Ok guys so I figured lets start a thread where we can have this information in one spot, we seem to have so many of these "first bike" help threads popping up, Most of the information seems to be exactly the same. Its late so I'm not going to write anything now and i also have limited knowledge in buying as I don't change bike very often. I will add what I can, But it would be great if those with the experience could write what they can and I will get it in this post (with each users submission recognized of course).
I was thinking maybe have some information for budget ranges to account for those variations in what to look for, some basic tips on sizing, etc etc.
If this doesn't take off MODS feel free to delete this thread but hopefully we can get a good thread up with plenty of good information and get it stickied
I put it in the downhill section but I am very happy to make this a general thread and get it moved to help everyone.
Know Your need
There are many options out there for bikes and in today's age there are always more bikes coming out with wider ranges of use combined with lots of marketing to really confuse any new coming rider when buying a bike.
So before we start looking at budgets and the for-sale threads or the local stores let ask ourselves a few basic questions and establish ourselves.
Time for an Honest Assessment (credit to T-rex for this point) having a bit of trouble exactly how to word this part anyhelp would be appreciated
You need to do an honest assessment of you as a rider, we would all like to think we are world cup riders and we could all stand on top of that podium and while one day it may be true for a select few, right now is the time to be honest with your skill and style. Why is this important?
Bikes are designed with certain people in mind and certain strengths and they perform best when ridden a certain way, you need to be honest about what you ride and how. There is no point saying downhill if its just a single track downhill section that an xc bike can do, you need to be honest about what you actually need vs what you want. This will ensure you get the bike that is perfect for what you do rather than a bike that is too much or not enough.
-What riding do I plan on doing with this bike?
-What do I expect from the bike during this riding?
Downhill (DH)
The terrain-Downhill courses are rough, laden with rock gardens, sweeping and tight corners, both bermed and flat, high speed and low speed sections, jumps, drops all on the way down to the finish. It is all down hill with the rare up sweep (for track drainage).
The Bike-Downhill bikes will range between 8-10 inches or rear travel, they are slack, long and purely designed to get you to the bottom of the hill as fast as possible while dealing with the roughest and loosest terrain available, they will require you to push the bike back up the hill or get a shuttle/lift, these are not bikes you can comfortably pedal around. They are fine to ride to and from trails or from the train to a trail but they strictly belong pointed down a hill, not riding long distances. They will come with anywhere from 5-10 gears out back which are designed for downhill, not pedaling this bike up, a single ring up front with a chain guide to keep that chain on during downhill runs.
Freeride/light dh
The terrain-Freeriding trails tend to be like light downhill trails with wooden features throw in, bridges, jumps, northshore, rock gardens, it is not designed for racing but fun, these trails however can be ridden on anything from hardtails to downhill bikes.
The bike-This is a somewhat controversial area in what 'freeride' means. However most freeride bikes will have 6-8inches of travel, but unlike the DH bike these bikes will have slight steeper and compact geometry, this combination makes for a bike that is designed to be played with, you usually will not want to pedal these bikes up hills and they are designed to be thrown down the hill, hitting jumps and doing tricks, massive drops and having fun and playing rather than worrying about the clock. They will commonly come with single crown forks to allow the bars and bike to be spun around during tricks (tailwhips etc), however you can add dual crowns if you wish to use it as a light dh bike and feel the need for the bigger fork. The good news is you can use downhill bikes for freeride but they wont be as playful, you can also use a freeride bike to ride downhill but its not a full breed race bike,although it can be raced.
All-mountain (AM)/Trail
The terrain-tracks are probably the widest range possible, these trails range from XC trails and DH trails.
The bike-Probably one of the widest ranges of bikes available, these bikes generally have 4-6inches of travel and are designed to go so named all over the mountain, they can be pedaled up and railed down at speeds, they are somewhat the cross between a downhill and XC bike, in that they wont pedal up as well as a XC bike and wont descend as well as a DH bike but they will do both quite well. These bikes can handle most trails and are ideal for the all round rider with one bike. The geometry mirrors its riding and is matched with a all round balanced feel
Enduro
Enduro bikes also fall into the Am category however due to enduro races been close to 70% downhill and 30% up, these bikes will commonly sit on the bigger end range, they generally will have around 6inches of travel out the back and the geometry like AM bikes will be balanced.
XC
The terrain- Trails that rely on pedaling majority of the time, the trails will have small downhill sections but primarily will be about pushing on the pedals, the trails can be as wide as a fire trail or as tight as single track weaving in and out of trees.
The bike-XC you will find hardtail's or short travel up to 4inches, these bikes are designed to pedaled for long hours off road, they are amazing climbers and are capable of descending rocky trails within reason. The bikes are nimble, steep geometry shorter wheel bases and are ideal for those who want to race and spend long hours pedaling with the most efficiency. They are focused on keeping the power down and converting all that leg power to movement.
Budgets/buying
So you have figured out the type of bike you need and trails you will be riding. Now it is time to know your budget. It is good to keep in mind a new riding discipline usually requires new clothing or gear, so remember to factor in all these things. Once you have the budget you need to consider if you are going to go second hand or buy new.
Second hand- The best part about second hand bikes is you can pick up a high quality bike or build for a much lower price, however like most things there are draw backs, second hand bikes have no warranty and while there are many riders who look after their bike immaculately there are equally those who don't both doing much maintenance. (we will discuss tips for buying second hand further down)
Brand New- The clear advantage here is the bikes are new, the parts are new and they will come with some form of warranty, the draw back is you wont get the same bang for your buck and you might end up with a entry level bike which for the same cash could pick you up a mid level bike second hand.
Run-out- This can be a great option, when stores are getting in new stock they will run out the old stock for pretty good discounts, at times you will get anywhere from 10-30% off, if the store has been trying to move it for a long time you may even get more off. This way you still get the advantages of a new bike for a lesser price. You can take advantage of this too by upgrading parts before the purchase, the store will give you trade back for the parts taken off the bike, if you play it right you may just end up with a mid level build with warranty for a low end price.
There are clear pros and cons for each and at times budget may force you further towards second hand bikes.
For each style there tends to be a common budget amount that is considered 'entry level', any budget under these numbers it is commonly suggested to go second hand.
.* ill hopefully try get as much of the budget stuff up as I can tomorrow*
Downhill
$2500
AM/Trail
help
Enduro
help
Freeride
help
XC
help
Buying second hand Tips
-Always look at the bike in person if possible.- you want to make sure this bike is in good condition and the best way to do that is to check it in person, don't be afraid to check it over with a fine tooth comb. If you cannot get to the bike in person ask for specific photos.
-Critical area checks- while you want to look the whole bike over there are some major places you want to check for wear and damage;
Welds-check all welds no matter how small you want to check the entire weld, don't be afraid to ask the bike to be flipped over.
Headtube-look for damage, stress marks or cracks to the headtube and make sure it has not worn into an oval shape creating play or gaps around the headset.
Forks-you cannot do a great deal here except check for any damage to the lowers and make sure there is no damage down to the adjusters either, you want to look for any signs of leaking and make sure you give the crowns and arch a check for cracks. Along with that check that the seals look ok and not structurally damaged, feel the forks and note how smooth/rough or quite/loud they are. You want to listen for knocking or any unusual sounds along with any leaking under use.
Shock- Much like the fork you cannot look inside so the process is very similar to above, look and feel for anything unusual. You may also want to check or ask about the bearings, make sure they have not worn out to the point of damaging the shock albeit this is rare. lift the bike up slightly and feel for any movement in the shock or linkages.
linkages-the above lifting will help feel for any unnecessary movement in the bearings. Give the linkage a quick look and check that none of the linkages are cracked
Bottom bracket-Another place to check thoroughly for any signs of cracks, dints or stress marks. Give the welds and the frame around it a good look
Cranks-Just have a look for any cracks in the arms or any unnecessary movements in the arms or bottom bracket.
Chain ring and cassette- nothing major here just a quick look to see how worn these parts are, worn down cogs will begin to look liek shark fins and not longer be symmetrical. At this point you should also replace the chain with the cogs you should always do this.
Chainstays- the chain stays are subjected to quite a bit of force and twisting so a good check here is ideal, make sure that if the owner has any tube or protector on it that they take it off for you to check it.
Brakes-check they are working well, you want to make sure the brakes don't feel sticky or harsh or make any unusual noise, check the rotors for any significant bending that is effecting the performance.
Wheels-you want to give the rims a good look, check for any structural cracks of serious dints, along with any buckling in the rims or ovaling.
Hubs-check they all feel smooth and don't rattle or have excessive drag, make sure the free hub works in the rear.
Derailleurs-check it runs through the gears right, give it a look, just check there are no cracks or broken parts and there is no bending.
Stem, bars, levers, lines, hangers etc-all the little things check there are no cracks or bolts missing, holes or damage to lines.
From the list above there are some clear things that are easy fixes or just precautionary things to check over. If you find a small issue that is no reason to walk away from a good buy, discuss a lower price if it was not previous taken into account or fix it yourself.
*Please If you need to correct anything or have anything to add/change please do so for those member, I know i have missed quite few bike types, street, 4x, dj, commuter, road etc I will slowly add to this over the next few days when I can be bothered to spend the time to write more out or if any members are kind/bored enough to do a write out I will happily put it up and give credit for the contribution.
I was thinking maybe have some information for budget ranges to account for those variations in what to look for, some basic tips on sizing, etc etc.
If this doesn't take off MODS feel free to delete this thread but hopefully we can get a good thread up with plenty of good information and get it stickied
I put it in the downhill section but I am very happy to make this a general thread and get it moved to help everyone.
Know Your need
There are many options out there for bikes and in today's age there are always more bikes coming out with wider ranges of use combined with lots of marketing to really confuse any new coming rider when buying a bike.
So before we start looking at budgets and the for-sale threads or the local stores let ask ourselves a few basic questions and establish ourselves.
Time for an Honest Assessment (credit to T-rex for this point) having a bit of trouble exactly how to word this part anyhelp would be appreciated
You need to do an honest assessment of you as a rider, we would all like to think we are world cup riders and we could all stand on top of that podium and while one day it may be true for a select few, right now is the time to be honest with your skill and style. Why is this important?
Bikes are designed with certain people in mind and certain strengths and they perform best when ridden a certain way, you need to be honest about what you ride and how. There is no point saying downhill if its just a single track downhill section that an xc bike can do, you need to be honest about what you actually need vs what you want. This will ensure you get the bike that is perfect for what you do rather than a bike that is too much or not enough.
-What riding do I plan on doing with this bike?
-What do I expect from the bike during this riding?
Downhill (DH)
The terrain-Downhill courses are rough, laden with rock gardens, sweeping and tight corners, both bermed and flat, high speed and low speed sections, jumps, drops all on the way down to the finish. It is all down hill with the rare up sweep (for track drainage).
The Bike-Downhill bikes will range between 8-10 inches or rear travel, they are slack, long and purely designed to get you to the bottom of the hill as fast as possible while dealing with the roughest and loosest terrain available, they will require you to push the bike back up the hill or get a shuttle/lift, these are not bikes you can comfortably pedal around. They are fine to ride to and from trails or from the train to a trail but they strictly belong pointed down a hill, not riding long distances. They will come with anywhere from 5-10 gears out back which are designed for downhill, not pedaling this bike up, a single ring up front with a chain guide to keep that chain on during downhill runs.
Freeride/light dh
The terrain-Freeriding trails tend to be like light downhill trails with wooden features throw in, bridges, jumps, northshore, rock gardens, it is not designed for racing but fun, these trails however can be ridden on anything from hardtails to downhill bikes.
The bike-This is a somewhat controversial area in what 'freeride' means. However most freeride bikes will have 6-8inches of travel, but unlike the DH bike these bikes will have slight steeper and compact geometry, this combination makes for a bike that is designed to be played with, you usually will not want to pedal these bikes up hills and they are designed to be thrown down the hill, hitting jumps and doing tricks, massive drops and having fun and playing rather than worrying about the clock. They will commonly come with single crown forks to allow the bars and bike to be spun around during tricks (tailwhips etc), however you can add dual crowns if you wish to use it as a light dh bike and feel the need for the bigger fork. The good news is you can use downhill bikes for freeride but they wont be as playful, you can also use a freeride bike to ride downhill but its not a full breed race bike,although it can be raced.
All-mountain (AM)/Trail
The terrain-tracks are probably the widest range possible, these trails range from XC trails and DH trails.
The bike-Probably one of the widest ranges of bikes available, these bikes generally have 4-6inches of travel and are designed to go so named all over the mountain, they can be pedaled up and railed down at speeds, they are somewhat the cross between a downhill and XC bike, in that they wont pedal up as well as a XC bike and wont descend as well as a DH bike but they will do both quite well. These bikes can handle most trails and are ideal for the all round rider with one bike. The geometry mirrors its riding and is matched with a all round balanced feel
Enduro
Enduro bikes also fall into the Am category however due to enduro races been close to 70% downhill and 30% up, these bikes will commonly sit on the bigger end range, they generally will have around 6inches of travel out the back and the geometry like AM bikes will be balanced.
XC
The terrain- Trails that rely on pedaling majority of the time, the trails will have small downhill sections but primarily will be about pushing on the pedals, the trails can be as wide as a fire trail or as tight as single track weaving in and out of trees.
The bike-XC you will find hardtail's or short travel up to 4inches, these bikes are designed to pedaled for long hours off road, they are amazing climbers and are capable of descending rocky trails within reason. The bikes are nimble, steep geometry shorter wheel bases and are ideal for those who want to race and spend long hours pedaling with the most efficiency. They are focused on keeping the power down and converting all that leg power to movement.
Budgets/buying
So you have figured out the type of bike you need and trails you will be riding. Now it is time to know your budget. It is good to keep in mind a new riding discipline usually requires new clothing or gear, so remember to factor in all these things. Once you have the budget you need to consider if you are going to go second hand or buy new.
Second hand- The best part about second hand bikes is you can pick up a high quality bike or build for a much lower price, however like most things there are draw backs, second hand bikes have no warranty and while there are many riders who look after their bike immaculately there are equally those who don't both doing much maintenance. (we will discuss tips for buying second hand further down)
Brand New- The clear advantage here is the bikes are new, the parts are new and they will come with some form of warranty, the draw back is you wont get the same bang for your buck and you might end up with a entry level bike which for the same cash could pick you up a mid level bike second hand.
Run-out- This can be a great option, when stores are getting in new stock they will run out the old stock for pretty good discounts, at times you will get anywhere from 10-30% off, if the store has been trying to move it for a long time you may even get more off. This way you still get the advantages of a new bike for a lesser price. You can take advantage of this too by upgrading parts before the purchase, the store will give you trade back for the parts taken off the bike, if you play it right you may just end up with a mid level build with warranty for a low end price.
There are clear pros and cons for each and at times budget may force you further towards second hand bikes.
For each style there tends to be a common budget amount that is considered 'entry level', any budget under these numbers it is commonly suggested to go second hand.
.* ill hopefully try get as much of the budget stuff up as I can tomorrow*
Downhill
$2500
AM/Trail
help
Enduro
help
Freeride
help
XC
help
Buying second hand Tips
-Always look at the bike in person if possible.- you want to make sure this bike is in good condition and the best way to do that is to check it in person, don't be afraid to check it over with a fine tooth comb. If you cannot get to the bike in person ask for specific photos.
-Critical area checks- while you want to look the whole bike over there are some major places you want to check for wear and damage;
Welds-check all welds no matter how small you want to check the entire weld, don't be afraid to ask the bike to be flipped over.
Headtube-look for damage, stress marks or cracks to the headtube and make sure it has not worn into an oval shape creating play or gaps around the headset.
Forks-you cannot do a great deal here except check for any damage to the lowers and make sure there is no damage down to the adjusters either, you want to look for any signs of leaking and make sure you give the crowns and arch a check for cracks. Along with that check that the seals look ok and not structurally damaged, feel the forks and note how smooth/rough or quite/loud they are. You want to listen for knocking or any unusual sounds along with any leaking under use.
Shock- Much like the fork you cannot look inside so the process is very similar to above, look and feel for anything unusual. You may also want to check or ask about the bearings, make sure they have not worn out to the point of damaging the shock albeit this is rare. lift the bike up slightly and feel for any movement in the shock or linkages.
linkages-the above lifting will help feel for any unnecessary movement in the bearings. Give the linkage a quick look and check that none of the linkages are cracked
Bottom bracket-Another place to check thoroughly for any signs of cracks, dints or stress marks. Give the welds and the frame around it a good look
Cranks-Just have a look for any cracks in the arms or any unnecessary movements in the arms or bottom bracket.
Chain ring and cassette- nothing major here just a quick look to see how worn these parts are, worn down cogs will begin to look liek shark fins and not longer be symmetrical. At this point you should also replace the chain with the cogs you should always do this.
Chainstays- the chain stays are subjected to quite a bit of force and twisting so a good check here is ideal, make sure that if the owner has any tube or protector on it that they take it off for you to check it.
Brakes-check they are working well, you want to make sure the brakes don't feel sticky or harsh or make any unusual noise, check the rotors for any significant bending that is effecting the performance.
Wheels-you want to give the rims a good look, check for any structural cracks of serious dints, along with any buckling in the rims or ovaling.
Hubs-check they all feel smooth and don't rattle or have excessive drag, make sure the free hub works in the rear.
Derailleurs-check it runs through the gears right, give it a look, just check there are no cracks or broken parts and there is no bending.
Stem, bars, levers, lines, hangers etc-all the little things check there are no cracks or bolts missing, holes or damage to lines.
From the list above there are some clear things that are easy fixes or just precautionary things to check over. If you find a small issue that is no reason to walk away from a good buy, discuss a lower price if it was not previous taken into account or fix it yourself.
*Please If you need to correct anything or have anything to add/change please do so for those member, I know i have missed quite few bike types, street, 4x, dj, commuter, road etc I will slowly add to this over the next few days when I can be bothered to spend the time to write more out or if any members are kind/bored enough to do a write out I will happily put it up and give credit for the contribution.
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