Help choosing new bike

[alexis_the_tiny]

Do you have the option of buying second hand? If you're willing to travel, the sellers might be willing to let you have a go on their bikes before you buy. I bought both my mountain bike and road bike off friends who were the same build as I am so both fit pretty nicely.

[jessmarimba]

I could buy secondhand, I guess, but I'm not sure I know enough yet. Secondhand 29-inch small-framed bikes are pretty hard to come by, too - even in Colorado.

I think what I will probably end up doing is buying the cheaper model of the Kona that I rented. It shouldn't feel that different, right? And I can always upgrade components later.

Or else one of the shops here has another demo day coming up this month and I can keep my fingers crossed for that.

Offhand, here's a funny little story. I stopped at a shop somewhere near Glenwood Springs (I think) on a trip the other day, to ask whether they demo bikes and what they usually carried. The guy looks at me suspiciously and says, "well, we do, but I don't have no women's bikes at all." It didn't even cross his mind that it might possibly be ok to ride a bike designed for a guy!

[Irulan]

Shoot if you are in Colorado, get yourself over to Fruita/Moab. Lots of great shops over there, Over the Edge comes to mind as one I know of that used to have a great women's dept. These are specialty shops that cater to mountain bikers. Or, another thought. Ask at the Colorado forum of MTBR.com

http://forums.mtbr.com/forumdisplay.php?f=70 Front Range
http://forums.mtbr.com/forumdisplay.php?f=71 Western Slope.

These are heavily trafficked mountain bike specific forums, and you should get some great shop recommendations from the folks there.

[jessmarimba]

Thanks Irulan! Might as well sign me out of work right now, that's far too much distraction for me to handle on a Friday! I wonder how long til those forums are blocked at the office...

[blackhillsbiker]

DH has the King Kahuna. That is one sweet ride. I have the Big Kahuna and I like it a lot (I try not to have fork envy...). One plus for me is the Big Kahuna has the braze-ons for a regular rear rack. Besides, he needs the bike weight advantage since he has about 30 pounds on me. I had a 26" wheeled MTB but I fell in love with the 29er and never looked back.

Deb

[jessmarimba]

No need anymore...

Went over the handlebars on the bike I already had and broke my back. Guess I can wait and figure this out later...thanks so much, guys. See ya on the trails next year!

[katherine]

Get well soon!