Mtb Aid Pls

monsterman said:

Probably not the "right" forum but you all seem so nice and friendly 😄.

I'm looking at buying an MTB, with the aim of joing some mates and riding the Hidden Vale Epic next year. Would also like the option of sticking slicks on it for commuting. The problem is I know diddly squat about anything MTB.

I'm happy to spend abt $3k & would prefer to get something over spec'd than under - in the "do you want the bike you'd rather pay for or the bike you'd rather ride?" sort of way. Also, I am the type of [censored] who generally spends more on gear than my ability justifies. Could be worse - might spend it on a big 4WD.

So people, what should I look for in terms of:

1. frame (brand; soft tail or hard tail etc)
   
2. group set, and what sprt of shifting is best
   
3. forks - my god there seems to be a dizzying array of choice
   
4. wheels
   
5. etc.
   

All advice welcomed. Please help plug this rather large gap in my ignorance😄 😄

Hmm... that's one huge question, so i'll just start with some preliminary thoughts...

If you're looking to commute, a good compromise would be a nice high-spec hardtail rather than duallie. You can always slip a suspension seatpost on if you feel the need for off-road venturing...

Groupset? for that price, XT should be mandatory. Disc brakes will be assumed (but that doesn't necessarily make them 'better'😉, just make sure to get hydraulics...

Forks? I'm not up to date with the latest forks, although it would probably be wise to find something air-sprung and adjustable so that it can be firmed up for commuting, or even locked out.

Wheels? KISS I always believe... Go with a well built set of traditional wheels... You may be offered tubeless, so worth reading up on the pros and cons of that system...

GT offer a nice urban-oriented MTB which I've always like the look of which can be 'retrofitted' for dirty uses as well... Probably overpriced, but stylish...

IMHO you probably don't need to spend anywhere near $3k to get a bike that would suit you well. $1500 would get you a very nice hardtail with all the components most of us will ever need...

"monsterman" wrote in message ..

Quoted message said:

Probably not the "right" forum but you all seem so nice and friendly 😄.

Why not? Despite appearances this is not aus.cm or alt.melbourne.bike ;-)

<snip>

Quoted message said:

I'm happy to spend abt $3k & would prefer to get something over spec'd
than under - in the "do you want the bike you'd rather pay for or the
bike you'd rather ride?" sort of way.

$3k will get you a very nice HT (hard tail) which is probably best if you're planning on commuting on it. $3k will also get you a
reasonable dually

Quoted message said:

Also, I am the type of [censored] who generally spends more on gear than my ability justifies.

<snip.>
Most of us are.

Quoted message said:

So people, what should I look for in terms of:

- frame (brand; soft tail or hard tail etc)

HT (for commuting). Brands: Giant, Avanti, Specialized, Kona, Scott, Mongoose, Merrida, Felt, Trek, Cannondale probably lots of
others.
With 3k to throw arround you could probably build up something a bit different eg
- Surly Karate Monkey with 29" (700C) wheels - gears for the weekend,single or fixed for the week
- Salsa Ala Carte for that retro look.

I think I'm showing a bias to steel...

Quoted message said:

- group set, and what sprt of shifting is best

No shifting is best - 1 gear all the way. :-D

If you insist on having gears you'll either get SRAM (the little S) or Shimano (the big S). SRAM have traditionally been twist
grips to shifts but they to trigger shifters also now.

Quoted message said:

- forks - my god there seems to be a dizzying array of choice

Whatever comes on the bike

Quoted message said:

- wheels

Same

Quoted message said:

- etc.
All advice welcomed. Please help plug this rather large gap in my
ignorance😄 😄

Parbs

eddiec said:

Groupset? for that price, XT should be mandatory.

My personal preference is for SRAM X.9, or X.0 if you bling factor. Their triggers just seem a little better designed, and grip shifts are nice if you want to lose weight - although they have their pros and cons.

eddiec said:

IMHO you probably don't need to spend anywhere near $3k to get a bike that would suit you well. $1500 would get you a very nice hardtail with all the components most of us will ever need...

I strongly agree with that. I do regular MTB races, and my $1400 Giant XTC 2 is more than competitive. Especially now I've spent $530 on getting a better wheelset for it 😄. I'd look at spending $1500-2000 first up, and then you can upgrade stuff later on if you want to burn money. Every bike will have it's strong and weak points, so money left over to upgrade the weak bits is good. Just go for a bike with a good frame, as upgrading that can be a pain.

As for actual suggestions, I'm a fan of Giant bikes (hence why I bought one). Basically you get a lot of bike for your dollar. Stay away from duallies or freeride bikes if you want to use it on the road, which you mean the XTC range - all nice bikes.

If you wanted to be exotic, you could import a motobecane using shopthestates.com They are built with an eye for weigh savings (hence the rim brakes) and would therefor make an ideal commuter bike should you tread it with slicks. Check it out at http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/fly_9357_06sale.htm

Final advice: head down to your LBS and ask what they recommend. A lot of them do know their stuff 🙂.

monsterman said:

Would also like the option of sticking slicks on it for commuting.

Come on, admit, you're a troll with a line like that. {:-)

Quoted message said:

I'm happy to spend abt $3k & would prefer to get something

$3K, your mad. $1K max, $1K on touring gear and rest to start touring
around Australia.

spend your $3K on something that looks good on the wall, otherwise you
just wasting your money, but then I ride a 20 year old steel mtb {:-
).[1]

Frame really depends on what you are going to use it for.
Downhill, dually,
MTB < 12 hours, front sus.
Anything else, hard tail, no front sus as it is lighter.

[1] highlight of my day was going up the street to a 72 year old
neighbour to see the new bike he'd brought. Oh bugger, it was a Huffy
dually and I had to resist saying "what did you buy that heap of [censored]
for". To top it off, he was worried about a couple of scratched and a
rub where the cable shifted. Sheesh. Turned out to be one of the
grandsons, wh now had his car liscence and he gave him $100 for it.

On Mon, 31 Oct 2005 22:34:12 +1100, SomeGuy
<[email hidden]> wrote :

Quoted message said:

duallies or freeride bikes....

I'm sort of new to this group (don't have a bike yet) - is their a link I can go
for bicycling terms ? In particular, what are :

Duallies ?
Freerides ?
Hardtails ?

Apologies for appearing really dumb,
DS.

"David Springthorpe" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On Mon, 31 Oct 2005 22:34:12 +1100, SomeGuy
<[email hidden]> wrote :

Quoted message said:

duallies or freeride bikes....

I'm sort of new to this group (don't have a bike yet) - is their a link I

can go

Quoted message said:

for bicycling terms ? In particular, what are :

Duallies ?
Freerides ?
Hardtails ?

Apologies for appearing really dumb,
DS.

David,

Have a look at www.sheldonbrown.com he pretty well covers all things
bike!!!

Duallies - mountain bikes (mtb) with dual suspension basically go from
light-weight with short travel for Cross Country (XC) racing through to
heavy-weight with long suspension travel for downhill (DH) bikes. In the
middle there are a whole range of categories that differ from manufacturer
to manufacturer and include all-mountain, freeride (FR), enduro, trail, 4X
(basically 4 guys racing at once over a short DH course with man-made jumps
and berms). From what you are describing, if you decide to go for dual
suspension, you would probably be looking at an "all-mountain" or "enduro"
type bike that would have 4 or 5 inches of travel front and rear and in that
price range might want to look at GT Idrive 5, Specialized FSR 120, Giant
Reign, Mongoose Teocali Elite, etc.......the list is endless.

Freeride - Basically a dual suspension bike that has stacks of suspension
travel with a strong frame and components so that it can be used for big
downhills, big jumps, big dropoffs, etc. Usually a bit cheaper and lighter
than a full on downhill rig but not the sort of bike you would want to have
to ride up too many hills.

Hardtail - a mtb with a front suspension fork but no rear suspension. I
agree with previous posters that this type of bike would probably suit your
needs and have the advantage of being lighter than a dually (in weight and
on the wallet). For the money you are talking, you could get a really nice
hardtail (maybe 2005 model going cheap) and have enough left over to fork
out for some decent riding gear as this is not cheap.

I rode for years on a mtb just wearing normal shorts and runners in the
early 90s and always thought that lycra nicks and bike shoes were for
tossers. This was of course until I tried them and realised what a god-send
having a pair of shorts with a chamois in it is, and how much more efficient
it was to use pedals that I could clip into. It is also amazing how much
difference to your comfort levels a decent helmet makes. If you want some
reasonable gear, you are proably looking at $150-$200 for a helmet, $150 or
so for shoes (clipless pedals will prob be provided with a bike in that
price range), $60-$120 per pair of nicks (can pay over $200 for top of the
line gear), $60-$120 per jersey, $30 or so for short fingered gloves, and
the list goes on.........(especially once you start riding in the middle of
winter).

It can get pretty expensive at the start but once you have the basics it is
not so bad to buy an item every now and then. You will probably also want
to get a mini-pump, spare tubes, tyre levers, tool bag, patch kit, water
bottles, water bottle holder(s), bike speedo (computer), chain lube.

Your best bet would be to go to one of your Local Bike Shops (LBS) and get a
package deal where you buy most if not all of the gear in one hit.....most
stores will give you some money off the whole deal so don't be afraid to
ask. If you let us know where you are located there is bound to be someone
in here who can suggest a LBS to try. Ebay is also a good spot to pick up
bargains but I would only recommend this once you were more familiar with
what various items are and what they are worth.

Good Luck in you search....

Ride On,

Gags

thanks heaps everyone who posted a reply. I'll wander in to the LBS a lot better informed now.

monsterman said:

thanks heaps everyone who posted a reply. I'll wander in to the LBS a
lot better informed now.

--
monsterman

If you're looking at buying soonish, I can guarantee that Tony at
Triathlete's World (Sandgate Rd, Albion) will be honest with you about
what's good and what's not. They also stock Learsport bikes. It's a long
way to travel but he's a really good bloke. (Tony's the mechanic, he
knows way more than the owner, doesn't work Saturdays I think)

Tam

There'a s lot of different bikes out there and everyone is bound to have a different opinion:

I LOVE my Merida with XT/LX stuff on it and Ritchey wheels. It's three years old now and still going strong, for well under $2000 (around the $1500 mark even from memory).

That said, bikes are awesome value these days. Get something with a nice frame with good wheels and don't worry too much about the rest (providing the running gear is XT-ish). Wheels and frame are the most expensive things to replace on an MTB - the rest is fairly cheap.

Cheers,
Lotte

On Tue, 1 Nov 2005 01:00:42 +1100, "Gags" <gags_44nospamatnospamtpg.com.au>

Quoted message said:

Have a look at www.sheldonbrown.com he pretty well covers all things
bike!!!

Thanks. Actually, for my intended purposes I'm not really after a full-on MTB,
more likely a hybrid type - I belong to a bushwalking club that does occasional
shortish bike trips, some on dirt roads, and need to carry panniers
sometimes.....

I checked over the gear at the Sydney Bike Show (?) weekend before last.

DS

David Springthorpe said:

Thanks. Actually, for my intended purposes I'm not really after a full-on MTB,
more likely a hybrid type - I belong to a bushwalking club that does occasional
shortish bike trips, some on dirt roads, and need to carry panniers
sometimes.....

No suspension, classic steel frame and good quality racks would probably
suit you by giving you the generally lightest bicycle.

Is Inner city cycle (Glebe rd) still into touring?

Sorry, but I've always rolled my own.

David Springthorpe said:

Thanks. Actually, for my intended purposes I'm not really after a full-on MTB,
more likely a hybrid type - I belong to a bushwalking club that does occasional
shortish bike trips, some on dirt roads, and need to carry panniers
sometimes.....

No suspension, classic steel frame and good quality racks would probably
suit you by giving you the generally lightest bicycle.

Is Inner city cycle (Glebe rd) still into touring?

Sorry, but I've always rolled my own.

David Springthorpe said:

Thanks. Actually, for my intended purposes I'm not really after a full-on MTB,
more likely a hybrid type - I belong to a bushwalking club that does occasional
shortish bike trips, some on dirt roads, and need to carry panniers
sometimes.....

No suspension, classic steel frame and good quality racks would probably
suit you by giving you the generally lightest bicycle.

Is Inner city cycle (Glebe rd) still into touring?

Sorry, but I've always rolled my own.

LotteBum said:

That said, bikes are awesome value these days. Get something with a nice frame with good wheels and don't worry too much about the rest (providing the running gear is XT-ish). Wheels and frame are the most expensive things to replace on an MTB - the rest is fairly cheap.

Suspension isn't cheap to replace either 🙂.

Parbs said:

$3k will get you a very nice HT (hard tail) which is probably best if
you're planning on commuting on it. $3k will also get you a reasonable
dually

These days $3k will get you a rather nice dually. Prices are down around
30% for equivalent spec in the last few years, and my Kikapu only cost me
around $3k. In stock trim it's done 4x24 hours (2 solo) and I think 3x12
hours (2 solo), the Dirt Works classic, and numerous other rides.

It's also not too bad to commute on, and would be even better if I put
slicks on it. But I've got slicks on N+1, so I won't be doing that.

If you're planning to do multiple Enduros (ie, more than the one epic),
I'd suggest a duallie, because you'll end up in better shape at the end of
them. Hardtails are nice and quick, but when the going gets rough, the
soft get suspension.

Terry's comments come from a confirmed retro-grouch, but there's a core of
truth there. A nice bike will last a long time. But cross country race
bikes now have more travel than a bleeding edge 5 year old downhill bike.

--
Dave Hughes | [email hidden]
And you don't think the government lets you buy _real_ tinfoil do you?
-- D.C. Ross, the Monastery.

Parbs said:

$3k will get you a very nice HT (hard tail) which is probably best if
you're planning on commuting on it. $3k will also get you a reasonable
dually

These days $3k will get you a rather nice dually. Prices are down around
30% for equivalent spec in the last few years, and my Kikapu only cost me
around $3k. In stock trim it's done 4x24 hours (2 solo) and I think 3x12
hours (2 solo), the Dirt Works classic, and numerous other rides.

It's also not too bad to commute on, and would be even better if I put
slicks on it. But I've got slicks on N+1, so I won't be doing that.

If you're planning to do multiple Enduros (ie, more than the one epic),
I'd suggest a duallie, because you'll end up in better shape at the end of
them. Hardtails are nice and quick, but when the going gets rough, the
soft get suspension.

Terry's comments come from a confirmed retro-grouch, but there's a core of
truth there. A nice bike will last a long time. But cross country race
bikes now have more travel than a bleeding edge 5 year old downhill bike.

--
Dave Hughes | [email hidden]
And you don't think the government lets you buy _real_ tinfoil do you?
-- D.C. Ross, the Monastery.

Parbs said:

$3k will get you a very nice HT (hard tail) which is probably best if
you're planning on commuting on it. $3k will also get you a reasonable
dually

These days $3k will get you a rather nice dually. Prices are down around
30% for equivalent spec in the last few years, and my Kikapu only cost me
around $3k. In stock trim it's done 4x24 hours (2 solo) and I think 3x12
hours (2 solo), the Dirt Works classic, and numerous other rides.

It's also not too bad to commute on, and would be even better if I put
slicks on it. But I've got slicks on N+1, so I won't be doing that.

If you're planning to do multiple Enduros (ie, more than the one epic),
I'd suggest a duallie, because you'll end up in better shape at the end of
them. Hardtails are nice and quick, but when the going gets rough, the
soft get suspension.

Terry's comments come from a confirmed retro-grouch, but there's a core of
truth there. A nice bike will last a long time. But cross country race
bikes now have more travel than a bleeding edge 5 year old downhill bike.

--
Dave Hughes | [email hidden]
And you don't think the government lets you buy _real_ tinfoil do you?
-- D.C. Ross, the Monastery.

"Random Data" wrote in message ...

Quoted message said:

If you're planning to do multiple Enduros (ie, more than the one epic),
I'd suggest a duallie, because you'll end up in better shape at the end of
them. Hardtails are nice and quick, but when the going gets rough, the
soft get suspension.

Even the formerly hard get suspension.

Parbs - who is hoping to test ride some bouncy bikes on the weekend.

"Random Data" wrote in message ...

Quoted message said:

If you're planning to do multiple Enduros (ie, more than the one epic),
I'd suggest a duallie, because you'll end up in better shape at the end of
them. Hardtails are nice and quick, but when the going gets rough, the
soft get suspension.

Even the formerly hard get suspension.

Parbs - who is hoping to test ride some bouncy bikes on the weekend.