Bike Recommendations

[Flanative]

I'm buying a bike. As a young lad, I was a hard core BMXer. I raced and
spent a lot of time bangin' around the city. I'm looking for something
that I can get out and thrash around the city on and also go off-road.
I want a bike that is light but can take some punishment. I also like
the leverage you can get on the front end with BMX style design. I like
a lower seat and a bit of a more straight-back position as opposed to
the hunched over, hands-in-tight-I'm-going-to-endo-any-moment design
that I've experienced with so many mountain bikes. I'm bigger and older
now so BMX is out. I've been looking at the so called urban/dirt
designs from Muddy Fox, Specialized, Cannondale, Giant, Trek, Norco and
Brodie. Cannondale seems to be one of the premier brands. I was
initially looking at the Cannondale Prophet and Judge but realized
these might be too specialized for offroad and not a good choice for
street as well. Should I confine myself to the urban/dirt models like
the Cannondale Chase or are the models like the Prohet and Judge
flexible enough to thrash aoround the pavement on? Any recommendations
would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[Michael Dart]

Flanative wrote:
> I'm buying a bike. As a young lad, I was a hard core BMXer. I raced
> and spent a lot of time bangin' around the city. I'm looking for
> something that I can get out and thrash around the city on and also
> go off-road. I want a bike that is light but can take some
> punishment. I also like the leverage you can get on the front end
> with BMX style design. I like a lower seat and a bit of a more
> straight-back position as opposed to the hunched over,
> hands-in-tight-I'm-going-to-endo-any-moment design that I've
> experienced with so many mountain bikes. I'm bigger and older now so
> BMX is out. I've been looking at the so called urban/dirt designs
> from Muddy Fox, Specialized, Cannondale, Giant, Trek, Norco and
> Brodie. Cannondale seems to be one of the premier brands. I was
> initially looking at the Cannondale Prophet and Judge but realized
> these might be too specialized for offroad and not a good choice for
> street as well. Should I confine myself to the urban/dirt models like
> the Cannondale Chase or are the models like the Prohet and Judge
> flexible enough to thrash aoround the pavement on? Any
> recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Thanks.

I just picked up a Rocky Mountain Flow frame and a Fox 36 fork. It's plenty
fine for a trail bike and can handle quite a bit of what urban/dirt jump can
throw at it. At about $450 for a frame it's not too bad a deal either.

Here's a pic of my friend dropping in with his Flow. It's a 5 foot wall to
a nice transition.

http://www.pbase.com/mrdart/image/55739507

Mike

 

[LIBERATOR]

Flanative wrote:
> I'm buying a bike. As a young lad, I was a hard core BMXer. I raced and
> spent a lot of time bangin' around the city. I'm looking for something
> that I can get out and thrash around the city on and also go off-road.
> I want a bike that is light but can take some punishment. I also like
> the leverage you can get on the front end with BMX style design. I like
> a lower seat and a bit of a more straight-back position as opposed to
> the hunched over, hands-in-tight-I'm-going-to-endo-any-moment design
> that I've experienced with so many mountain bikes. I'm bigger and older
> now so BMX is out. I've been looking at the so called urban/dirt
> designs from Muddy Fox, Specialized, Cannondale, Giant, Trek, Norco and
> Brodie. Cannondale seems to be one of the premier brands. I was
> initially looking at the Cannondale Prophet and Judge but realized
> these might be too specialized for offroad and not a good choice for
> street as well. Should I confine myself to the urban/dirt models like
> the Cannondale Chase or are the models like the Prohet and Judge
> flexible enough to thrash aoround the pavement on? Any recommendations
> would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Thanks.

YETI or Specialized, the rest are garbage.

 

[adam bootle]

My uncle has a MTB with BMX handlebars (bad back), it looks a bit odd but
does the job for him, lol !

Adam

 

[[email protected]]

What's wrong with Giant ... that isn't wrong with Special 'ed?

R
This can be applied to the others ... but what the heck...

 

[JD]

[email protected] wrote:
> What's wrong with Giant?


Benjamin Spanklin

JD

 

[JD]

Michael Dart wrote:
> Here's a pic of my friend dropping in with his Flow. It's a 5 foot wall to
> a nice transition.
>
> http://www.pbase.com/mrdart/image/55739507


Where's his Star Wars gear?

JD

 

[(PeteCresswell)]

Per adam bootle:
>My uncle has a MTB with BMX handlebars (bad back), it looks a bit odd but
>does the job for him, lol !

He should be careful on sudden stops. BMX handlebars on an MTB have been known
to rotate forwards suddenly under the pressure of the rider's weight during a
hard stop.
--
PeteCresswell

 

[Phil, Squid-in-Training]

"Flanative" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I'm buying a bike. As a young lad, I was a hard core BMXer. I raced and
> spent a lot of time bangin' around the city. I'm looking for something
> that I can get out and thrash around the city on and also go off-road.
> I want a bike that is light but can take some punishment. I also like
> the leverage you can get on the front end with BMX style design. I like
> a lower seat and a bit of a more straight-back position as opposed to
> the hunched over, hands-in-tight-I'm-going-to-endo-any-moment design
> that I've experienced with so many mountain bikes. I'm bigger and older
> now so BMX is out. I've been looking at the so called urban/dirt
> designs from Muddy Fox, Specialized, Cannondale, Giant, Trek, Norco and
> Brodie. Cannondale seems to be one of the premier brands. I was
> initially looking at the Cannondale Prophet and Judge but realized
> these might be too specialized for offroad and not a good choice for
> street as well. Should I confine myself to the urban/dirt models like
> the Cannondale Chase or are the models like the Prohet and Judge
> flexible enough to thrash aoround the pavement on? Any recommendations
> would be greatly appreciated.

Yeah. You need to definitely consider the 2006 Giant STP. STP stands for
Street, Trails, and Park. It's designed by none other than Jeff Lenosky,
trials champion, world record bunnyhop holder, and all around rockin guy.

http://www.giant-bicycle.com/us/030.000.000/030.000.006.asp?model=11275


Take a look at the picture. What this frame has that none of the other
companies have are a pierced top tube (the seat tube goes *through* the top
tube) and a disc brake gusset for reinforcement. Chainguide included, sweet
crankset, oversized handlebars, the whole shebang at a low price. I love
mine.

If you're interested in buying one, I can have my shop price one out for you
for way under MSRP. Lemme know.

Cannondale Chase? 1.5" headset? Why in the world would you limit your fork
choices to about 4 forks? Get with the program, man!

--
Phil, Squid-in-Training

 

[Michael Dart]

JD wrote:
> Michael Dart wrote:
>> Here's a pic of my friend dropping in with his Flow. It's a 5 foot
>> wall to a nice transition.
>>
>> http://www.pbase.com/mrdart/image/55739507
>
>
> Where's his Star Wars gear?
>
> JD

You don't need it when you are jumping to a lawn.

Mike

 

[adam bootle]

"(PeteCresswell)" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

BMX handlebars on an MTB have been known to rotate forwards suddenly under
the pressure of the rider's weight during a hard stop.
> --
> PeteCresswell

Lol, I remember it well Pete, even when fitted to BMX's, around 1984-5
chewing on a red anonised GT stem ! Problem was we had to have the bars
leaning forward from vertical just a bit to enable the bar spins and tail
whips (and to look cool !)

Adam (born again BMXer)

 

[Sorni]

Michael Dart wrote:
> JD wrote:
>> Michael Dart wrote:
>>> Here's a pic of my friend dropping in with his Flow. It's a 5 foot
>>> wall to a nice transition.
>>>
>>> http://www.pbase.com/mrdart/image/55739507
>>
>>
>> Where's his Star Wars gear?
>>
>> JD
>
> You don't need it when you are jumping to a lawn.

So if YOU did it you'd be a... (wait for it) ...LAWN DART?

Bill "yes, painfully slow morning" S.

 

[Michael Dart]

Sorni wrote:
> Michael Dart wrote:
>> JD wrote:
>>> Michael Dart wrote:
>>>> Here's a pic of my friend dropping in with his Flow. It's a 5 foot
>>>> wall to a nice transition.
>>>>
>>>> http://www.pbase.com/mrdart/image/55739507
>>>
>>>
>>> Where's his Star Wars gear?
>>>
>>> JD
>>
>> You don't need it when you are jumping to a lawn.
>
> So if YOU did it you'd be a... (wait for it) ...LAWN DART?
>
> Bill "yes, painfully slow morning" S.

Groan!!!

I have it on first hand experience that impersonating a lawn dart is
extremely painful. :^O

Mike

 

[[email protected]]

JD wrote:
> [email protected] wrote:
> > What's wrong with Giant?
>
>
> Benjamin Spanklin
>
> JD

.... that isn't wrong with special'ed?

My point, if I have one is that Giant is Special' ed's number one
supplier. For that matter Giantis the number one volume frame producer
in the world (all that home market production). Soooo given that the op
doesn't mind an aluminium cookie-cutter frame what difference does it
make if the frame says (Va)Giant or Special' ed on the outside. Buy
what fits, ride, and be happy.

But why didn't Liberace bite?

R

 

[Phil, Squid-in-Training]

[email protected] wrote:
> JD wrote:
>> [email protected] wrote:
>>> What's wrong with Giant?
>>
>>
>> Benjamin Spanklin
>>
>> JD
>
> ... that isn't wrong with special'ed?
>
> My point, if I have one is that Giant is Special' ed's number one
> supplier. For that matter Giantis the number one volume frame producer
> in the world (all that home market production). Soooo given that the
> op doesn't mind an aluminium cookie-cutter frame what difference does
> it make if the frame says (Va)Giant or Special' ed on the outside. Buy
> what fits, ride, and be happy.

Whoa there, buddy... if you're going to spew forth misinformation, at least
mention that before your post.

--
Phil, Squid-in-Training

 

[[email protected]]

Phil, Squid-in-Training wrote:
> [email protected] wrote:
> > JD wrote:
> >> [email protected] wrote:
> >>> What's wrong with Giant?
> >>
> >>
> >> Benjamin Spanklin
> >>
> >> JD
> >
> > ... that isn't wrong with special'ed?
> >
> > My point, if I have one is that Giant is Special' ed's number one
> > supplier. For that matter Giantis the number one volume frame producer
> > in the world (all that home market production). Soooo given that the
> > op doesn't mind an aluminium cookie-cutter frame what difference does
> > it make if the frame says (Va)Giant or Special' ed on the outside. Buy
> > what fits, ride, and be happy.
>
> Whoa there, buddy... if you're going to spew forth misinformation, at least
> mention that before your post.
>

What misinformation?

Giant is/was the largest "bicycle" supplier to Specialized in 2005,
and they have enough power to nix the deal Sinyard had with Chris Smith
.... just by letting Specialized know that they "might be unable to meet
production expectations." Sure Specialized does business with Merida
and others, but Giant is the heavy hitter. (Smith was V.P. of U.S.
Sales for Giant, before announcing that he was quitting to take a job
alongside Sinyard).

If you look at 2004 numbers, Merida and Giant are the two largest
producers out of the R.O.C. Merida produced a "record $165 million",
and Giant's Taiwan operation produced $278.5 million ... but of course,
Giant has factories in Taiwan, China and Holland, which generated
$668.9 million in 2004.

Specialized is a great oufit when it comes to design and marketing, but
they are not a production facility. They buy from Giant, Merida,
Hodoka, A-Pro ... and others, but who cares, as long as the company is
working from a decent design, and is willing to stand behind the
product.

R
Specialized in house production ... ? Anyone have a Merz chainring?

 

[Viet Nguyen]

I just got an old 2004 Specialized P.2, its very Bmx-ey yet moutainy
bike like. Made for ubran jumping trail parking and trail blazing. I
purchased an older frame and built it up. Disk brakes only, and is
very stiff much stiffer than my 2004 Specialized FSR. Can take on 26
inch wheels. The cromoly ones are cool to, but they take 24 inch
wheels and I don't think you can keep up with real mtbikers. Ive got a
100mm suspension fork on it and cant decided on a fork since 100mm is
great, I think im going to get a Pike for the versitlity of
adjustablility. I popped in a bmx stem from a K2 bike and a nice thick
walled handlebar from an xc bike and works well.

 

[Phil, Squid-in-Training]

[email protected] wrote:
> Phil, Squid-in-Training wrote:
>> [email protected] wrote:
>>> JD wrote:
>>>> [email protected] wrote:
>>>>> What's wrong with Giant?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Benjamin Spanklin
>>>>
>>>> JD
>>>
>>> ... that isn't wrong with special'ed?
>>>
>>> My point, if I have one is that Giant is Special' ed's number one
>>> supplier. For that matter Giantis the number one volume frame
>>> producer in the world (all that home market production). Soooo
>>> given that the op doesn't mind an aluminium cookie-cutter frame
>>> what difference does it make if the frame says (Va)Giant or
>>> Special' ed on the outside. Buy what fits, ride, and be happy.
>>
>> Whoa there, buddy... if you're going to spew forth misinformation,
>> at least mention that before your post.
>>
>
> What misinformation?

[snip irrelevant business information]

Your post implies that the "aluminum cookie-cutter" frames are all
identical. The Giant STP series and the Specialized P series are completely
different. Who makes them has no bearing on whether or not it is
desireable. In other words, please stay on topic.

--
Phil, Squid-in-Training

 

[[email protected]]

Phil, Squid-in-Training wrote:
> [email protected] wrote:
> > Phil, Squid-in-Training wrote:
> >> [email protected] wrote:
> >>> JD wrote:
> >>>> [email protected] wrote:
> >>>>> What's wrong with Giant?
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> Benjamin Spanklin
> >>>>
> >>>> JD
> >>>
> >>> ... that isn't wrong with special'ed?
> >>>
> >>> My point, if I have one is that Giant is Special' ed's number one
> >>> supplier. For that matter Giantis the number one volume frame
> >>> producer in the world (all that home market production). Soooo
> >>> given that the op doesn't mind an aluminium cookie-cutter frame
> >>> what difference does it make if the frame says (Va)Giant or
> >>> Special' ed on the outside. Buy what fits, ride, and be happy.
> >>
> >> Whoa there, buddy... if you're going to spew forth misinformation,
> >> at least mention that before your post.
> >>
> >
> > What misinformation?
>
> [snip irrelevant business information]

You did not specify what "misinformation" I had "spewed."

The business information I posted was only to clarify the point I was
making in the original post.

Ride what fits and be happy ... ignore people who claim that one or two
brands are superior to all others.

> Your post implies that the "aluminum cookie-cutter" frames are all
> identical.

Absolutely! Within any given line "aluminum cookie-cutter" frames are
all identical.

Cookie-cutter frames are mass produced, and with modern qa/qc there is
no problem with that.

I did not, however, imply that the bikes that Giant made for SBI are
"identical" to bikes produced for Giant dealers.

> The Giant STP series and the Specialized P series are completely
> different.

Agreed.

>Who makes them has no bearing on whether or not it is
> desireable.

Are you suggesting that the desireability of a bike is just marketing?
It seems to me that the quality of contruction plays a role in making a
bike "desireable."

The post I was replying to was prompting the OP to look only at
Specialized and Yeti with all other makes being "****." There is
nothing about a Specialized, that makes it inherently better than a
Giant. My answer to the OP was "ride what fits."

>In other words, please stay on topic.

On topic in alt .... that could happen.

Then again, I see nothing OT about pointing out that the quaility of
product from Specialized, in most cases, does not vary from the quality
of brands like Giant.

Seems to me that you misunderstood what I wrote and labled it an
"misinformation."

I stand by what I wrote, "Buy what fits, ride, and be happy."

> --
> Phil, Squid-in-Training

BTW Oury motorcycle grips are distributed by Western Power Sports,
Tucker-Rocky and Hap Jones. Any motorcycle shop should be able to order
them, and a good bicycle shop might be able to play the game and get on
with Hap.

R

 

[Scott Gordo]

[email protected] wrote:
> Phil, Squid-in-Training wrote:
> > [email protected] wrote:
> > > Phil, Squid-in-Training wrote:
> > >> [email protected] wrote:
> > >>> JD wrote:
> > >>>> [email protected] wrote:
> > >>>>> What's wrong with Giant?
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>> Benjamin Spanklin
> > >>>>
> > >>>> JD
> > >>>
> > >>> ... that isn't wrong with special'ed?
> > >>>
> > >>> My point, if I have one is that Giant is Special' ed's number one
> > >>> supplier. For that matter Giantis the number one volume frame
> > >>> producer in the world (all that home market production). Soooo
> > >>> given that the op doesn't mind an aluminium cookie-cutter frame
> > >>> what difference does it make if the frame says (Va)Giant or
> > >>> Special' ed on the outside. Buy what fits, ride, and be happy.
> > >>
> > >> Whoa there, buddy... if you're going to spew forth misinformation,
> > >> at least mention that before your post.
> > >>
> > >
> > > What misinformation?
> >
> > [snip irrelevant business information]
>
> You did not specify what "misinformation" I had "spewed."
>
> The business information I posted was only to clarify the point I was
> making in the original post.
>
> Ride what fits and be happy ... ignore people who claim that one or two
> brands are superior to all others.
>
> > Your post implies that the "aluminum cookie-cutter" frames are all
> > identical.
>
> Absolutely! Within any given line "aluminum cookie-cutter" frames are
> all identical.
>
> Cookie-cutter frames are mass produced, and with modern qa/qc there is
> no problem with that.
>
> I did not, however, imply that the bikes that Giant made for SBI are
> "identical" to bikes produced for Giant dealers.
>
> > The Giant STP series and the Specialized P series are completely
> > different.

Please excuse my ignorance, but are they really "completely different"?
How? Other than the obvious fact that one has lots of square tubes and
the other lots of round. The seat tube angle is a couple degrees
different, but I'd assume that anybody buying a bike with that little
seat tube isn't going to be riding with a lot of post showing. Is this
a round vs. square thing? Is it something that would be perceived by
the rider in any way other than visually? Have they been measured, side
by side, for durability or frame flex? Is one frame significantly
lighter than the other?

Scott



>
> Agreed.
>
> >Who makes them has no bearing on whether or not it is
> > desireable.
>
> Are you suggesting that the desireability of a bike is just marketing?
> It seems to me that the quality of contruction plays a role in making a
> bike "desireable."
>
> The post I was replying to was prompting the OP to look only at
> Specialized and Yeti with all other makes being "****." There is
> nothing about a Specialized, that makes it inherently better than a
> Giant. My answer to the OP was "ride what fits."
>
> >In other words, please stay on topic.
>
> On topic in alt .... that could happen.
>
> Then again, I see nothing OT about pointing out that the quaility of
> product from Specialized, in most cases, does not vary from the quality
> of brands like Giant.
>
> Seems to me that you misunderstood what I wrote and labled it an
> "misinformation."
>
> I stand by what I wrote, "Buy what fits, ride, and be happy."
>
> > --
> > Phil, Squid-in-Training
>
> BTW Oury motorcycle grips are distributed by Western Power Sports,
> Tucker-Rocky and Hap Jones. Any motorcycle shop should be able to order
> them, and a good bicycle shop might be able to play the game and get on
> with Hap.
>
> R