Low end mountain bikes.....

I just bought my first bike today (Trek Pilot 1.2) and love it, but while I was shopping I rode a mountain bike and loved that too - and made me want BOTH!

I'm pretty sure my primary biking will be road so I wanted to get a decent road starter bike (which I think I did with the pilot) BUT now I am thinking of getting a mountain bike just for fun - different kinds of rides - options - etc. But was wondering for something I will ride occasionally, would a low end bike be ok?

The MB at my LBS started around $400 (Trek) but I went to Target and saw their bikes - some as low as $50! I don't think I want to go that cheap, but they had an all alluminum Schwin for like $179 (the SX2000 AL) Do you think going "cheap" on that is oK? Will I be missing something I "need" vs. the other low end Trek (~$400)

Thanks!

What sort of service warranty will you get from the LBS that you are looking at the Trek Pilot? Definitely keep that in mind. You should be able to find LBS mountain bikes starting around $280 (Gary Fisher Tarpon for one example). The main thing to keep in mind with department store bikes is their lack of competence in properly putting the bike together.

Not only do they lack in competance but they lack in quality. Schwinn made very nice bikes awhile ago, and still (like Mongoose) makes some pretty nice high-end bikes, but (also like Mongoose) has some really, really poor-quality, mass-produced bikes in dept. stores. I wouldn't reccomend these. Even if the bikes are put together well enough, they'd still be much heavier and less able to take abuse than a quality cycle from your LBS. Good bikes can start around $200-$250, you just have to hunt for 'em...

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Originally Posted by southtxrider

Will I be missing something I "need" vs. the other low end Trek (~$400)

Thanks!

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Welllllll, besides the compentency of the LBS staff in bike assembly, you will also be missing a trustworthy bike. :( When I worked at a bike shop, we called dept. store bikes "disposable bikes." Everything tends to be very low-end, frame materials and components. You might spend more getting it "fixed" at a bike shop than you spend on the bike. I really do not mean to sound like a bike snob! I've just seen the scenarios too often. Even the lower end bike shops MTB's will only take a certain amount of abuse. Are you thinking of doing much off-road, technical type ridings? Or just using it to goof around on and do gravel roads or trails? Possibly you could find a used MTB? As long it was from someone you trusted.
Okay - those are my thoughts. Anyone else? :) Agree? Disagree?

annie

southtxrider,

congrats on the new bike, sounds like you made a good choice!

Yes yes, cycling is an expensive sport but worth it I think.

There are ways to save money even on bikes and stay tuned and read up as we TE gals show you how.

But friends don't let friends buy a box store bike. :p

Especially mountain and especially if you want to ride off road as in trails over stumps and cliffs and such.

Box store type mountain bikes mimic the look of a mountain bike, some even have shocks and suspension. Between their cheap parts, weak welds on frames, non professional set up, lack of after sale support, non standard parts mean no replacement/exchange/upgrade....they are inadequate to the pont of being dangerous off road.

Get your laundry detergent at Target but not your bike.;)

$50-179.00 for a mountain bike is not realistic. Let's see for perspective that's a little more than my handlebar tape costs, and a little less than my saddle :rolleyes: I gotta find a cheaper sport or better job.

Good full suspension bikes trully up to the beating may cost low four figures and up. If you want one there are ways to save on cost with wise use of the used market.

I've seen people come into my favorite LBS and point at the mountain bikes there and ask "where are the $100-400.00 mountain bikes like THAT".

What Chris usually says is something like this. When you see full suspension with low price what mfr's do is to acheive the look and feel of FS and keep price low the money has to come out of something.

So you may get low end components, cheap frame, shoddy seat etc but hey it looks like FS right?

Well take the same dollar ammount and get a neat lil' hardtail.

Like this for example:
www.scottusa.com/category.php?UID=315

No suspension but up to the task of an unpaved trail or fireroad which may be the roughest you'll do at this point. Put knobbies on it and take it off road, slicks and it's your commuter even up to a metric century or too. And without suspension now you have quality components, good wheels etc.

I had a feeling that was going to be the answer! LOL But you guys make total sense.

"Are you thinking of doing much off-road, technical type ridings? Or just using it to goof around on and do gravel roads or trails?"

I am more of the second type - goof around, gravel roads and trails. I will often have two children in tow on the MB....

So would the low end Trek be sufficient? I saw this one:

http://bikecatalog.bikeworld.com/atb.php?id=83

And one that was around $349 or $369 (still Trek brand) That one may have been the 3700 WSD....

What other brands besides the Gary Fisher and the Scott?

I've always been a huge fan of Specialized... but they can be a pain in the butt to find...

I bought a Novara Bonita hardtail WSD mountain bike at REI (previous year's model so got a clearance price). It's actually a pretty decent ride, and the components and suspension fork are adequate for gravel roads, fire roads, and easy trails. The only downside is it's as heavy as a tank (~32.5 lbs), which makes hills (and lifting it into the car) a bit of an ordeal, but at the lower price points (it retails for $569, but I paid $399), you just aren't going to get light weight. It's fine for a lot of rides, though, so long as you aren't trying to break any speed records. Our REI gives decent bike service and spent a lot of time going over the bike with me when I bought it, and it fits me very well. So yes, it can be done (less expensive mountain bike) so long as you aren't expecting it to be perfect in every way! There will be compromises - I'd rather have high weight but solid componentry than the alternative. And I definitely agree with the others who say do NOT buy a bike at Target, Wal-Mart, etc.

Good luck - let us know what you do!

Emily

southtxrider "What other brands besides the Gary Fisher and the Scott?"

OMG, there are soooooooooo many bikes :D

That's one of the things that makes this sport fun! That and the food. :D

Kitsune06 "I've always been a huge fan of Specialized... but they can be a pain in the butt to find..."

well these guys I think are local to our south texas gal and they have Specialized, also Giant, Felt ....

http://rideawaybicycles.com

I guess I meant which other brands besides Specialized and Gary Fisher should i take a look at seriously (on the lower end) :)

I am browsing a LBS website right now and seeing some Giant and Specialized under $500.....

I would say start with what you can get locally.

Step 1) What shops are in your area. Most stores carry particular brands. Besides Trek and Cannondale and Speciallized there are lots of others builders to choose from and each has different makes and models...Oh it's mind boggeling :D .... but first find out what you can get locally.

If you get your heart set on oh...a Moots or a Surly or a Waterford it may be hard to get in your area so go with what's available.

Step 2) Obviously you are online :D check the mfr's website and see what their product line is. Ask questions of the TE gals of course.

Step 3) Go out and try bikes :D

Step 4) We want to hear all the test ride reports.

I got my beloved Waterford from over 2,000 miles away.

But my beloved Kona Dew was right here at my LBS for $400.

I second what Trek said. "Buy" the bike shop before you buy a bike. I chose my LBS first. Then I chose a bike they carried. My relationship with my LBS has made all the difference in the world for my cycling.

Edit: SKnot just informed me that it is actually LESS than 2,000 miles (like 1,800) but that's as the crow flies. As the FedEx truck goes, it's more than 2,000. :)

KnottedYet "I second what Trek said. "Buy" the bike shop before you buy a bike. I chose my LBS first. Then I chose a bike they carried. My relationship with my LBS has made all the difference in the world for my cycling."

I didn't say that, I should have thought of that but I didn't :cool:

I *heart* my LBS, both of them. One small shop that does all the work on my bkes but they carry very little in the way of "stuff" and nothing ever really goes on sale. Chris and Tims advice has saved me big bucks and time and they are great guys to hang around, more like a local pub than a bike shop, but without booze.

The other is closer to home, huge really. They stock everything and it's where I go if I need lights, tubes, energy drinks....

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Originally Posted by southtxrider

So would the low end Trek be sufficient? I saw this one:

http://bikecatalog.bikeworld.com/atb.php?id=83

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That would be an excelent starter mtb - well and truly able to take you on a pootle along some fire roads and family trails, but also capable of taking you onto more challenging terrain should you find yourself getting really keen on mountain biking. You would also be able to easily upgrade bits on a bike like this, should you wish/need to in the future.

It's already been mentioned that full suspension bikes in your price range will be rubbish. The other thing to stay away from on cheaper bikes is disc brakes. They're fabulous things, but likely to be crappy, unreliable, disappointing ones on an lower pricepoint bike - much better to go with a bike with v-brakes unless you decide you want to spend more. You can always upgrade later. :)

Of other brands mentioned here, Giant and Specialized both have a reputaion for speccing their bikes well at any given pricepoint, so could be well worth looking into. You've chosen the perfect time of year to go bike shopping. All the 2007 are hitting the shops and the 2006 models are going on sale. :D

Can I piggyback on this thread to ask a question about upgrading a low-end mountain bike? I have a 2005 base model Rockhopper that I bought because I wasn't sure I would like mountain biking. Today I am sure that I will eventually love mountain biking, but the reality is that I am never going to have a ton of time to spend doing it, because we have to drive to trails, and we are both busy and overscheduled as it is. So it is always going to be a once-in-a-while hobby, and I don't think it is worth it to me to buy a better bike.

But I would like to do some upgrades, mostly because the bike weighs a ton. It is the same frame as the Rockhopper Comp from that year, but I don't remember if that bike was also heavy. All the components are very low-end, though, including easily replaceable things like the stem, the handlebars, the seatpost. (All no-name.) I hate the Tektro brake levers and I've wanted to upgrade them ever since I bought the bike. I am not sure I need a better fork, and that seems like an expensive upgrade anyway. I don't hate the shifting although there is a definitely a knack to getting out of the granny gear; the front derailleur and/or front shifter lever is a little fussy. That gets easier the more I practice so I can live with it.

This may be too broad a question, but basically, what things are worth upgrading and what things aren't? At some point it might make more sense to just unload this and buy a slightly better bike, but I would rather avoid the hassle, all things being equal.

the shifting problems are all adjustment issues, but as a basemodel 'hopper owner, yeah, it's all just as upgradeable as anything else. I don't remember what the naked frame weighs, but you can change out pretty much everything around said frame... and 'Hoppers are pretty sturdy little bikes. Mine is mostly stock yet, but you could lighten her up significantly by getting better rims/wheels, handlebars, maybe seatpost/seat, cranks, tires, etc... Deore came on my model ('03) and it's served me pretty well... and it's still relatively pricey.

Bottom of the line GT, but I got Mavic Crossride wheels, much better and lighter :)

xeney...
It really depends how much you want to upgrade and how soon. If you were going to do a bunch of things at once, you'd probably end up spending more money than if you just bought a whole new bike. The frame you've got is plenty decent enough though, and well worth keeping and changing out parts as you can afford them. Trek's right (of course ;)), lighter, stiffer wheels will make a huge difference to your ride. Disc brakes would be a good upgrade too (I'm pretty sure your frame/fork will be disc-ready, but you'll need to check that) if you're looking to improve your bike's performance. You can get not too expensive disc brakes, but the lighter ones are a bit more spendy. :rolleyes: Stems and bars and seatpost are all good places to lose a little weight without breaking the bank (not that you can't break the bank on these items should you so choose... :p).

DirtDiva "Trek's right (of course ;)), lighter, stiffer wheels will make a huge difference to your ride."

heh, lighter/stiffer rider would be good too. :p

But seriously my LBS explained weight in the wheels is rotational weight, easier to get going. Stiffer wheels means less rolling resistance. If I was going to throw good money after bad at the bike that's the best thing to do. It's a cheap bike but it fits sooooo well and now...it's faster.

Ok, I put the Treks down as possibilities (I've rode one of them and liked it but it's the only one I've ridden so no real basis of comparison)

Yes, rideaway is local to me and I did visit them when looking for road bikes - they had a specialized I loved, but it ws $1600 and just more than I could afford or wanted to spend on my first bike.

Anyway I went on their site and found these:

http://rideawaybicycles.com/itemdeta...ogId=39&id=560

http://rideawaybicycles.com/itemdeta...ogId=39&id=558

Is aluminum definitely the way to go? (no rust, lighter) If so that knocks out the first one. Is there any other specifics you can advise me to look for and need for my first, occasional, easy riding mountain bike? I know the V brakes, but anything else - it helps when I don't feel so dumb walking in the shop! LOL

Thanks !!!!!

southtxrider "Is aluminum definitely the way to go? (no rust, lighter) If so that knocks out the first one."

Uh, look under my name, see that sub-heading "steel is real" :cool: at this price range steel will be heavy but ride quality may be better.

Same shop, try something like this if it fits.

http://rideawaybicycles.com/itemdeta...ogId=39&id=584

Unless you ride in a skirt there may be no reason for you to have a "step through: frame :D And even if you do with a skort you'd be fine.

This kind of frame geometry would be better and may be available in the Giant.

"it helps when I don't feel so dumb walking in the shop! LOL"

Don't feel dumb, and that's one of the signs of a good shop that they answer your questions.

My husband thought my wheels and also my tires might be a big chunk of the weight -- he's going to swap our wheels on the next ride to see if I can feel a difference. He is very excited that I had fun yesterday so I think I might be getting mountain bike components for Christmas. Awesome.

Steel: his mountain bike is a relatively ancient steel Bianchi that he is never tempted to replace because it is so much lighter than, for instance, my bike. It was pretty low-end, I think, when he bought it ten years ago, but he just keeps upgrading it and I sure couldn't find anything as nice that I could afford when I was looking. (He offered to build up this frame for me but it doesn't come in my size.)

Thanks for the feedback ... I think what I will do is keep riding this one for the next couple of months and get a better feel for what I would like to upgrade/replace, and if it seems like what I want to upgrade and replace immediately is going to be in the $500 range, then I will buy a new bike. Because at least around here, a used/excellent condition Rockhopper can be sold for almost what you paid for it.

I will look at that Specialized. Nice price range :) I guess I keep trying to go toward the WSD b/c the only bikes I've climbed on that felt "right" were WSD (Specialized and Trek) I have a short torso and long legs.

The shop I bought my bike from is www.bikeworld.com They did not try to push me towards stuff I didn't need in fact going so far as to tell me NOT to buy a few things I had picked out. So they have scored well with me. They spent over 3 hours with me yesterday getting the bike that fit me right and all the adjustments. So I will prob go back there and look at the Trek MB's again. They had adorable kids bikes too which I am contemplating :)

Thanks again for the advice!

Well, here is a vote in favor of the low-end Specialized if it fits you: yesterday I went to a bike shop to get an idea of how much I would have to spend on a new bike in order to see a significant weight difference. And if I stick with Specialized, I'm going to have to jump up several price points, it looks like. The $800 Rockhopper is just as heavy as the $500 Rockhopper and the $1100 Rockhopper is only slightly lighter, and I am not sure that wasn't my imagination and the fact that they only had it in a very small size. And the $1400 base level Stumpjumper was also pretty heavy. On the other end of the scale, the Hardrocks aren't dramatically heavier than the Rockhoppers. In the 2005's, the frames on all three bikes are really very similar, although the current models are a bit different.

I could probably get about $300 for my bike but I could also do a whole lot of upgrading for that price differential. So I think I am going to keep it, since the frame is a really good fit -- Treks were a bit lighter in this price range but didn't feel as good to me -- and just plan on upgrading a little every year as I feel like I need to.

Thanks, everyone, for the advice.

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Originally Posted by xeney

Well, here is a vote in favor of the low-end Specialized if it fits you:
So I think I am going to keep it, since the frame is a really good fit -- Treks were a bit lighter in this price range but didn't feel as good to me -- and just plan on upgrading a little every year as I feel like I need to.

Thanks, everyone, for the advice.

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Do you have the women's Rockhopper? I test rode those and the Treks. The fit on the Rockhopper (and Hardrock) was perfect! After that I didn't even give the Treks a second glance. I tested the 2006, didn't care for the Burgundy or the matte Hardrock, but this year, I love the colors!

One of these days I'm gonna have one, I just can't justify it right now when I have a perfectly good Gary Fisher. Even though I'm a tad stretched on it, it doesn't seem to matter as much to me on a mountain bike like it does my road bike.

The bike shop didn't have a women's Rockhopper in stock for me to try, but the men's 15" was a great fit.

My 'hopper is 16". I'm not sure how much she weighs, though, just the frame and wheelset. Outfitted for commuting and errands, though, she's a little heavy.

For road bikes, I vote also that "Steel is Real" just having read the various facts and testimonials from ladies here. On Mtn bikes, though, I'm not so sure. I'm sure it depends... I like my aluminum bike, though. I'm not sure if the thickness of modern mtb designs is out of necessity for strength, enabled by lighter materials (double butted aluminum) or simply for visual appeal "It's thicker so it must be stronger"... likewise enabled by lighter materials. *shrug*