New mountain bike? Do I need one?

[annie]

Hey - this is the first time I started a thread...... about time!

Here's the question for all you experienced mountain bikers. Right now I am riding a Trek 6500 WSD mountain bike bought in spring of 1998. Hardtail. Pretty basic but good enough to take the trails I ride around here. It's not light! It's not real responsive. The shock is so-so. I bounce around a lot on rough ground. I am thinking it's about time to upgrade to a new bike. I spend more time on my road bike, tho', so I hate to spend gobs of money on a mountain bike unless I am pretty sure it will be worth it. Will a lighter, better bike help me improve my riding enough that's it's worth the bucks? I would most likely get a trek Fuel WSD. I don't know anyone that has one small enough for me to try it out on a test ride. That's what I would like to do. So what do you think, ladies? Would I notice enough of an improvement that it'd be worth it? Honest opionion here...... Thanks!

[Irulan]

I t may be that something as simple as a fork upgrade for the front is all you need. I replaced the Rock Sux judy on my hubby's bike with a Marzocchi EXR and the difference in the ride is incredible.

What's on there now? Some fork are just junk. How much does the bike weigh? What type of componet grouping? ( LX, XTR etc) Sometimes things like changing out your seatpost and wheels can signficantly lighten the bike.

What's your budget if you were going to get a new bike.?
Also, how do you like the geometry? ARe you able to climb well and handle techinical stuff ok?


Irulan

[annie]

Irulan,

Let's see. I just looked at the bike. It has a Rock Shox Judy XC fork. it has Shimano Deore LX components. I don't know the weight....... it's heavy to lift it up to a roof rack compared to other bikes I've lifted. The wheels are Bontrager. Can't tell what kind anymore. The frame fits me well, I think. That's the part I like. I feel comfortable on it as far as the size goes. I can climb okay on it, but climbing is my strength. Technical stuff is a lot more difficult for me, but I think that's a lack of skill more than anything else. I'd like to blame the bike, but realistically, can't do so.

When you say a new fork made an incredible difference in the ride of your husband's bike, how did it change the ride? Did it handle better? Take bumps, roots, rocks better? What exactly did it improve?

Budgetwise, it's hard to say. I can get a very decent discount from my bike dealer as long as I get a Trek. So good it makes it almost silly for me to look at anything else. I suppose I'd be looking at something in at least the $1000 range.

What do you think of dual-suspension vs. hard-tail? What's the disadvantages of a dualie? I have a couple friends who went that way this year and their riding improved almost overnight. They rave about the bikes and love the suspension. They say they can ride almost anything with it.

Lots of questions, I know. But I seriously would like to improve my off-road skills and do a few races next year. Any help or advice from experienced riders is appreciated very much!

[Irulan]

Originally posted by annie
Irulan,

Let's see. I just looked at the bike. It has a Rock Shox Judy XC fork. it has Shimano Deore LX components. I don't know the weight....... it's heavy to lift it up to a roof rack compared to other bikes I've lifted. The wheels are Bontrager. Can't tell what kind anymore. The frame fits me well, I think. That's the part I like. I feel comfortable on it as far as the size goes. I can climb okay on it, but climbing is my strength. Technical stuff is a lot more difficult for me, but I think that's a lack of skill more than anything else. I'd like to blame the bike, but realistically, can't do so.

LX is pretty much second to bottom end, the judy can most likely stand to be replaced as the older one are not great at all.

When you say a new fork made an incredible difference in the ride of your husband's bike, how did it change the ride? Did it handle better? Take bumps, roots, rocks better? What exactly did it improve?

It improved the geometry of the front end. the ride was very smoothed out for everything... cornering, general stability technical stuff. It made enough of a difference that he doesn't need/want a new bike now... but he started with a better bike I think than what you are on. (Specialized Stumpjumper M2 comp)

Budgetwise, it's hard to say. I can get a very decent discount from my bike dealer as long as I get a Trek. So good it makes it almost silly for me to look at anything else. I suppose I'd be looking at something in at least the $1000 range.

It may be worth it just to look at other bikes just to see how they feel and ride, instead of going with the default option. But money is money, too!! OTOH, it's only money. ;-)
I'm not a real fan of treks. They build a decent rig, but I think they are a real mass marketed bike and that there are a lot of other great companies out there. The frames aren't real strong, and some of them have drive train problems tho that is rumored to be redesigned. They don't always have the best component packages on them.

What do you think of dual-suspension vs. hard-tail? What's the disadvantages of a dualie? I have a couple friends who went that way this year and their riding improved almost overnight. They rave about the bikes and love the suspension. They say they can ride almost anything with it.

A FS can bump your ability up, if you are ready to move up. But for some riders it's a form of cheating; they let the bike do all the work for them ( keeping their butt planted on the saddle and letting the suspension take the hits) and don't learn to be a dynamic rider. There is one school of thought that you will be a better technical rider by putting in a lot of miles on a HT where you have to have better bike handling skills as the suspension wont' let you cheat. It really annoys me when I see riders just glued to their seat and letting the bike take it all.

FS are much heavier than HT's.... to get a light, well spec'd FS plan to spend at least $2000 (retail) . Anything less than that and you get a heavy bike with low end components and shocks. For $1k, I'd definately look at a nice HT over FS.

Other issues... with FS you'll want to consider how much travel you want, do you want lock outs or not, and so on. HOw much does the model you want "bob"?

All that being said, I love my Kona FS. When I was looking to upgrade, for my budget ($1200) after a lot of reseach, I decidied to go for a nice light well componented HT instead of a POS FS. It's only luck and a matter of being in the right place at the right time that I found a lightly used top of the line XC racing FS for half price. I got a $3000 bike for $1500, and that is the only reason I am not riding a hard tail. I have not for one moment regretted my choice, and my riding has improved about 100% over the last year. Most of that I attribute to camp tho.

Keep in mind that most XC racers ride HT's. If you want to race just for fun it doesnt' matter what bike you are on, but for "real " racing you probably want to keep your bike under #24 .


Hope this helps ???

Lots of questions, I know. But I seriously would like to improve my off-road skills and do a few races next year. Any help or advice from experienced riders is appreciated very much! [/B]

I'll wait on your next set of questions. ;-)

Irulan
I put a lot of time and energy into bike hsopping. It's worth it to ask a lot of questions.

[pedalfaster]

It will be hard to decide if you want to spring for FS unless you can ride one off-road. You might want to ask your LBS when/where the next demo-day will be held in your area.

I get to demo the new Trek/Gary Fisher line up this weekend...too bad I can't afford a new bike!

[annie]

I think you are right, pedalfaster....... I need to try one out in order to decide if it would be worth it for me. Maybe I also need to try a higher quality HT to see if that would suffice. I just need to find some short riders who have better bikes than I and borrow them for a couple rides....... Unfortunately, I can't think of anyone around here like that. Where is the demo you are going to this weekend?

Irulan, thank you so much for all the advice. It certainly helps! I think it will come down to what I said in the above paragraph. I need to test ride some actual bikes in actual off-road conditions and see what works for me. I hear what you are saying about letting the bike do all the work with an FS. I don't THINK I would do that. I sure don't do it now. My butt is rarely planted on the saddle! If the bike could just help out a bit on the really rough stuff, that would be great! Maybe give me enough confidence to ride stuff I don't do now. As for racing, any racing I do is purely for fun (such as it is) and to challenge myself. Still, I want to do as well as possible and be competitive in my age group. Sigh......... I am an age-grouper at this stage in my life.
But I am happy to be able to even do that!

I doubt I will do anything till early next year as far as buying a bike, so I will have some time to think about it and do more research and hopefullly, find some bikes to test ride. I wanted to start here because I know there's tons of helpful women and good advice on these boards. I've been reading long enough to trust in you people. So, I'll keep you posted and ask any questions as they come along.

[pedalfaster]

Demo day is at the Southern Indiana Mountain Bike Fetival

Bit of a haul just to ride a bike, but we'd love to have you!

I tried to look up demo days on the Trek website, but the list is not up-to-date.

Couple of thoughts: get out the phone book (or google) and call all of the LBS in your area and ask about upcoming demo days. They are not that uncommon and usually occur in conjunction with races, IMBA work days, or festivals/rides. I've been lucky enough to ride Schwinn, Gary Fisher, Giant, K2, and Kona bikes off-road through demo-programs.

Want to find smaller riders with nice bikes? Gotta go to the races. Friends have let me ride Moots, Trek OCLV, Merlin, and Litespeed mountain bikes. Most mountain bike racing girls are pretty happy to help a sister out when it comes to picking a new ride!

Good luck in the hunt

[Irulan]

I test rode a lot of bikes... never off road tho. The shops will only let you take them around the 'hood. I was looking at fit and feel over suspenesion performance. I think suspension performance ( if you are going that route) is secondary to fit/feel.

Plus, if you are looking as FS and you are new to it...would you really know what to look for in terms how how active/plush/amount of rebound/bob etc a particular suspension might have? NO matter how good the suspension is, if the ride doesn't fit, your are going to hate it.

just thoughts.

Irulan

[annie]

Irulan, I agree totally about the fit of the bike. That is THE most important thing. The bikes I have now, road and mtb, actually fit me. I am so comfortable on both of them. I feel very lucky, having known what's it's like to ride bikes that DON'T fit most of my life. Anyway, I would want to find a new bike for those off-road jaunts that would fit the same. I would probably need another wsd bike which at least limits what's available and makes choosing easier, in a way, because there's less to choose from. I'd like to have lock-out on the shocks, at least the rear one, if I went FS. I know, pricey choice but hopefully worth it.

Here's another question - what about disc brakes? Does anyone have them? Do you feel you need them?

You're right, pedalfaster........ heck of a long haul for me to bop into Indiana to test ride a bike.......... won't be doing that! I have no large LBS where I live. The closest possibility of one big enough to do demo days would be a couple hours drive, I think. It's something I can check into, at least. Otherwise, I am going to be on the lookout and listen-out for women in the area that might have a bike that'd fit me that I could try.

Rode my trusty 6500 tonight. Had an awesome ride on it. Some rides it clicks, some rides it doesn't. Today was a "click" day. Gotta love it! I rode stuff I fell over just two days ago. Weird!

[pedalfaster]

Although I ride V-brakes now, I would not buy a new bike without discs. I've used Hayes hydraulic, Maguras and Avid Mechanicals. I really really like the Avids!

I think the bike industry is heading in the all-disc direction.
A friend who is a custom builder recently GAVE me his XTR/Mavic rim-brake wheelset. He said "Here, I have no use for these anymore..."

[Irulan]

Here's my take on discs:

if you ride in wet/mud a lot you need them, or ride DH. Other wise they are nice but not necessary, just an great upgrade. I ride in dry conditions 80-90% of the time, so I have a hard time justifying the $300-400 it would take to upgrade. Not that I wouldnt' love to have them...I wouldn't base a purchase of a particular bike on disc brakes or not.

If you are concerned about weight, they add weight. You have to be carefull about which type ( hydralic or mechanical) that you would get as some are service nightmares.

In my region, less than 20% of the riders I encounter have them, but if you go over to the wet side of the state, where they have 8 times the amount of rain we do here, lots of folks have them.

Irulan

Just for grins I checked the current online Kona catalog, and I was surprised to see how many bikes did have them. Avid Mechnicals are supposed to be the best from what I have gathered.