Going to buy some mountain bikes.....

[ramjet]

However, it can do your head in trying to compare specs between manufacturers etc. Liz just had her birthday and wants a bike. I thought to myself, I'll get one as well.

So off to various bike shops we went.

Liz and I don't want to just tootle around on the roads etc near home. We want to go along trails etc, so that puts us off road bikes and onto hybrids or mountain bikes.

We also have some lovely forest around here where you can ride, which moves us further into mountain bike territory.

What are good brands to look at?

Do you go for a full suspension bike with lockouts on the suspension for when you are riding on hard surface to avoid bounce?

Do you need a full suspension bike for only moderate sort of trail riding?

All input welcome.

[tjs98jetta]

It doesn't sound as if you need a full suspension bike to me. You have to remember these are quite a bit heavier when you're going uphill. Also, cheap ones are inefficient, your effort gets soaked up by poor design and frame flex. Just a front suspension one will be enough for what you're planning. Specialized make some fine ones and they are competitively priced here, but there are many to choose from and I don't know which are sold in Australia. In general, you get what you pay for in terms of price. More expensive ones will be lighter, stiffer (ie more efficient), have better components and generally provide a better riding experience all round. This is certainly true up to about $2000 here. Much above that, things get more exotic, but very nice of course if you want to spend the cash.

Trevor

[Bibs]

I bought a cheap full suspension bike, it's truly awful!

[douglasgdmw]

Also agree that unless you are going to be going pretty extreme on the jumps then a full suspension bike will be overkill.

Don't know you budget but have a look here and see whether there is anything suitable:http://www.bikeradar...der-1000-29222/

Make sure you try them out (as people are sized differently so some bikes may not be comfortable). Also see whether you can hire one for the day and go out on the trails and get accustomed to it.

Also try and go as far up your budget as much as you can as spending a little bit extra can pay dividends in climbs (for the crank/gears/lightness) and coming downhill (in the front shocks).

Enjoy :-)

Edited November 2, 2012 by douglasgdmw

[jfitz981]

I just bought a bike about a year and half ago. I used the website www.bikesdirect.com The components on the bike are excellent compared to the total cost of the bikes offered. I went with a 29er front suspension bike...I have been beating on it since and it has not let me down...for what you are looking to do, front suspension will do just fine.

Enjoy!

[rogerch]

 

http://www.ausbike.com.au/category/exhibitors/company-keywords/learsports

 

I've had a leasport BM 3000 for about 7 years, dual suspension Shimarno everything. I've just replaced the cables, apart from handlebar grips, brake blokes and puncture repair, absolutely faultless.

[Jacques]

Don't know if you got the bikes, but I've been racing rad racing bikes since shildhood, and a few years ago got a mountain bike. Just made myself a new one. I'd say a hardtail is good enough to have fun and spare your back a bit. Fully's are heavy and slow, unless it's extreme terrain.

I build a new one on a Scott carbon frame and xx1 parts plus some carbon xentis Wheels and got it Down to 7,134 Kg. Light enough for me. The weight is fantastic to drive with and it is one fast bike. It saves you quite a lot of energy on uphills and over trees, rocks etc.

I run tubeless, and you should try it out, It's faster, and a lot lighter, plus it saves you a number of the usual pinch Punctures.

Be on top of the chaindrive with cleanliness and change oil twice per year in your front forks and you'll be good.

 

Feel free to ask away, if you have any questions. I'll try to help out.

 

Have fun,

Jacques.

[Kimbers]

Must admit was thinking of getting a cheap Mountain Bike myself, mainly to cycle to the gym so I am warmed up when I get there! But a cheap one would surely do, non?

[Bibs]

I did that and barely rode it. It was a £500 item from Halfords down to half price in their ever present MTB sales and it was a heavy, clunky PoS. Recently sold it on ebay for £87 or something close to that. 

 

Now I have a decent bike it's a real joy to ride and in fact when riding it to and from the gym I often take the longer route as it's such a pleasure. With a decent bike you could easily ride into Norwich from yours too, wouldn't take long at all and would be an enjoyable ride. 

[Jacques]

I'd say if you don't want to spend too much money at it, if you're not sure it's something for you, I'd buy a second hand good quality bike, and change chain, sprocket, cables etc. Gives you a lot for the money, and a far better bike. Many people want the latest and greatest, so they advertise their last year model for quite Little Money around this time of year. Many people do this around my Waters, since we're a bicycling nation

Once you get out on that bike, Bibs is right; you find good excuses to take a longer aay around things, really enjoying yourself. Soon you'll hit the forests, leaving the gym.   So much more satisfying than spinning indoor in a gym.

 

Cheers,

Jacques.

[cjtpb13]

I actually have in my contracts that if I am in a location for more than 36 hours they pay to have my mountain bike shipped.  I just replaced my first mountain bike I had purchased in 1990. A Specialized Rock Hopper solid frame.  It has placed many miles around the world.  It has been to Europe, the Middle East, South America, Central America, Mexico, the Caribbean, Australia, Russia, and China.  Finally got destroyed by American Airlines about a month and a half ago.

 

Now just replaced it with a full suspension bike with hydraulic disc brakes.

 

I will be finishing a design for a bike rack for the Lotus and trying it out next week. 

[Jacques]

I for sure, would like to see that!

 

Regards,

Jacques.

[cjtpb13]

So I completed my mountain bike rack for the Lotus. I ended up utilizing a Thule 599XTR bike carrier with the SeaSucker talon system and manufactured additional hardware to merge the two. This is the basis to the SeaSucker system:

This uses a vacuum cup capable of 210lbs of holding force per unit. So the front has three such units and the rear uses one to stabilize. The result is as seen below. No issues and it can be removed and stowed inside the trunk once I modify the tray by cutting in half and installing a bolt in splice to join the two. That will be completed tomorrow after I do a speed run with the bike on the car.

Will take a much better photo tomorrow as well in better light without my tools sitting on the sunroof.

[tjs98jetta]

Interesting. I had been thinking along the lines of something attached to the lower rear frame with the bike across the back of the car and behind it. Yours would be far easier to put on and take off...

Trevor

[ramjet]

Liz and I bought ourselves quite decent hardtail bikes by Specialized. Disc brakes etc and really nice to ride.

 

Agree with Bibs. Buy yourself a decent one Kimbers. A cheapie is cheap because it is cheap.

[cjtpb13]

Kimbers my father always said, " buy the best you can afford ". He also said, " never step on a pregnant alligator ". Both pieces of wisdom have served me well in life.

I do not go thrashing down a 12,000ft mountain like a friend of mine does in the Rockies. However I do a lot of woods and urban streets. Full frame suspension seems to work well in both environments.

Another look at my rack for the Esprit

[Simon350S]

Has your shocks got lockouts Chris? I've been looking at bikes but have far too many other things to soak up my cash right now!

[cjtpb13]

Simon,

Yes lockouts on both front and rear.

Hydraulic disc brakes are a blessing. Have yet to experience any brake fade and no cable stretch.

27 speeds though I am actually investigating into a 14 speed hub gear

It is taking a bit getting use to the 29" wheels. They look out of place at times. Stared at 26" wheels for almost 20 years

Comically enough the bike is taller than the Esprit.

Edited October 17, 2013 by cjtpb13

[Jacques]

That's a nice bike holder.

 

Kind regards,

Jacques.

[Liam Warnock]

Whoo !!! Fellow mountain bikers?

Here's my old rockhopper 29er and beautiful new Enduro 27.5 ?

 

 

[philcool]

Now converted to road use looks funny but rides like a pillow

[tjs98jetta]

Treated myself to a full carbon road bike last year.  It helps me to keep up with the younger guys on the faster rides.  These deep aero carbon rims with tubeless tires are good for a couple of mph above 20.  

 

[Liam Warnock]

On 08/03/2017 at 21:26, philcool said:

Now converted to road use looks funny but rides like a pillow

I ride an Enduro, that bikes supposed to be thrown down mountain ???

thats is a bit like putting slicks on a Land Rover Defender ???

[philcool]

Needless to say its back on its nobbles and my boy is throwing it down mountains he will want the s2 next   

[Liam Warnock]

On 18/03/2017 at 21:48, philcool said:

Needless to say its back on its nobbles and my boy is throwing it down mountains he will want the s2 next   

Thank goodness!!!!!!

 

i didn't want to complain but seeing an Enduro on narrow tires made me so sad ??

I almost said where is it and how much do you want for it ??

 

can we we see it on the right tires please??