Mountain Bike Recommendations?

i have found that different bike brands ride differently, like different brands of car. you might want to "test drive" them the same way if you can find a shop that will let you.

my personal preference is diamondback. i loved my response in college... it had thousands of trail miles on it when i replaced it with an 04 response sport. graduation gift to self from self

that's a little above the price range you're looking for, but that's what i know. keep an eye out for a trail bike type, they'll be cheaper than the hardcore mountain bikes. and the tires won't have as much resistance- you need enough grip to keep your wheels from spinning if you go uphill but not the same as you need flying down a steep incline!

good luck... i miss trail biking like i'd miss my left arm. not as much as the right but life is different without it. it's just too hot down here for me.

 

I've had many road and MTB's. Yes, Trek are always good, but for $200 your options are not looking good. I recently purchased a new MTB for my wife from http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/mountain_bikes.htm
I spent $399 and got a beautifully outfitted Windsor with nice components etc. - I like it better than my $1,000 Trek, also, they don't charge shipping and the product comes fast. I just looked on the site and there is a Motobecane for $269 that looks perfect for what you need. Avoid Target, and dept. store bikes, they are junk and will cause you more frustration then you want.

 

Whoever stole my mountain bike did me a favor, every time I rode it I hurt myself. That was a while ago so I'm not up on the market, but $200 is going to get you either the bottom of some name brand or a no name store brand. Doesn't matter too much as they were probably built in the same factory. But do it anyway or look around for a used bike. Your first bike is a write-off. You'll either not like biking and let it gather dust in the garage or you'll like biking and want something better. Having ridden the bottom of the line, you'll know what it can't do and what you want your new bike to do.

Let me put in a word for your local bike shop. Although you'll pay more, it is an opportunity to maximize the most important variable to your enjoyment: fit. A knowledgeable bike shop employee (not a given, so shop around) will know how to fit you and let you test ride it. At $200, they're not going to spend a lot of time on you, but they should provide free adjustments after a week or so. And a $200 bike will go out of adjustment. Also, if you by the helmets, gloves, spare tubes, etc they'll like you a lot more as the soft goods have the biggest markups.

 

$200 and mountain bikes are two mutually exclusive concepts...

For $200, you are going to get something made of steel that weighs a ton and looks like a mountain bike. However, one quick trip off-pavement and you will figure out that you just wasted your money.

Spend $400 or so and get a Raleigh, which makes great bikes that offer a lot of bang for your buck. Compared to Trek, Specialized or Canondale, you will get a lot better components on a Raleigh for the same price.

 

Well, I was going to wax poetically about the virtues of hardtails and softails, disc brakes, and...until I saw the $200. Do you have any used sporting goods stores near you? Given that you want to ride on roads and trails, I'd suggest a...hybrid.

 

hmmmmmm i've never even looked on amazon for bikes..... do they sell bikes?

i'm a specialized fan.... all four of my bikes are specialized... they do have lower end hard tail mountain bikes... you REALLY are better off buying a cheaper bike from a bike shop than buying a cheap piece of crap from... say walmart... kmart... uhm.... amazon!

my first mountain bike was only $300 and it worked GREAT for me! (specialized hardrock) i've since graduated to a fully stumpjumper that costs 10 times my original bike.... HOWEVER..... i had just as much fun on the cheaper (and WELL MADE) bike that i have on the more expensive one! i never had to worry about it falling apart or being put together poorly (something you do have to worry about when you buy from a non-bike shop!)

trek also has some less expensive bikes....

check ebay for used bikes... and i think craig's list is popular too!

if you lived closer i'd sell you my hardrock for nichole if it were the right size... but it's too heavy to ship that far to make it an economical choice!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RonH @ Jul 10 2007, 03:44 PM) [snapback]476422[/snapback]</div>

I second the local bike shop idea. Just take a test drive on a nicely equipped well built bike to at least understand what you're giving up at the $200 price point. Test drive bikes in your price range too of course. Some models will offer different trade offs that are more relevant to you. I recently purchased a Specialized Sirrus Sport and really had a fun time just test driving different models. You might also consider buying used. If you're near a larger city, you might find a deal on craigslist or something. Some really good bikes end up gathering dust in someones garage then are sold when the purchaser just throws in the towel. There are many excellent brands such as Trek and Specialized. Some other excellent brands are Giant, Kona and Gary Fisher. The other thing a test drive will tell you is maybe a mountain bike is not exactly for you. They can be quite a tank on the road. Manufacturers these days are making so many different types of models that you can almost personalize your bike for the exact type of riding you plan to do.

 

How much do you want to spend? How much biking have you done and how much are you planning on doing? Are you going to do a lot of single track biking? $1000 should get you a decent new dual suspension but prices can run up into the 3-4 thousands. You can cjeck out mtbr.com and their review section. I have gary fisher sugar that I got 4 years ago on ebay. I love it, but I recently go a giant anthem 3 for my wife. That bike is even better than the one I have and i was able to get it for her for $1200.

 

The first one seems like the better deal to me.

 

I have a Trek and love it. It wasn't too expensive and it's light enough that I could hoist it on my shoulder and carry it. It's the only mountain bike I've owned, however. Right now it's been sitting in my garage as I'm afraid to ride it. Having a van run you over will do that to you. Which leads me to..............

As much as you're looking into the right bike for your needs, make sure to pay as much attention to buying a properly fitted helmet. Don't feel too secure that you'll only be taking designated bike trails as tons of accidents occur here too. You'll find a lot of people don't exactly pay attention to the right of way. I can't tell you how many people I see biking and roller blading with their helmets sitting all the way up on their forehead. Make sure you go somewhere where they'll fit you right and provide you with proper positioning.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Danny @ Jul 11 2007, 07:54 AM) [snapback]476797[/snapback]</div>

If you know something about bikes, Craigs List etc. is a good way to go. Since you don't - I wouldn't recommend it since you won't have a good idea of what you are purchasing and whether it is a good value. Also, you'll likely jump on a "deal" that may not fit well or suit your needs. Then it WILL sit in the garage and gather dust and you'll be putting it back on Craig's list in 2 years.

I would definitely go the bike shop route. Don't be afraid - about 5 years ago I found a decent beginner bike for my sister in law at a shop for around $250. Good deals can be had through local shops. Ask around in your area.

You should forgo the shock, the disc brakes etc. (if even offered) since these will be cheap, cheap, cheap on a bike at this price and will only lower the quality of the remaining components.

A bike shop will also let you try out a bunch of bikes to see what fits/feels best and many shops will also offer lifetime tune-ups. Go with one that does, if you can.

Try looking at last years models if possible as this will save you some $.

I don't know that Mongoose is a great brand, but at the price I wouldn't stress too much over brand. The more important thing will be weight - many inexpensive bikes get very heavy - weight you've got to haul every mile. In particular, they may be steel / Chromoly frames that can be heavy. Aluminum is lighter but may not be possible at the price. Never-the-less - compare the weight on the different bikes and don't get stuck with a super heavy frame. Also, inexpensive bikes often have heavy, cheap, steel rims. Rotating weight is worse than static weight, so heavy rims in particular will make your ride less "easy".

The other important thing is the component grouping. Each brand (Shimano, Grip-shift, etc.) have varying classes of components. Ask the sales rep the component level - particularly on the front / rear dérailleurs. Try to get at least a step or two up from the bottom.

Also, since it sound like you will be riding on and off-road, you should NOT get super knobby tires. You will not like riding that sort of tire on the road. I have three mountain bikes and one that I ride frequently on pavement is outfitted with much less aggressive tires. Ask the shop if they would consider swapping them out for you. You should be able to find something that works adequately on fire-roads / dirt trails but won't totally bog you down on the road. This is very important to consider for a beginner.

Lastly, make sure the seat is comfortable. They also make men and women specific seats. You could see if your shop can swap your saddle or put a nicer one on for a small upgrade charge. My local shop often has decent seats that have been swapped out on higher end bikes. They'll sell these for as little as $20. This is well worth it since the whole point of buying the bike is to use it and if it is not comfortable, you won't.

I cannot recommend strongly enough that you avoid mail order / online / Craigs list for your first bike. Even though you are not spending much, any good bike shop should take care of you since you may be back in a year to buy a $2000 bike. And many shops will handle all of the above that you could never get from an online "deal".

REI is also an option - but they will not do lifetime tune-ups.

Here is a $350 bike that looks reasonable. I have found Marin's to generally be very lightweight - though at this price, no guarantee.

PS - ensure that the bike comes with "quick" releases on the front and rear wheels - or pay extra to add them - if you want to carry them in your Prius. I find that I can get 2 mtn bikes in my Prius with seats down and both front and rear wheels removed.

 

Great!

But damn.... I didn't even get to weigh in with my sage comments. I'll pretend like you didn't buy them yet and answer anyway!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RonH @ Jul 10 2007, 03:44 PM) [snapback]476422[/snapback]</div>

While I do understand this reasoning, I have a different take. At some point, the equipment gets in the way of enjoyment - and when you don't know that the good stuff is better, you tend to assume that the sport sucks if the equipment you are using isn't keeping up. It has to be high enough quality where you can enjoy using it, and even aspire to use its full potential.

Around here it is the opposite. Last year I spent $6,000 on bikes. I could barely get the time of day at any of the my five local shops. Who gets the attention? The students that come in and buy a $200 bike with a basket and kick stand. They don't ask questions, and the shop can sell those all day long. I ask questions and expect somebody to know more than I do before plunking down the big bucks. They aren't so happy with me, and I ended up spending VERY little of that money locally - though I gave it a hell of a try!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(SSimon @ Jul 11 2007, 08:53 AM) [snapback]476847[/snapback]</div>

I totally agree! Most folks figure that if they have a cheap bike, then they shouldn't spend too much on a helmet either. What's the point? They aren't "serious" riders, right? Yikes. Well, I typically spend more on my helmets than the price range for your whole bike here!

And yes, I know I sound like a bike snob... and I've tried REALLY hard to stay low-key here. And likely failed. Please consider that bikes aren't a diversion for me. They are my main form of transportation.

All that said, I think that Giant is a very good brand at this price level. And I'm glad you've already been enjoying them.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Danny @ Jul 21 2007, 08:43 PM) [snapback]483034[/snapback]</div>

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Danny @ Jul 21 2007, 10:43 PM) [snapback]483034[/snapback]</div>

The very bike I bought my kid when he went off to college. Coincidentally, he called the other day and wondered if I had any spare bikes he could have. When I asked about the Giant, he said, "Oh, that got stolen a long time ago." So it may be a low end Giant, but its good enough to steal!

Incidentally, don't overlook the benefits of adding or replacing parts to your bike. Since your a Prius owner, I'll assume you have an above average case of techno-lust. Owning a bike provides a great outlet for that disease. Nothing reawakens your enjoyment of riding your bike like a new shifter or set of wheels. Large doses of placebo effect are guaranteed, also. (Uh-oh)

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RonH @ 2007 July 26 08:23 AM) [snapback]485422[/snapback]</div>

Less weight and more shiny are never placebo. Shame on you.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RonH @ Jul 26 2007, 10:23 AM) [snapback]485422[/snapback]</div>

Sounds like someone didn't lock their bike. When I was a college I used two U-locks. One looping around the bike rack, frame, and front wheel; one that looped around the frame and rear wheel. My seat went with me or got a secured with a cable lock that was attached to one of the other U-locks. If you want to keep your stuff you have to protect it. I hope you made him buy his own replacement bike.