First Bike Advice

First apologies if this question is not appropriate to this group.

I am about to buy a bike again after a number of years not cycling. I would plan to use it to get
a little exercise and would be cycling on roads and off road cycle paths etc. so no extreme
mountain biking.

I have looked in my local bike shop and seen a Raleigh Mountain bike(Max Aero). This is a basic
Mountain bike with ridged forks and a Chromeoly ?? frame. Parts all look reasonable quality (Shimano
gears, EZ rapid fire shifters, Pro Max Brakes) and although it is obviously an old model it
apparently had a UK RRP of 190 pounds. It is on offer for 90 pounds in a sale.

Is this a good buy for a novice like me to start with? I've tried it for size etc. and it feels ok.
In all honesty I can't afford to spend a great deal and all of the other bikes in this price range
were makes I had never heard of. I understand that when paying this sort of money I can't expect a
serious mountain bike.

Any advice greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Marc

 

Marc Jennings wrote:
> First apologies if this question is not appropriate to this group.
>
> I am about to buy a bike again after a number of years not cycling. I would plan to use it to get
> a little exercise and would be cycling on roads and off road cycle paths etc. so no extreme
> mountain biking.
>
> I have looked in my local bike shop and seen a Raleigh Mountain bike(Max Aero). This is a basic
> Mountain bike with ridged forks and a Chromeoly ?? frame. Parts all look reasonable quality
> (Shimano gears, EZ rapid fire shifters, Pro Max Brakes) and although it is obviously an old model
> it apparently had a UK RRP of 190 pounds. It is on offer for 90 pounds in a sale.
>
> Is this a good buy for a novice like me to start with? I've tried it for size etc. and it feels
> ok. In all honesty I can't afford to spend a great deal and all of the other bikes in this price
> range were makes I had never heard of. I understand that when paying this sort of money I can't
> expect a serious mountain bike.
>
> Any advice greatly appreciated.

For the type of riding you're anticipating doing, this sounds like a good choice to me. Not "boingy"
for smooth paths and trails; rugged enough to handle a few rocks 'n roots here and there.

Bill "I say go for it" S.

 

On Wed, 04 Feb 2004 14:02:38 +0000, Marc Jennings wrote:

> I have looked in my local bike shop and seen a Raleigh Mountain bike(Max Aero). This is a basic
> Mountain bike with ridged forks and a Chromeoly ?? frame. Parts all look reasonable quality
> (Shimano gears, EZ rapid fire shifters, Pro Max Brakes) and although it is obviously an old model
> it apparently had a UK RRP of 190 pounds. It is on offer for 90 pounds in a sale.

I'd be very surprised if it had a cro-mo frame for that price. I'd double-check that the salesman
hasn't been telling you porkies. Much more likely to be high tensile steel.

> Is this a good buy for a novice like me to start with? I've tried it for size etc. and it
> feels ok.

If it fits, and you have no real intention of actually mountain biking with it, then it
should be fine.

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