new fork or new bike

[Javier]

I've decided to start mixing up my rides so that it incorporates both
road and mountain biking. I currently own a Trek 4300 which is a good
general purpose bike but I find the fork, a RST Gila, to be too
squishy for anything other than general street riding. Since I live
near Skyline Drive and Ringwood State Park in NJ I plan on ridding the
trails in that general area. Thus my dilema, should I purchase a new
fork for my 4300 and upgrade components as they wear out or should I
bite the bullet and purchase a full suspension bike? I can't drop a
ton of cash on a new full suspension bike (I've got a mortgage, a baby
and a wife) and the max I can spend on a full suspension bike is 1300
dollars if I can sell the 4300.

Thanks,

Javier

 

[wizardB]

Javier wrote:
> I've decided to start mixing up my rides so that it incorporates both
> road and mountain biking. I currently own a Trek 4300 which is a good
> general purpose bike but I find the fork, a RST Gila, to be too
> squishy for anything other than general street riding. Since I live
> near Skyline Drive and Ringwood State Park in NJ I plan on ridding the
> trails in that general area. Thus my dilema, should I purchase a new
> fork for my 4300 and upgrade components as they wear out or should I
> bite the bullet and purchase a full suspension bike? I can't drop a
> ton of cash on a new full suspension bike (I've got a mortgage, a baby
> and a wife) and the max I can spend on a full suspension bike is 1300
> dollars if I can sell the 4300.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Javier
>
Buy a 100mm Manitou minute on Ebay cheap ,light and a very good fork.It
will soak up the rough stuff and the SPV lets it climb like a dream.

 

[Westie]

Javier wrote:
> I've decided to start mixing up my rides so that it incorporates both
> road and mountain biking. I currently own a Trek 4300 which is a good
> general purpose bike but I find the fork, a RST Gila, to be too
> squishy for anything other than general street riding. Since I live
> near Skyline Drive and Ringwood State Park in NJ I plan on ridding the
> trails in that general area. Thus my dilema, should I purchase a new
> fork for my 4300 and upgrade components as they wear out or should I
> bite the bullet and purchase a full suspension bike? I can't drop a
> ton of cash on a new full suspension bike (I've got a mortgage, a baby
> and a wife) and the max I can spend on a full suspension bike is 1300
> dollars if I can sell the 4300.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Javier
>

Definitely upgrade the fork rather than pay for a "budget" full
suspension bike. The hardtail will be much better than full suss on the
road anyway, and a decent fork will show you just how bad the Gila
really was.

Don't get me wrong, full suss is fun but unless you spend some decent
money on a good full-sus bike with a few bells and whistles
suspension-wise, the suspension will just cheese you off especially when
on the road.

With the budget that you are on, a decent fork is a much better
investment and it'll save some money and keep the wife happy too.
--
Westie

 

[Javier]

On Oct 1, 4:50 am, Westie <[email protected]> wrote:
> Javier wrote:
> > I've decided to start mixing up my rides so that it incorporates both
> > road and mountain biking. I currently own a Trek 4300 which is a good
> > general purpose bike but I find the fork, a RST Gila, to be too
> > squishy for anything other than general street riding. Since I live
> > near Skyline Drive and Ringwood State Park in NJ I plan on ridding the
> > trails in that general area. Thus my dilema, should I purchase a new
> > fork for my 4300 and upgrade components as they wear out or should I
> > bite the bullet and purchase a full suspension bike? I can't drop a
> > ton of cash on a new full suspension bike (I've got a mortgage, a baby
> > and a wife) and the max I can spend on a full suspension bike is 1300
> > dollars if I can sell the 4300.
>
> > Thanks,
>
> > Javier
>
> Definitely upgrade the fork rather than pay for a "budget" full
> suspension bike. The hardtail will be much better than full suss on the
> road anyway, and a decent fork will show you just how bad the Gila
> really was.
>
> Don't get me wrong, full suss is fun but unless you spend some decent
> money on a good full-sus bike with a few bells and whistles
> suspension-wise, the suspension will just cheese you off especially when
> on the road.
>
> With the budget that you are on, a decent fork is a much better
> investment and it'll save some money and keep the wife happy too.
> --
> Westie- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Thaks guys. Ok now the bigg issue, if I tell my wife that I'm going to
drop 1300 bucks on a fork I may endup with a shoe in my butt. Is there
anything decent that I can get for a few hundred bucks? I know it
woun't be a real high end fork but it has to be better than the Gila I
have now. ALso, how much of a pain is it to install a new fok? Do I
have to cut the steerer? If Not I can do it myself.

Thanks,

Javier

 

[wizardB]

Javier wrote:
> On Oct 1, 4:50 am, Westie <[email protected]> wrote:
>> Javier wrote:
>>> I've decided to start mixing up my rides so that it incorporates both
>>> road and mountain biking. I currently own a Trek 4300 which is a good
>>> general purpose bike but I find the fork, a RST Gila, to be too
>>> squishy for anything other than general street riding. Since I live
>>> near Skyline Drive and Ringwood State Park in NJ I plan on ridding the
>>> trails in that general area. Thus my dilema, should I purchase a new
>>> fork for my 4300 and upgrade components as they wear out or should I
>>> bite the bullet and purchase a full suspension bike? I can't drop a
>>> ton of cash on a new full suspension bike (I've got a mortgage, a baby
>>> and a wife) and the max I can spend on a full suspension bike is 1300
>>> dollars if I can sell the 4300.
>>> Thanks,
>>> Javier
>> Definitely upgrade the fork rather than pay for a "budget" full
>> suspension bike. The hardtail will be much better than full suss on the
>> road anyway, and a decent fork will show you just how bad the Gila
>> really was.
>>
>> Don't get me wrong, full suss is fun but unless you spend some decent
>> money on a good full-sus bike with a few bells and whistles
>> suspension-wise, the suspension will just cheese you off especially when
>> on the road.
>>
>> With the budget that you are on, a decent fork is a much better
>> investment and it'll save some money and keep the wife happy too.
>> --
>> Westie- Hide quoted text -
>>
>> - Show quoted text -
>
> Thaks guys. Ok now the bigg issue, if I tell my wife that I'm going to
> drop 1300 bucks on a fork I may endup with a shoe in my butt. Is there
> anything decent that I can get for a few hundred bucks? I know it
> woun't be a real high end fork but it has to be better than the Gila I
> have now. ALso, how much of a pain is it to install a new fok? Do I
> have to cut the steerer? If Not I can do it myself.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Javier
>
I picked up a minute on ebay for $150 and have seen lots for similar
prices,if you can't find a fork there you want your LBS should have
some on sale soon $400 or so it's end of the season and remember you
don't need all the bells and whistles just a decent fork with 100mm of
travel.Oh and buy the way you'll probably want to change your head set
when you get the fork.

 

[MattB]

wizardB wrote:
> Javier wrote:
>> On Oct 1, 4:50 am, Westie <[email protected]> wrote:
>>> Javier wrote:
>>>> I've decided to start mixing up my rides so that it incorporates both
>>>> road and mountain biking. I currently own a Trek 4300 which is a good
>>>> general purpose bike but I find the fork, a RST Gila, to be too
>>>> squishy for anything other than general street riding. Since I live
>>>> near Skyline Drive and Ringwood State Park in NJ I plan on ridding the
>>>> trails in that general area. Thus my dilema, should I purchase a new
>>>> fork for my 4300 and upgrade components as they wear out or should I
>>>> bite the bullet and purchase a full suspension bike? I can't drop a
>>>> ton of cash on a new full suspension bike (I've got a mortgage, a baby
>>>> and a wife) and the max I can spend on a full suspension bike is 1300
>>>> dollars if I can sell the 4300.
>>>> Thanks,
>>>> Javier
>>> Definitely upgrade the fork rather than pay for a "budget" full
>>> suspension bike. The hardtail will be much better than full suss on the
>>> road anyway, and a decent fork will show you just how bad the Gila
>>> really was.
>>>
>>> Don't get me wrong, full suss is fun but unless you spend some decent
>>> money on a good full-sus bike with a few bells and whistles
>>> suspension-wise, the suspension will just cheese you off especially when
>>> on the road.
>>>
>>> With the budget that you are on, a decent fork is a much better
>>> investment and it'll save some money and keep the wife happy too.
>>> --
>>> Westie- Hide quoted text -
>>>
>>> - Show quoted text -
>>
>> Thaks guys. Ok now the bigg issue, if I tell my wife that I'm going to
>> drop 1300 bucks on a fork I may endup with a shoe in my butt. Is there
>> anything decent that I can get for a few hundred bucks? I know it
>> woun't be a real high end fork but it has to be better than the Gila I
>> have now. ALso, how much of a pain is it to install a new fok? Do I
>> have to cut the steerer? If Not I can do it myself.
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Javier
>>
> I picked up a minute on ebay for $150 and have seen lots for similar
> prices,if you can't find a fork there you want your LBS should have
> some on sale soon $400 or so it's end of the season and remember you
> don't need all the bells and whistles just a decent fork with 100mm of
> travel.Oh and buy the way you'll probably want to change your head set
> when you get the fork.

I'd look for a lockout feature for the road too. It really helps if you
ride out of the saddle at all.

Matt

 

[Mamba]

"Javier" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Oct 1, 4:50 am, Westie <[email protected]> wrote:

> Thaks guys. Ok now the bigg issue, if I tell my wife that I'm going to
> drop 1300 bucks on a fork I may endup with a shoe in my butt. Is there
> anything decent that I can get for a few hundred bucks? I know it
> woun't be a real high end fork but it has to be better than the Gila I
> have now. ALso, how much of a pain is it to install a new fok? Do I
> have to cut the steerer? If Not I can do it myself.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Javier
>
Marzocchi MX pro new can be had for $225 retail. Good solid fork, mine is
going great after 2 years of mixed riding.

 

[wizardB]

I'd look for a lockout feature for the road too. It really helps if you
ride out of the saddle at all.

Matt

SPV works very well no lock out is needed and you can set it up for
small bump compliance which makes terrain switching effortless.
Brent

 

[daddy]

>>
> Marzocchi MX pro new can be had for $225 retail. Good solid fork, mine is
> going great after 2 years of mixed riding.

Ditto! good fork for that bike.

 

[Scott Gordo]

On Oct 1, 9:31 pm, daddy <[email protected]> wrote:
> > Marzocchi MX pro new can be had for $225 retail. Good solid fork, mine is
> > going great after 2 years of mixed riding.
>
> Ditto! good fork for that bike.

Thirded.

/s