Ibex Alpine vs. Specialized Rockhopper?

[indigoiis]

I checked the reviews for Ibex and they are outstanding for a good quality "for-the-price" bike. I am looking to keep my price under $800 and Ibex website has the alpine 550 for $499. My lbs has some older model rockhoppers for between $450 and $800. I am awfully tempted to go blindly with the Ibex. Has anyone any experience with this bike?

Appreciate your recommendations, oh wise ones!

[Irulan]

the rule of thumb is that in that price range, there's not a lot of difference in what you get from bike to bike.

[indigoiis]

Are you saying that, in order to make a serious consideration of componentry, I have to open my wallet further? So basically, I should just throw my five or six hundred bucks at the first bike that comes along?

[crazycanuck]

If you want a better mtn bike perhaps..If a friend asked me this q I'd tell them not to buy the cheapest thing esp for dirt riding. I know nothing about Ibex & they're not sold in Western Australia.

Can you try both of the bikes out?

What are your dirt riding plans??

[indigoiis]

Mostly singletrack in our rocky/rooty and fairly low elevation state park. I am a beginner riding an overly large but forgiving old GT Timberline steel hardtail and hard fork. I can't move the bike that well and it is heavy so I spend more time walking and lifting than actually riding.

I know that weight is a factor and that the drivetrain should be decent but in this economy I can't see dropping a thousand bucks on a mountain bike when I don't know if I'll have a job tomorrow! I want to do more rides with the local mb club and I want to learn properly, so I am looking for inexpensive entry-level. Do I really need a super$$$machine for that?

[Aggie_Ama]

Alleyoop who sometimes posts has a FS Ibex. I think they are solid bikes but I don't know much about them. I would get the best component group for your budget, your riding doesn't sound like you are going to be thrashing the frame or anything.

I learned on a Scott HT I found on Craigslist for $200. She has a decent gruppo and is about at $700 bike new. You don't need to drop $2k to have fun and learn.

[Irulan]

Are you saying that, in order to make a serious consideration of componentry, I have to open my wallet further? So basically, I should just throw my five or six hundred bucks at the first bike that comes along?

Yes, as long as it fits.

At that price level, pretty much all components are functional, and heavy, and made of softer metal that lacks serious durability.

[indigoiis]

Since I am new to this, can you tell me if this is good or okay or so so or whatever...

Frame: Double-Butted 6061 Aluminum
Fork: Rock Shox Dart 3 - 100mm w/ Lockout
Shifters: SRAM X4 Triggers
Front Derailleur: SRAM 3.0
Rear Derailleur: SRAM X5
Crankset: FSA Alpha Drive (42/32/22T)
Bottom Bracket: FSA PowerDrive Splined Cartridge
Cassette: SRAM PG-830 (11-32T)
Chain: KMC Z8
Brakes: Avid BB5 Mechanical Disc Brakes
Levers: Avid FR5
Rims: WTB SpeedDisc Double-Wall
Hubs: Formula Disc
Tires: WTB VelociRaptor - 26" x 2.10
Headset: Aheadset STS-2K
Handlebar: UNO Alloy - 25mm Rise x 640mm
Stem: UNO 3D Forged Alloy
Seatpost: UNO Microadjust Alloy - 31.6mm dia.
Saddle: WTB Pure V Race (I have this saddle on another bike, and like it.)
Pedals: Wellgo Platform w/ Toe-Clips
(I have spd pedals I would be replacing the platform with...)

I think the weight on this bike is 27 lbs.

vs the option:

Frame & Fork
Frame Construction TIG-welded
Frame Tubing Material Specialized ORE A1 Aluminum
Fork Brand & Model RockShox Tora 302 SL, 100mm
Fork Material Steel/aluminum, single crown
Rear Shock Not applicable

Components
Component Group Shimano Deore
Brakeset Avid BB5 w/6" rotor brakes, Avid FR5 levers
Shift Levers Shimano Deore
Front Derailleur Shimano Deore
Rear Derailleur Shimano Deore
Crankset Shimano FCM-442-8, 22/32/44 teeth
Pedals Specialized alloy 1pc cage and body
Bottom Bracket Shimano ES-25, 118mm spindle
BB Shell Width 68mm
Rear Cogs 9-speed, 11 - 34 teeth
Chain Shimano CN-HG73
Seatpost Specialized alloy micro adjust, 30.9mm diameter
Saddle Specialized Body Geometry MTB
Handlebar Alloy riser
Handlebar Extensions Not included
Handlebar Stem Specialized 3D
Headset 1 1/8" threadless

Wheels
Hubs Specialized Hi Lo disc
Rims Specialized/Alex RHD 26, 32-hole
Tires 26 x 2.00" Specialized Fast Trak
Spoke Brand Stainless steel, 15ga. (1.8mm) straight gauge
Spoke Nipples Unspecified

Don't know the weight on this one...

Thanks!
Oh, and both are a nice color.

[Aggie_Ama]

They appear similarly spec'd. I had Deore on my HT and liked it well enough. Now I have SRAM which is a different shifting system and it seems pretty good. DH is a die hard SRAM fan. Would buying at a LBS be beneficial? If not it seems like Ibex is a fine bike just cheap because they are internet bikes. Any mountain bike will need more tune-ups than road (in my experience). I am about average weight and had a Manitou fork on my last bike with no issues. The only thing I replaced on my HT was the chain.

[indigoiis]

I ended up buying a rockhopper yesterday - 2007 but in new condition as the owner had a serious snowboarding accident and never really rode it. It's without a scratch! I'm sure it will get scratched soon enough. Anyhow, I put better tires on it (it had specialized stock) and my own spd pedals... it fits nicely. Shocks are new to me. I did a wheelie! Yay!

[alleyoop]

I am too late... but I do have an IBEX Asta and it has been great! I haven't had any problems, assembly was easy (so says my wrench, hubby) and we saved $1000 over a lesser equipped new bike at the LBS.

I was very careful about sizing and matching up the geometry to the bike I liked the best at LBS (SC Blur XC). Geometry was nearly exact and the IBEX had better major components (but did weigh about .33lbs more, wheels were better on the SC). I liked the color of the SC better... which was surprisingly hard for me to get over.

Hubby does all the wrenching on our bikes, he won't let anyone touch them, so for us the assembly and service issue was moot.

I would recommend them highly. The frames are just as sturdy as any others of the same material and there is no part that is deficient! If you can verify that you will like the style and fit by comprehensive test-riding and the lack of free tune-ups/LBS service isn't an issue, then the value is not to be beat!