First mntn bike...k2 any good?

Want to get my first mountain bike, and since I'm brand new to it, I figured I'd go in the
"affordable" range of $300 or less until I figure a little more out about equipment and how serious
I'm going to be. I've been looking at the k2 bikes, simply because I have k2 skis. Does anyone have
an opinion? Will a $300 bike last me a year or two before I need to upgrade? Is there a website I
should go to to do my own research?

thanks for your help!

determined

 

> I'd go in the "affordable" range of $300 or less until I figure a little more out about equipment
> and how serious I'm going to be.

I can't help you much with the k2 bikes. I don't think that you can get much with $300, but since
you ask - I'd recommend the Diamondback Response (it's right in your price bracket) or the slightly
more expensive Trek 4300.

Will a $300 bike last you? That all depends what kind of trails you're going to ride.

When you say upgrade, do you mean buy another bike? The cheaper bikes are not really worth
upgrading parts.

good luck.

J...D

 

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] says...
> Want to get my first mountain bike, and since I'm brand new to it, I figured I'd go in the
> "affordable" range of $300 or less until I figure a little more out about equipment and how
> serious I'm going to be. I've been looking at the k2 bikes, simply because I have k2 skis. Does
> anyone have an opinion? Will a $300 bike last me a year or two before I need to upgrade? Is there
> a website I should go to to do my own research?
>
> thanks for your help!
>
> determined
>
>
>

I have a $200 bike that has so far lasted me 3 years @ about 1500 miles/year. take care of it and it
will last you a good long time.

Keep in mind that it most likely will not have "top" parts on it so they may not perform to
perfection. I ride mine fairly aggressive IMO, through mud and water, over rocks, and down some
hills that make some of the locals cringe.

I bought at a department store, you will most likely have to set up the bike yourself, or take it to
a "real" bike shop for a setup. have them fit the bike for you as well (seat height, etc...).

IMO, the best first accessories/equipment would be a pair of biking gloves to cut down on arm-pump
(as the MotoX folks call it), and vibration. second, thought there is much debate here on weather or
not to, but buy and wear a helmet. it may technically protect your head in a faster than 4Mph crash,
but it helps for low branches. I like to think a decent speedometer is a good accessory as you can
visualy see your progress, such as miles per trip, etc.

Actually, now that i think about it, i think this is my 4th year on this bike. i have only had to
replace a few parts, such as the rear freewheel, and the bottom bracket, though i have gone through
many a set of brake pads (about 6 - 7 sets per year). this reminds me, if the bike is bought at a
department store, make sure during the setup, the toe-in of the pads gets set or they will squeal.

You may or may not know some of the stuff i stated here, but IMO it's good knowledge, though others
may have better, or other ideas. Keep in mind, you will get a lot of posts regarding what bike you
should have bought (assuming you bought the K2 already), but these posts are not very helpful,
except for future reference.

~Travis
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Technician wrote:

> I like to think a decent speedometer is a good accessory

Indeed!

 

> The cheaper bikes are not really worth upgrading parts.

Why? do the frames rust beyond ridability?

Correct me if i am wrong, but the thing that makes a bike cheap are the parts, therefor upgrading
the parts raises the quality of the bike. sure, the frame may be heavy, but so what. if you have
gotten so wimpy that the weight of the bike is important, then i pity you. a heavy bike is more of a
challenge. i am impressed more by the guy who can ride a 50 lb bike, and still keep up with all the
guys riding feather weight bikes.

My $200 bike is just as good as a $1000 bike, simply because it gets me around on the same trails
just fine. until the day when the frame gives up, this bike will remain just as good IMO regardless
of what anybody else says. I have no problem investing in new parts, or even upgrading parts when
the frame still holds strong.

~Travis
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"Technician" <[email protected]es.megalink.net> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
| > The cheaper bikes are not really worth upgrading parts.
|
| Why? do the frames rust beyond ridability?
|
| Correct me if i am wrong, but the thing that makes a bike cheap are the parts, therefor upgrading
| the parts raises the quality of the bike. sure, the frame may be heavy, but so what. if you have
| gotten so wimpy that the weight of the bike is important, then i pity you. a heavy bike is more of
| a challenge. i am impressed more by the guy who can ride a 50 lb bike, and still keep up with all
| the guys riding feather weight bikes.
|
| My $200 bike is just as good as a $1000 bike, simply because it gets me around on the same trails
| just fine. until the day when the frame gives up, this bike will remain just as good IMO
| regardless of what anybody else says. I have no problem investing in new parts, or even upgrading
| parts when the frame still holds strong.

Actually, take two frames, say, a steel Specialized Hardrock and a custom Breezer CroMo frame and
build them up with identical parts. The difference would be night and day. There are companies out
there that take a good frame and hang economy parts on it to sell at a price point. Then there are
others who take an economy frame and hang better stuff on it. I'd rather have the good frame.

---
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John Dinh brought up the Trek 4300. A friend of mine has that particular bike. His is a 2001 though.
He likes it very much and has had no problems with it.

I have here a page with K2 bikes that have reviews and the Trek 4300 reviews.

K2 reviews, all bikes http://www.mtbr.com/reviews/manufacturers/2652/

Trek 4300 http://www.mtbr.com/reviews/2003_hardtail/product_121385.shtml

The site has reviews for most brands so its one place to research.

 

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] says...
>
> "Technician" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> | > The cheaper bikes are not really worth upgrading parts.
> |
> | Why? do the frames rust beyond ridability?
> |
> | Correct me if i am wrong, but the thing that makes a bike cheap are the parts, therefor
> | upgrading the parts raises the quality of the bike. sure, the frame may be heavy, but so what.
> | if you have gotten so wimpy that the weight of the bike is important, then i pity you. a heavy
> | bike is more of a challenge. i am impressed more by the guy who can ride a 50 lb bike, and still
> | keep up with all the guys riding feather weight bikes.
> |
> | My $200 bike is just as good as a $1000 bike, simply because it gets me around on the same
> | trails just fine. until the day when the frame gives up, this bike will remain just as good IMO
> | regardless of what anybody else says. I have no problem investing in new parts, or even
> | upgrading parts when the frame still holds strong.
>
> Actually, take two frames, say, a steel Specialized Hardrock and a custom Breezer CroMo frame and
> build them up with identical parts. The difference would be night and day. There are companies out
> there that take a good frame and hang economy parts on it to sell at a price point. Then there are
> others who take an economy frame and hang better stuff on it. I'd rather have the good frame.
>

True, but how can a frame be deemed good? the fact that i have gotten thousands of fairly hard miles
(at least, far harder than the frame was possibly built for). I may not leap off jumps as big as, i
think it was one of Sean's videos, but i do ride over ricks rather than around them. if i find a
sharp rise, or natural jump (like a log back-filled with dirt), i usually ride it out several times
just for the thrill.

I have found no visible frame damage at all. no cracks, no bends, not deformation that i can detect
anywhere. This IMO is a "good" frame, though it may not be the best, it survives my riding, and
that's what really matters. Of course, if i up the scale of the riding aggressiveness, then i will
most likely want to invest in a better frame.

~Travis
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"determined" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> Want to get my first mountain bike, and since I'm brand new to it, I figured I'd go in the
> "affordable" range of $300 or less until I figure a little more out about equipment and how
> serious I'm going to be. I've been looking at the k2 bikes, simply because I have k2 skis. Does
> anyone have an opinion? Will a $300 bike last me a year or two before I need to upgrade? Is there
> a website I should go to to do my own research?
>
> thanks for your help!
>
> determined

Well, good for you. I mean that. I recommend you start a little more expensive, though, for 2
reasons. First, if you like the sport, you'll enjoy better equipment. Second, if you don't, you'll
have a better return at resale.

I like K-2's, but I've only ridden the Team Razorback after a race once, and I frankly loved it. But
it clocks in over $2k.

You'll probably be referred in other replies to a FAQ somebody has on how to buy a bike, and I'd
recommend you go to a few reputable bike shops and see what they have in your price range, ride a
few, make sure it fits, and avoid any dept store bikes --NO MATTER WHAT. Even Schwinns are now sold
at Wal-Mart, but they're not real Schwinns. Find a bike you like that fits you at a bike shop, buy
it, then ride
it. Ride it. Ride it.

Hope this helps a bit.

Paladin

 

"determined" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> Want to get my first mountain bike, and since I'm brand new to it, I figured I'd go in the
> "affordable" range of $300 or less until I figure a little more out about equipment and how
> serious I'm going to be. I've been looking at the k2 bikes, simply because I have k2 skis. Does
> anyone have an opinion? Will a $300 bike last me a year or two before I need to upgrade? Is there
> a website I should go to to do my own research?
>
> thanks for your help!
>
> determined

K2 does have some descent bikes, but those that are worth owning are definitley not in that price
range. If you can up your "willing to spend" amount to say, $500, you can get a Giant Iguana that
will suit you just fine for a first time bike. Giant is known for offering alot of bike for not alot
of money, and as a Giant owner, I will tell you that you will be pleased with a purchase of a Giant
bicycle. They stand behind their frames 100% and will often replace your current frame with an
upgraded frame if it breaks. The Giant Iguana, Iguana disc, or the Giant Rainier are great bikes to
grow with too, if you plan on upgrading components in the future. Check them out at
www.giantbicycles.com.

 

> Why? do the frames rust beyond ridability?

First of all, if you've had a great time on a $200 bike that's all that matters. If this guy who
wrote the post is riding trails in which a $200 bike will last him and if he will enjoy riding a
$200 bike, that's all that matters.

I myself started with some trashy second hand bikes. When I got a job I bought a department store
bike for less than $200. I damaged a lot of the parts, because I ride off jumps and drop between 2
and 5 feet. Notably, the frame bent and became noticeably weak at some of the joints, because many
department store bikes like mine (the old one) have no gussets and are not built with the same care
as the higher end bikes. After wearing it away, it was not worthwhile to buy new parts for it. In
fact, many of the parts are not upgradeable (the bottom bracket, pedals are incompatible, and there
are no mounts for racks or disk brakes etc). I thought it was a better investment to get a better
frame, which also included the better ability to upgrade. As far as the weight issue, there's no
reason to talk down on people who want a lighter bike. It's true, I was proud of the fact that I
could ride my 40 lb hunk of steel with a full daypack and pass others on the trail. But when I rode
my friends bike (which was under 30lbs) I liked it, and I could ride even tougher trails. Some
people say the same thing about full suspension bikes (or even hardtails with front suspension).
What's the point of riding offroad if you need to cush your tail with full suspension? Well, I rode
on some washboards with a full suspension and you get a smooth ride and you can maintain speed on a
downhill...

> if you have gotten so wimpy that the weight of the bike is important, then i pity you.

No need to be so defensive. It's all relative. There are rock climbers that don't shave down on
weight because they want to be "challenged". But that doesn't mean it's a bad idea to do so. One of
the climbers that topped Mt. Everest decided to do it without an oxygen tank. He wanted to "test"
himself, and to be more natural. Then again, some people die without oxygen up there. Although you
could buy three $200 bikes for the price of my hardtail, I don't want to go through 3 bikes. Riding
your bike and feeling it break under you (and I'm not a heavy rider <150lbs), is a horrible feeling.
In fact, most department store bikes, including the full suspension ones have warnings on them that
say that they are not designed for off-road use.

> i am impressed more by the guy who can ride a 50 lb bike, and still keep up with all the guys
> riding feather weight bikes.

That's true. If the guy who posted said he wanted to impress me, I might have recommended that.

Another question that I usually ask people who want advice is: who do you ride with? Most people
don't ride alone. If you have similar riding skills as your friends, it's likely that you'll have
the most fun riding a similar quality bike. If you're riding with other people and you can't keep
up, you might consider getting a bike that gives you more advantages. If on the other hand you can
keep up with your friends on the bike you've got even if it's of lesser quality it doesn't matter.

>> The cheaper bikes are not really worth upgrading parts.

> Why? do the frames rust beyond ridability?

Well, the most obvious thing that was on my mind was that some $200 bikes don't have the ability to
upgrade or you need to buy all sorts of adapters and spacers for your bottom bracket etc, and also,
some people upgrade to parts that are "lighter" or "stronger" but it's more effective to get a
lighter or a stronger built frame.

Rust is a whole other issue. Cheaper bikes are steel and rust. Aluminum bikes don't (although the
parts may).

To the first poster: is any of this advice actually useful?

- J...D

 

Technician wrote:

> I have a $200 bike that has so far lasted me 3 years @ about 1500 miles/year. take care of it and
> it will last you a good long time.
>
> Keep in mind that it most likely will not have "top" parts on it so they may not perform to
> perfection. I ride mine fairly aggressive IMO, through mud and water, over rocks, and down some
> hills that make some of the locals cringe.

I'm intrigued. This great $200 bike you're touting, is it the same one that you tried to sell here
three months ago as a "POS Wal-goose $60"?

"Why so cheap? for one it really is a POS regardless of it being full suspension..."

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ClydesdaleMTB <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>
>
> Technician wrote:
>
> > I like to think a
> > decent speedometer is a good accessory
>
> Indeed!

Heheheheh, ya bunny fugger ',;~}~

Shaun aRe

 

On Wed, 23 Apr 2003 22:32:02 GMT, "determined" <[email protected]> wrote:

>Want to get my first mountain bike, and since I'm brand new to it, I figured I'd go in the
>"affordable" range of $300 or less until I figure a little more out about equipment and how serious
>I'm going to be. I've been looking at the k2 bikes, simply because I have k2 skis. Does anyone have
>an opinion? Will a $300 bike last me a year or two before I need to upgrade? Is there a website I
>should go to to do my own research?
>
>thanks for your help!
>
>determined
>

What model are you lookin at in the K-2 Brand? I bought a Zed 2.0 H/T and have beat the she-ot out
of it. The frame has had no issues whatsoever. But the components have been another matter
altogether. In the 2 1/2 years I've owned it, I've upgraded "everything" on the bike except front
and rear derailers, and the bars. But the bars are next. The components on the bike were the bottom
of the barrell from the respective vendors. I have invested much in the beast. It has helped to be
mechanically inclined.

It really depends on what you want to accomplish. Are you the type that like to work on things? If
you buy a lower end bike, you WILL have maintenance issue, unless, like most, you just let it sit in
the garage. I used it as refresher course in bike mainrenance, and it's been fun.

I say get it, and use it to your advantage. Learn all you can about your bike. You'll be glad you
did. That is if you intend to keep riding. I suspect you will.

HTH,

Dave

 

Shaun Rimmer wrote:
> Heheheheh, ya bunny fugger ',;~}~

I NEVER buggered my bunny!

Though I was sad when we had to get rid of Pascal (a sable haired Australian Lop) when SWMBO got
pregnant. He was a great pet, we let him "free" out at the in-law's farm, I know he survuved at
least two years in the wild.

 

"John G" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
|
|
| Shaun Rimmer wrote:
| > Heheheheh, ya bunny fugger ',;~}~
|
| I NEVER buggered my bunny!
|
| Though I was sad when we had to get rid of Pascal (a sable haired Australian Lop) when SWMBO got
| pregnant. He was a great pet, we let him "free" out at the in-law's farm, I know he survuved at
| least two years in the wild.
|

Another reason we don't have kids - I'm not giving up our cats.

---
__o _`\(,_ Cycling is life, (_)/ (_) all the rest, just details. Nelson Binch =^o.o^=
http://intergalax.com

Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.474 / Virus Database: 272 -
Release Date: 4/18/2003

 

John G <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>
>
> Shaun Rimmer wrote:
> > Heheheheh, ya bunny fugger ',;~}~
>
> I NEVER buggered my bunny!

You'z in de Nile!

> Though I was sad when we had to get rid of Pascal (a sable haired Australian Lop) when SWMBO got
> pregnant. He was a great pet, we let him "free" out at the in-law's farm, I know he survuved at
> least two years in the wild.

One of my mum's freinds had their all e lop eared escape. 2 years later, while waking in a woods a
mile or two away, I saw a bunch of little bunnies, all white with brown and black patches, and yup,
gret big lop ears! Heheheheh, seems the little fella may well have survived, and made his horny best
of his freedom too, heheheheh.........

Shaun aRe

 

"Shaun Rimmer" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> John G <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> >
> >
> > Shaun Rimmer wrote:
> > > Heheheheh, ya bunny fugger ',;~}~
> >
> > I NEVER buggered my bunny!
>
> You'z in de Nile!
>
> > Though I was sad when we had to get rid of Pascal (a sable haired Australian Lop) when SWMBO got
> > pregnant. He was a great pet, we let him "free" out at the in-law's farm, I know he survuved at
> > least two years in the wild.
>
> One of my mum's freinds had their all e lop eared escape. 2 years later, while waking in a woods a
> mile or two away, I saw a bunch of little
bunnies,
> all white with brown and black patches, and yup, gret big lop ears! Heheheheh, seems the little
> fella may well have survived, and made his
horny
> best of his freedom too, heheheheh.........
>
> Shaun aRe

I can picture it now, a couple of cute chick (doe) bunnies hangin' out by the tree stump, when all
of a sudden your mates bunny hops into view. All those old bunny sayings about 'bunnies with big
ears' suddenly make them veeery curious......

Steve E.

 

spademan o---[) * <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Shaun Rimmer" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> >
> > John G <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> > >
> > >
> > > Shaun Rimmer wrote:
> > > > Heheheheh, ya bunny fugger ',;~}~
> > >
> > > I NEVER buggered my bunny!
> >
> > You'z in de Nile!
> >
> > > Though I was sad when we had to get rid of Pascal (a sable haired Australian Lop) when SWMBO
> > > got pregnant. He was a great pet, we let him "free" out at the in-law's farm, I know he
> > > survuved at least two years in the wild.
> >
> > One of my mum's freinds had their all e lop eared escape. 2 years later, while waking in a woods
> > a mile or two away, I saw a bunch of little
> bunnies,
> > all white with brown and black patches, and yup, gret big lop ears! Heheheheh, seems the little
> > fella may well have survived, and made his
> horny
> > best of his freedom too, heheheheh.........
> >
> > Shaun aRe
>
> I can picture it now, a couple of cute chick (doe) bunnies hangin' out by the tree stump, when all
> of a sudden your mates bunny hops into view. All those old bunny sayings about 'bunnies with big
> ears' suddenly make them veeery curious......
>
> Steve E.

Yeah, well, certainly looks like they found out the tale was a true one eh?...........

Shaun aRe

 

John G <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Shaun Rimmer wrote:
> > Heheheheh, ya bunny fugger ',;~}~
>
> I NEVER buggered my bunny!
>
> Though I was sad when we had to get rid of Pascal (a sable haired Australian Lop) when SWMBO got
> pregnant. He was a great pet, we let him "free" out at the in-law's farm, I know he survuved at
> least two years in the wild.

One of the happiest day of my life was when we moved this big beautiful, but vicious rabbit out of
my daughter's bedroom, and over to a breeder. Jimminy Christmas those things stink. Cuddly bunny
it was not.

Paladin