I'm looking to buy a "decent" mountain bike - currently I mostly ride to work and back and some trails here in there but nothing too hard core. I'd like stay under 500 bucks. People keep telling me I "need" full suspension, but I think I'd rather get a better bike with front suspension only than a cheap full suspension bike. I'm looking at things like this on craigslist...any opinions on these two bikes?
Specialized Rockhopper
DiamondBack Recoil
The specialized looks like a better bike to me. I don't think I need full suspension but if I start riding more technical trails will I regret getting front only? My current bike is a cheap Trek with no suspension, so anything is an upgrade obviously.
I've been riding Mountan Bike for decades.
I used to do some competeive racing....still do...just no downhill anymore.
Given that your in Colorado I can see were people would suggest a full suspension.
Full suspension bikes are for highly technical, large obstacles and down hill. A bike that is only front suspension will always be faster on single track and on the road.
The bikes primary use should dictate what you buy. If your commuting then the front suspension only is going to perform better.....plus you'll appreciate the lighter weight.
The correct answer is.......Multiple bikes ! I currently own 4......Started the year with 5.
I have my a commuter.....GT ZUM
My MTB........GT Avalanche 1.0
A road Bike.....Cannondale 6 13
and A Century Bike (touring)....Schwinn Fastback Comp
Sold a Quintana Roo Seduza Tri Bike and I'm not sure what I want to replace it with.
Here's a good link with my Biased removed
MTA: Hardtail vs Full suspension
Either Bike your looking at is an entry level. I don't think you would notice much of a difference between either on the trails. My preference has always been Hardatail (Front Suspension only). The Specialized looks like a pretty good deal to me.
The other debate is 29's ?
rectumdamnnearkilledem
Hubby loves his (It's a Cannondale Caffeine). I have 0 interest in mountain biking, but Slo's not kidding about the multiple bike thing...DH has too many. I essentially have just my road, but really wish I had a cyclocross bike, now. We have a LOT of chip-sealed and pot-holed roads, as well as unpaved ones (as well as something I could ride when there's a bit of snow and slush on the roads). I'm also thinking that I'd like to do a few races here and there.
Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to
remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.
~ Sarah Kay
The correct answer is.......Multiple bikes ! I currently own 4......Started the year with 5. I have my a commuter.....GT ZUM My MTB........GT Avalanche 1.0 A road Bike.....Cannondale 6 13 and A Century Bike (touring)....Schwinn Fastback Comp Sold a Quintana Roo Seduza Tri Bike and I'm not sure what I want to replace it with. Here's a good link with my Biased removed MTA: Hardtail vs Full suspension Either Bike your looking at is an entry level. I don't think you would notice much of a difference between either on the trails. My preference has always been Hardatail (Front Suspension only). The Specialized looks like a pretty good deal to me. The other debate is 29's ?
After reading your article it looks like a hardtail is the way to go for me. I don't need full suspension yet. If I keep riding and progress to more technical trails I can upgrade later. As far as the 29er, I have never ridden one. I may go by a local bike shop and try one out. From what I've read it sounds like acceleration is slower which I definitely wouldn't want for commuting, since there is quite a bit of stop and go at intersections. This area is very hilly though, whether I'm on trails or my commute...barely any flat ground, so maybe they are better for climbing? I'll have to read up on them more.
When you consider that there really was no such think as a mountain bike up until the mid 1980's you can expect that there will be several modifications.
The one thing about the hardtail is that it will always remain the most versatile. Maybe not the best pick at the moment but it will always carry you thru the trail, the switchback, the rock hop, verticle drop and down the pavement. I've ridden the piss out of mine.
I've only got three bikes (and want more). A road, hardtail, and commuter road. The commuter is my older Cannondale road bike. Not sure about the the new Cannondales, but mine was horrible on my back for anything longer than 30 miles. I replaced it with custom lugged steel which is so versatile and comfortable it even handles pavé with no problem. We've got a block of it near my work in Boston and I love to blast down it so I can be George Hincapie, a block at a time. Yeah, it's a little heavy but so am I.
I wound up buying a 2011 Trek 4300 with hydro disc brakes. The store had just received it...can't find any pictures of it online yet even on the Trek site. I just bought it today so I haven't ridden it yet, but it's a pretty sweet looking bike and has decent components. I was torn between either the Felt Q520, Trek 3900, or Fuji Nevada but spent a little extra and went with this one. I'm not sure about the brakes, but the guys at the bike shop seemed to love this bike, so what the hell.
Professional Noob
Fun! I don't know a thing about mountain bikes, but there's nothing like a new bike to go play with...
So, have you ridden it yet?
Roads were made for journeys...
Fun! I don't know a thing about mountain bikes, but there's nothing like a new bike to go play with... So, have you ridden it yet?
Just around the neighborhood when I got home tonight to play with the shifters etc. I'm riding it to work tomorrow and will hit some trails this weekend. I guess this is still an "entry level" bike but it's a big upgrade from my 1998 model Trek 800 with no suspension.
Beautiful! I can't wait to hear about all of the happy miles you log with that. Does it have a name, yet?
7.5 miles to work this morning...all pavement though. Huh, do bikes get a name? I never thought about it - my family always names cars after the salesman. I'm not sure where that tradition came from. Sometimes that works out but sometimes it's not so good. My current car is "Allen." And my wife's volvo wagon would be "Ken" - doesn't really fit.
We name our cars, too. My last one was Grimace (since it was a purple/blue color like the McDonald's character), my current car is Dash (after the zippy guy in The Incredibles). Hubby's car is Pearl, since it's white and kinda old-ladyish. His car before that was Wild Zeke...since his first license plate had ZK in the random string of letters and numbers.