Low end mountain bikes.....

[southtxrider]

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?

[Kitsune06]

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

[Trek420]

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

[emily_in_nc]

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

[Trek420]

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

OMG, there are soooooooooo many bikes

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

[southtxrider]

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.....

[Trek420]

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 .... 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 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

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

[KnottedYet]

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.

[Trek420]

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

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....

[DirtDiva]

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

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

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.

[xeney]

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.

[Kitsune06]

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.

[Trek420]

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

[DirtDiva]

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. 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... ).

[Trek420]

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.

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.