Good choice for a first mountain bike?

[Pip]

Hi there
I'm looking for an entry-level mountain bike - I'll be using it mainly on dirt trails around Wellington. I'm guessing that for the money I want to spend hard tail is going to be my best bet. I doubt I'll be riding anything too technical for a while so I don't need anything too fancy in any case. Can anyone comment on whether this looks suitable? I'm around 5 foot 3 and ride a small Giant road bike.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=423866475

[zoom-zoom]

Ooh, see if you can get your hands on a '09 Cannondale F5 in their "petite" size. I scored one for half of retail, since Cannondale greatly overestimated how many they needed to make in that size. A few months back they had hundreds sitting in the warehouse. My guess is they are all gone, but it doesn't hurt to ask your nearest Cdale dealer. I think we got mine for about $375 and they normally retailed for $750. I am just under 5'4". I could probably go with a size larger, especially because I like a longer cockpit, but I'm pretty comfortable on the petite (essentially an XS).

[Pip]

Thanks for the recommendation! I'll have to go into my LBS and see what they have available. I only recently bought myself my dream road bike, so I'm being a bit cheeky looking for MTBs already! I personally want as much standover room as possible. I've been looking at 16 inch frames, and they seem about right. I'm not sure what the seller is saying in this case when she says the frame's 24?!

[laura*]

I'm not sure what the seller is saying in this case when she says the frame's 24?!

It could have 24" wheels/tires.

This confused me at one point too - I couldn't understand why people were using such large numbers to describe small bikes. Then I discovered that non-cyclists who are only familiar with one-size-fits-all X-mart bikes differentiate them via wheel size.

[Pip]

Ah yes, that makes sense! I've left a question on the auction asking her if there's an XS on the frame to indicate its size, as I suspect that's what it will be.

It hadn't occurred to me the wheels might be 24 inch. I'm not so sure I'm keen on them being that small. Still, I might be able to pick it up cheaply enough that I can live with them till I decide whether I like off road cycling enough to upgrade.

[zoom-zoom]

I'm not sure, but I think 24" wheels are typically put on kids' bikes.

[Irulan]

I'm not sure, but I think 24" wheels are typically put on kids' bikes.

Yes.

[radacrider]

Not sure where they are getting the 24". Searching on specs for an approx 2009 Scott Contessa 40 indicates only 26" tires; there is no "Junior" version of a Contessa.

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/scott/contessa-40-2009-mountain-bike-ec016275?currency=USD&country=UNITEDSTATES#features

[Pip]

Yep, it's a 15 inch frame with 26 inch wheels. Methinks the seller doesn't know too much about bikes! The auction closes in half an hour and someone outbid me a while back, but the highest bid is still lower than I'm prepared to go so I'm going to wait a bit longer than stick my hand up again! Strategy ...

[Pip]

And .... I didn't get the bike. I bid over what I was comfortable bidding and someone went higher than me. I sat there watching the seconds tick down with my hand on my mouse ready to put another bid in but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I think the person who bought it paid too much, but that's their choice! I guess I'll just have to keep looking ...

[Catrin]

And .... I didn't get the bike. I bid over what I was comfortable bidding and someone went higher than me. I sat there watching the seconds tick down with my hand on my mouse ready to put another bid in but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I think the person who bought it paid too much, but that's their choice! I guess I'll just have to keep looking ...

Your bike is out there, it just wasn't time. You don't want to regret your timing, for sure. Good luck with your search!

[Pip]

Well, it took a little time but I finally got a bike! I bought a four year old bike by Avanti. It only cost me $150NZ, an absolute steal. It's in great condition, well looked after. I figure it'll give me a year to decide whether I like riding offroad enough to upgrade, and by that time the next year's sales will be starting. Right now I have a bike which will enable me to get my husband to drag out his bike from storage and tackle a few easy trails with me. I'm a very happy Pip!

[tealtreak]

Well, it took a little time but I finally got a bike! I bought a four year old bike by Avanti. It only cost me $150NZ, an absolute steal. It's in great condition, well looked after. I figure it'll give me a year to decide whether I like riding offroad enough to upgrade, and by that time the next year's sales will be starting. Right now I have a bike which will enable me to get my husband to drag out his bike from storage and tackle a few easy trails with me. I'm a very happy Pip!
Congrats! Enjoy! One tip (you may already know) with Mt biking- some obstacles, jumps, log piles etc..... are way easier on a bike with more travel or really good shocks (might be using the wrong vernacular) I have a hard tail Trek that I love, but one day I rode my son's Kona and discovered the difference...WOW I upgraded my front shocks the next day....and realized some of the tuff stuff wasn't ME but the limits of my bike.............

[Artista]

I totally agree with tealtreak about the quality of shocks contributing to skills. I have never upgraded a shock on a bike but I have upgraded bikes twice. Each new bike fit me better and came with better shocks than the previous one. My riding significantly improved with each upgrade.

[Pip]

Yes, I predict I'll be a bit limited in how much I can do with this bike, but it's so cheap that I'm not too worried if I end up buying something else towards the end of this year. It will also give me a chance to satisfy myself that I am a small sized frame, not a medium. One of the sales guys in a store I went into was trying to get me onto a medium but I just didn't feel right about the standover. To be honest I suspect I'm probably just in between sizes, but I guess I'll find out when I start riding up some of the steep hills around here. If I feel like I'm about to tip over backwards then ..... :)

[Pip]

I picked up my bike this morning! Wow - the guy I bought it off was selling it on behalf of his daughter, who is now too tall for it. She walked out and I swear the girl was all legs with about a 10 inch waist. Long blonde hair, all of about 14 years old, and stunning! All 5' 3"ish of me just kind of sighed. Obviously I had to drop the seat .... Having never ridden a mountain bike before I'm not sure exactly how high it should be. I did raise it slightly again after riding it up and down the street a few times, but I still feel like I need to get some proper advice on fit. I have no clue about the handlebars! I may also need to move the seat forward a bit - I suspect the kid probably had arms as long as her legs.

All up I think I got quite a good deal. It's a bit scratched up, but it is four years old and she's obviously used it, which in my opinion is a good thing. It's my first bike with front shocks, which is a bit of a revelation! I want to go ride some trails today but hubby doesn't seem terribly inclined to leave his computer desk and it's also hella windy out there, which will make the return trip on the flat, easy trail I have in mind a bit nasty on the way back.

Oh to heck with it. I can't ride next weekend because I'm away on a trail running event. I might just have to go for a bit of a solo ride!