a pair of decent mountain bikes if you & the lad u can get the best of both worlds 1 dually & 1 hardtail you can swap during rides
Hardtails definitely have their place. I just recently took mine out to Terrey Hills after not riding a HT on the trails for about a year, and really enjoyed the experience. I was even thinking of taking it to Parkes with me to do the Back Yamma Bigfoot, but ended up going the default option with the dually.
Being a flat and non-technical course, a HT was definitely competitive and most of the really quick-looking riders that lined up next to me at the start line were on them.
In the end though I was glad to be on the dually. I doubt my lower back would have finished the race at the pace I found myself doing if I'd been on a HT. But I pilot a desk all day, so my core and lower back strength is not what it could be and definitely isn't what it needs to be if I'm going to contemplate longer events.
If you're a moto rider you probably already have good core strength, but if comfort on the longer rides is a factor for you, duallies are worth the extra money.
Doesn't matter what the course is - the pros will always ride a hard tail because they are mental!
haha, yes!
I stand corrected.