"Tom Lee" <
[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<
[email protected]>...
> Thanks - most of the posts weren't really helpful.
Why not? Because they didn't tell you what you wanted to hear?
> I'm not really into riding (yet?) and not sure I want to be really into it as a hobby, just want
> to get some exercise.
MTBing is a strange thing. I got my first MTB because I wanted something durable to ride back and
forth to work. Whose tires would stand up to sharp rocks and uneven road surfaces. And would allow
me to take advantage of a rough dirt road shortcut.
After a while, I looked forward to that dirt road more than anything else on the ride. Because my
first bike was a real POS, I couldn't do anything with it except ****-can it and get a "real" bike.
A cheapo Diamondback, from which all that remains is the steel frame. As my current ride, LOL!
> Now, if some of the posts said something about reasons why those bikes all sucked (as quakenshake
> was doing talking about the derailleurs and shifters) then that would help me make a decision.
Cheap, heavy, not durable. It's cheap for a reason. Look at cars for an analogy - A Kia is a cheap
ride. But if you are looking for a reliable auto, is Kia the first brand that comes to mind?
Probably not.
I doubt you want to spend time and money fixing a crappy bike. Best to make a better purchase
up-front. In the end, if you end up not riding the bike, at least you could sell it to another
beginner via eBay or mtbr.com or something - and get some of your money back. With a crappy Jeep
bike, you'll get a big, steaming mug of nothing.
> Is there an issue of reliability?
Yup.
> That may sway me - I don't want the thing breaking apart after a month. But again, I'm not looking
> to take on any jumps or anything.
I have heard stories of cheap bikes breaking just coming off a curb. That's not only crappy quality,
but dangerous as well.
> Am I going to be embarassed to ride it out with my friends when we go clod hopping? No, again not
> a problem because I'm not going to do that.
Never say never. You may find you like riding on trails. Or not. In the end, a higher quality bike
is more fun to ride.
> I'm not even convinced that I need a mountain bike at all if most of the riding is on the street
> - I just don't want a thin-tired touring bike. My situation is that I have a bunch of points to
> use up, and not really excited about laying out a wad of cash right now.
I chose a MTB because I figured it would stand up to the abuse I might give it a little better than
a road bike. I feel it was a sound choice, then and now. Hell, I still use my beater MTB as a
commuter, knobbies and all. Some people feel the need to have a stable of bikes, and that's great,
but if you want or need one all-around bike that's going to stand up to some abuse, I think a MTB is
a good choice.
If those are your choices, go with a Fuji. And not a comfort bike. But if the bike is going to
decorate a garage wall for most of it's life, then use the AMEX points on something else. Nothing
kills a desire to engage in a new sport faster than crappy equipment.
Spider
