Mountain Bike advice, please

[FunSize]

Hi there. My boyfriend recently rebuilt his old mountain bike and really wants me to get one, too. He thinks that I would really enjoy mountain biking. I've only even been road biking for about a year and a half. But I love descending and am not super scared of falling off my bike. those are good mountain biking indicators, right?

I don't know anyone else who mountain bikes except him. So i kind of just blindly listen to whatever he says. He's been biking for 15 years, so he is pretty knowledgeable, don't get me wrong. I just like having extra opinions.

HT or FS?
He has a HT mountain bike. He thinks I should get a full supsension mountain bike. His reasoning is that since we don't live near enoughto mountain trails to be able to practice handling skills, it would make sense for me to have a FS bike. HE also says it would just make it a more enjoyable and smoother ride for me. I guess for a newbie, what are the pros and cons of each? I have a general sense. I just don't know what would be the best for me.

Sizing
I have really short legs. I roughly measured once and it was at between 26-27in. so i definitely need a small bike. (Or xs bike or xxs). But i have a longer torso and shorter arms (but not as freakishly short as my legs). I've only found a couple bikes in my size and have resigned to the fact that I will be spending 1600 on a new FS bike. I don't really know a whole lot about bikes, but I'm pretty sure I want at least 100mm of travel.

Bikes
In my price range, i have basically two choices. The Santa Cruz S (the difference in standover of the S and XS is only 0.1 on an inch. The top tube is what is most different). And the Jamis Dakar XC Comp. My boyfriend is NOT super excited about the Jamis. I think he thinks that the Santa Cruz is the better bike over the Jamis. No bike shops near me have these to try.

I have looked at the Titus X but they are impossible to find or get too expensive.

I guess I just want to know what you all would recommend for someone who has never ridden a Mountain bike before, is looking for a FS in midget standover sizes, and is willing to pay 1600. Or, do you guys thinks I've been on the right track and I just need to make a decision now?

[Catrin]

First of all, I am just as new as you and apologize for the lengthy response I just learned how to ride a bike, period, 1.5 years ago - I have had a women's mountain bike clinic and a grand total of ONE trail ride outside of the clinic - but I am hooked.

It sounds to me like you are on the right track and just need to decide

There are differing arguments between HT and FS, but this is how I decided to get the FS. Some say that a HT forces you to learn better technique more quickly, but it will also beat your body up more than a full suspension. I am 51 and have multiple body parts that hurt. Everyone I know encouraged me to get a FS because it will give an overall more enjoyable ride and helps me to be more confident to try more things on the trail.

I purchased the Jamis Dakar XC Comp and am very happy with it. I don't know what your SO thinks about it, but it is a good solid bike that rides like a dream, climbs like a mountain goat when the engine is up to it, and though I have apparently been trying to break it have so far been unable to do so I also love the SRAM 10-speed drivetrain.

I don't know anything about the Santa Cruz, others here will be able to speak about that bike, I suspect either bike would be a good choice for you. I consider the Dakar Comp to have been a great first FS choice for me that I won't outgrow anytime soon.

See if you have an LBS that stocks the Jamis Dakota 14-inch. The dimensions of that HT is, basically, the same as the 13-inch Dakar XC Comp. That was what my LBS had me ride to see if the smallest Dakar would fit or be too small.

I must say that, on paper, the TT on the 13 inch Jamis Dakar XC Comp appears to be much too long for me. My fitter, who is also an avid mountain biker & IMBC instructor, explained that the different geometry and riding position made that possible. My road bike is VERY upright, (basically a rigid mountain bike with a road fork).

Frankly the Jamis is one size smaller than what he would usually recommend for someone my size, but because of back flexibility issues and a few other things, I require a short reach... and it fits fine. The point I am trying to make in my wordy way is the importance of finding something to test-ride, and your TT length may be quite different between your road an mountain bike.

[Artista]

Absolutely full suspension!!! I'm a smidge bigger than you are & have ridden rigid bikes, hard tails & FS. I'm no expert on mountain bikes but here's what I learned in my quest to find the best bike for me.

• I chose FS over a hard tail for safety reasons. FS maintains better rear wheel contact with the ground which improves the bike's handling. Tiny people, on small, hard tail bikes, tend to bounce around more than normal size people on larger bikes. The excessive bouncing makes it even harder for tiny riders to acquire the necessary handling skills & increases our risk of injury.
• It seems that many FS bikes have more stand over clearance than hard tails in the same size. This is an important consideration if you've hit the top tube as many times as I have when coming off the bike hard & fast. I've never hit the top tube on my new FS bike that has more stand over clearance than my old bikes did.
• I wouldn't worry too much about 80mm vs 100mm of travel. The 20mm difference equates to only about 5/8". It is unlikely that you'll notice that 5/8" at your size. Also, the shorter travel forks keep the top tubes closer to the ground for more stand over clearance. This may be a moot point if you're shopping for a new bike since all of the newer models seem to have 100mm anyway. (ETA: Turns out that 20mm is closer to 3/4". I still don't think you'll notice a lot of difference in the travel at your size unless you are a very aggressive MTB'er.)

The bottom line is that FS bikes are safer & more fun to ride than hard tails...especially for us small women. Life is short...have as much fun as possible soon as you can. That means FS asap

[Catrin]

...
The bottom line is that FS bikes are safer & more fun to ride than hard tails...especially for us small women. Life is short...have as much fun as possible soon as you can. That means FS asap

I like this

[indysteel]

I have a very limited perspective to share, as I'm a new rider myself, but I'll share it all the same.

Like you, I let my SO talk me into learning how to mountain bike. He's experienced; I'm not. I had long been relunctant to try it, thinking that I just didn't have enough dare-devil in me. So, when I finally decided to give it a try, I opted for a relatively inexpensive HT--a Specialized Myka. To be honest, I didn't research the purchase all that much and was only generally aware of the HT versus FS for a new rider debate. I just knew that I didn't want to buy an expensive bike only to learn that MTBing wasn't for me. I also immediately signed up for an all-women's clinic, figuring that this was the safest way to start.

This was last Christmas. I didn't get to ride on a trail for the first time until right before the clinic in June. By my second lap, I thought "wow; this is kind of fun." I then took the clinic and thought "wow; this is kind of fun, but I definitely have a lot to learn." So far, I've been on the trails every week or so. I live about 45 minutes away from the best local trails, so it's not something I can do every day, but every week or two is doable.

So far, the HT has been fine on what are labeled "beginner" trails. It's handled some technial stuff just fine, so long as I use good technique. To help with technique, I do drills once or twice a week at home. I have no basis for comparison, but I'm riding it and haven't gotten hurt or fallen yet (knock on wood). For reference, I'm 41 years old, 5'4 and 120 pounds. I'm in good shape overall, although I do have some issues with my hands and hips. So far, I haven't felt beat up or bruised from my rides. I've felt worse after road rides ironically.

So, overall, I feel like the HT is doing what I hoped it would do. That is, it's allowed me to get a feel for whether I like MTBing and whether I want to keep doing it (I do on both counts). For a $400 investment, I feel like I've already gotten my money's worth. It's not that I disagree with the advice to go straight to a FS, but I don't think an HT will prevent you from learning to MTB. I wouldn't buy one, however, unless I was comfortable with the idea that it's not likely going to be a forever bike.

That said, I definitely think the lower-end fork limits me to some degree (both in terms of weight and travel). My husband has a spare fork and set of wheels that we intend to put on the bike becasue they're both lighter than the bike's original parts. Do I think it's the bike I want to continue to ride as I ultimately advance to harder trails? Probably not. So, yes, I definitely intend to look at upgrading in the future. With what, I don't know exactly. I'm glad, though, that I now have some frame of reference when I go to test ride them. Since geometry is a limiting factor for me, too, I'll likely have to cross a lot of bikes off my list out of hand. That part is frustrating. Oh, to have long legs!

If you can, I'd try to take advantage of any shop that would allow you to demo bike. You might look for MTB events in your area, too, for demo opportunities. I'd also ask around to see what other women riders are using on the trails you're most likely to ride.

You might read this thread, too, for varying perspectives.

[Ja Da Dee]

Well, I, like you am short, and started mountian biking a few years ago when my hubby suggested it. My first bike was a mid level HT Trek, it worked fine but I did get bounced around quite a bit especially as I started riding more advanced trails and rock gardens. So, I went on a search for a full suspension. I was lucky enough to find a used small Santa Cruz Juliana for a good price, and WOW, I'm totally in LOVE with my bike Totally In LOVE. I wish you were in Minn, I would let you give it a try.

I would suggest you post on the local mountain biking forum to see if any women have small bikes you can try. IMO, if you have a $1600 budget, the bikes are going to all be fairly ok, but each bike will have slightly different geometry. one might fit you better than another, and bike fit is the most important part (although you can make some adjustments). I also believe the number 2 important item is your componants. Get good componants, nothing worse when you are learning, are in a tricky spot and you can't shift. Who knows, you might find a screaming deal on a used bike like I did.

Good luck on your bike search, and HAVE FUN.

[FunSize]

Thanks everyone for the advice I'm still on the fence about forking over the money to pay for a bike. So, no bike yet. But everyone advice definitely has helped me decide for a full suspension. Now I just have to pull the trigger.

Ja da dee. I wish I was in MN too. I grew up there and miss it during the summer time!.... but not the winter time.

In a couple of weeks ill be driving up the east coast to mass. Along the way my bf and I decided it will be a tour of bike shops for me. Fun.