Re: Shogun Trail Breaker 2 information needed

thebow said:

Well the learsport tr3270 isn't too bad..aluminium and full alivio
componentry for $550.
I purchased a progear (no-name) alivio equipped bike for $500 with full
servicing from the LBS (bike Barn in parramatta). It's not melbourne I
know but with MTB's you can get mega specials as there are so manu of
them and so many bike shops selling them.
I found it really helps to mention learsport while you are talking to
the salesperson as my guy knocked $50 off the price as soon as I
mentioned them :-)
I already have a shonkmaster, no-name MTB and it's serverd me well and I
couldn't care less about owning a giant or whatever. I assume that since
you only want it for social rides you can pretend to be really
uninterested in it all and get an even better price.

Anything I really need to watch out for though? Minimum of Alivio
gearing (or Acera?) or a particular brand of shocks? Other than a Giant
Boulder I owned for about 2 weeks (and hated) 5 years ago, I've never
had any exposure to non-road bikes...

I guess the heart of the matter is what are the "must-haves" on a
mountain bike? Much like I would suggest STI (and hence at least Tiagra)
on a road bike...

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"Cletus75" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

I guess the heart of the matter is what are the "must-haves" on a
mountain bike? Much like I would suggest STI (and hence at least Tiagra)
on a road bike...

Wheels?

:-P Okay, more seriously.. I can (and seem to!) ride just about
anything so either everyone else is extra fussy or I'm blessed
with extra whogivesarats genes?

My mtb spends most of its time on the road. If this is the case
with you I would fit clipless pedals and slicks. Slicks are fine
for bike paths too. At least they are more predictable than
the semi-slicks that every bike seems to come with these
days.

As for the off-the-shelf "requirements": make damn sure the
bike fits you and is comfortable! Ride it and other bikes as
much as you can before buying it. Even a total gumbie can
say to the shop "ooh i like these pushy clicky gear shifty
things, but i hate these twisty gripy geary shifty things" etc.
The more bikes you ride the better you can pin down the
cool things and the not so cool things. Frames, groupsets
and wheels are the most expensive parts so it makes sense
to buy the best you can for the money. Best may mean
lightest, it may mean strongest, it may mean most durable.
You have to weigh up all these while thinking about what
riding you will do.

I really don't know what a "must-have" would be.. I've
made my mtb go from shop bike, to regular commuter,
to time-trial setup, to full-on "real" mountain bike and
all kinds of little tweaks in-between. I guess the one
thing that is contstant through all of this, is the bits that
you contact, i.e. the shoe/pedal system, the bars/grips
and the saddle. A nice saddle will go a long way to
making rides that little bit nicer, longer or faster. But
really, the saddle choice comes much later than frame
and groupset...

Ahh what a total load of waffle.. I should've just said
"I've got no idea what is a must-have"!! :-P

hippy
Pay more = generally more durable, lighter, stronger