first trials bike, and what to look for?

rabatt

rabatt

Likes Bikes and Dirt
ok this is something i know nothing about,

lately my bro has been trying some trials and he's not doing to bad, exept everyone's saying he'll snap the disc mounts, plus i'm guessin that a trials bike is easier to do trials on, so i was wondering:
1. what would be a good trials bike for someone who is just sort of starting, and 2. is the mongoose transfer any good? it looks ok to me but i dont know what to look for.

thanks.
 
aykay

aykay

Likes Bikes
The Mongoose Transfer is a good beginners bike. Be prepared to spend some money on a decent rear hub though, the sun abbah hubs are poor, Try and find some money for a hope pro2 trials hub or a chris king, and get someone to build a good wheel with decent spokes for you.

Norco makes a entry level trials bike too. http://www.norco.com/2007bikes/Mountain/Trials/model.php?id=35&view=1&deets=1

Not sure if it is available in oz, ask a norco dealer.

The other option is to build one up from a frame, though its costly.
 
Lilley

Lilley

Likes Dirt
You can also get some affordable Onza bikes in Australia and of course some of the 20" Monty's are pretty cheap.
 
K

kaotickelly

Likes Dirt
Look for short seat tube, so you don't crack any nuts; short chainstays to get the balance over the rear wheel better; and disc brake mounts, better to have it than not.

I prefer chromo frames for it's "flexibility". Alloy frames are just too stiff for me, even though they are lighter.
 
Macbeth

Macbeth

NSWMTB
Steel frames kill it for street, but if you want to ride natural (rocks, logs etc) go alloy.... Handles way better...

There are a few cheap options around. Monty's are good value, while their geometry is a little outdated and they look like poo...

Onzas have a really bad habut of snapping in places that frames really should not snap. OK for a beginner bike but once you start doing big drops (the first 'extreme' easy thing to do) you will break one.

My advise is get yourself a small XC frame. Slowly get some good bits on there - Nice rear hub, nice bar/stem combo, decent cranks - then later once you are getting good, invest in a trials specific frame.
 
rabatt

rabatt

Likes Bikes and Dirt
thanks for the info.

so you dont recomend getting a complete bike like the mongoose?

he doesnt want to have to spend much time and money getting parts and stuff, and he's got a ht for "extreem" drops and stuff but he's mostly into the techy stuff like hopping along bike racks and riding on hand rails not so much th big drops to flat
 
clockworked

clockworked

Like an orange
aykay said:
Norco makes a entry level trials bike too. http://www.norco.com/2007bikes/Mountain/Trials/model.php?id=35&view=1&deets=1

Not sure if it is available in oz, ask a norco dealer.
Click to expand...

has anyone ever imported one of these? i thought they were sold here a few years ago, but they dont seem to sell them anymore. do you think it would cost to order one in?
what i mean is, they are 919 in canada, and with all the other bikes that they do import the price seems pretty close to just exchange rate difference. do you think there would be an extra charge to import it?
 
kona_kona

kona_kona

Likes Dirt
http://www.tradingpost.com.au/DealerProducts/PhotoDisplay.asp <-- Mongoose Transfer

We have 2 in the shop at the moment. The pic is broken, but their are plenty on the net.

We ordered them in at the start of the year and there has been no interest. Darcy has literally put a "Steal me" price tag on it.

RRP: $1299
Gap Cycles Price: $499!

That link has all the relevant info. Very nice bike, has good quality parts all around, even for an entry level bike. On top that it has had a 60% price drop! I ride it around the shop floor when no one is looking:p

I also don't think that shipping to Mackay would be a problem either.
 
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el_guarrito

Squid
Macbeth said:
Steel frames kill it for street, but if you want to ride natural (rocks, logs etc) go alloy.... Handles way better...

There are a few cheap options around. Monty's are good value, while their geometry is a little outdated and they look like poo...

Onzas have a really bad habut of snapping in places that frames really should not snap. OK for a beginner bike but once you start doing big drops (the first 'extreme' easy thing to do) you will break one.

My advise is get yourself a small XC frame. Slowly get some good bits on there - Nice rear hub, nice bar/stem combo, decent cranks - then later once you are getting good, invest in a trials specific frame.
Click to expand...
Man am I sick of having to correct you about this... lol

Onza's are a great option for a beginner, the bikes Macbeth has heard/seen snapped have been ridden by crazy british kids who do 10 foot drops to flat over and over. I weigh 90 kg and have personally owned three Onza mods, all T-pros, some older models and I think what is still the current one (2005). Only one of these three cracked(not snapped) at a weld the other two are in the hands of others and still going strong. Those that know me can attest that I rode mods as they were designed i.e. heavy landings on the bash plate ;) and the occasional large drop.

The Raceline Rhino/Monty X-Alp and Onza T-pro are excellent value for money and will take more of a beating than most of the high end frames out there that are more for competion/smooth use. The T-pro comes stock with HS-33's (Maguras):D and although the other components aren't top of the line the hubs and freewheel will be good for around a year, longer if kept tight and they can be upgraded when and if they do "wear out".

Mods for life mofo's....lol
 
kona_kona

kona_kona

Likes Dirt
Thom_H said:
That is an awesome price!
Click to expand...
And that is an awesome Avatar. I love you.:)

Macbeth said:
Steel frames kill it for street, but if you want to ride natural (rocks, logs etc) go alloy.... Handles way better...

There are a few cheap options around. Monty's are good value, while their geometry is a little outdated and they look like poo...

Onzas have a really bad habut of snapping in places that frames really should not snap. OK for a beginner bike but once you start doing big drops (the first 'extreme' easy thing to do) you will break one.

My advise is get yourself a small XC frame. Slowly get some good bits on there - Nice rear hub, nice bar/stem combo, decent cranks - then later once you are getting good, invest in a trials specific frame.
Click to expand...

Also, you can't label Onza's as snappers. Seriously, I have seen more bike brands than you can count snap or crack. If your comment held true, then no one would be riding bikes because they all break. ANY frame WILL crack if stressed enough. Onza would not be one of the most popular trials bikes out there if they were that shit. Stop sterotyping.
 
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el_guarrito

Squid
Povi said:
are they all your bikes?
pity bikes have to die so tragically (sp?)
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Bikes die if you ride trials on them, if you are smooth like Aykay even the shittiest frame will last you a few years however most including me should expect a frame to last over a year and be very happy if it lasts two.
 
Macbeth

Macbeth

NSWMTB
aykay said:
I think what macbeth is trying to say is that there are better quality frames out there than onza. Trials bikes all break in the end, its just some seem to break quicker than others. So heres some broken onza pictures.View attachment 48249

View attachment 48250

View attachment 48251

View attachment 48252
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Thankyou Adam.... That's exactly what I meant.....

Since when are Onza one the the most popular bikes......??? I'm pretty certain I know just about all of Australia's serious trials riders and I can think of only one guy riding an Onza..... And he rides novice class.....

All I meant to say was, you could do better than an Onza..... I hate Monty too but I would recommend one over an Onza any day.....
 
donkay

donkay

Likes Dirt
I'm with you two Adam

Onza sure are great to start on with decent parts...but on the long run, they will break, and Kona_Kona there's no stereotyping here...Those pictures that Adam has posted, that's THREE different types of Onza's that snapped and that's a fair bit than one type.

All of the Onza owners that i've known here have cracked them (and they were the T-Raptors) and trust me....they don't go big at ALL (So i guess that's 4 different Onza's that can snap/crack)

ps. hey Adam, Dan Pierce is riding a T-Pro you know ;)
 
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Macbeth

Macbeth

NSWMTB
Thanks Don.... :D

All bikes break it's true..... I expect every bike I own to crack at a weld sooner or later..... Cracking in the centre of the downtube, well, that's another story.....

Dan Pierce still riding much?
 
E

el_guarrito

Squid
donkay said:
I'm with you two Adam

Onza sure are great to start on with decent parts...but on the long run, they will break, and Kona_Kona there's no stereotyping here...Those pictures that Adam has posted, that's THREE different types of Onza's that snapped and that's a fair bit than one type.

All of the Onza owners that i've known here have cracked them (and they were the T-Raptors) and trust me....they don't go big at ALL (So i guess that's 4 different Onza's that can snap/crack)

ps. hey Adam, Dan Pierce is riding a T-Pro you know ;)
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Thanks Don, and for those of you who don't know Dan Pierce he was/still is the best mod rider in Oz.

Onza make bikes for all types of riders that don't cost the earth, for this they should be applauded. In the UK they are widely ridden by novice/sport riders as they are well specced for each price point and they had the latest geo, this is one of the factors that has caused the explosion of trials riding over there. They allow someone who is not sure they want to spend $3000 on a bike to get a real trials bike which for most would last just as long as the more expensive bike for a lot less coinage.

Sorry for the rant but it shits me to tears when people use examples of broken bikes as reasons for their argument against a particular brand without knowing the history of that bike or having any experience with that brand personally. Sure I see three broken bikes in those photos, but who's to say the owners/riders didn't continue to ride their cracked frames until it snapped, we all agree that all trials bikes will eventually crack I bet a cracked Koxx/Echo would snap as well if you continued to do 6 foot drops on it.

I have owned and ridden Onza's and can say that whilst they have not been exceptionally good they definately were not bad, I enjoyed riding them as much as the Raceline, Monty, Koxx and Echo trials bikes I have also owned and mostly cracked (two Echo's and two Onza's survived).

Please note that I am not affiliated with any brand of trials equipment (re: not sponsored or nuthin!) but reserve the right to get on my high horse every so often to endorse stuff I think is good...
 
wombat

wombat

Lives in a hole
I'll be the first to admit that my trials knowledge doesn't extend much farther than my trials skill, but I do know that the Mongoose Transfer runs the same length chainstays as the rest of their dirtjump mtbs, and its in the vincinity of 16". I don't know about the rest of you guys, but that's way too long for me.
 
aykay

aykay

Likes Bikes
Well put el guarrito:) I didnt really mean to have a major dig at onza. Just in my experience i have seen a few break and have stayed away from them. I do agree they make some nice beginner bikes that will get people out riding, and thats a good thing.
I think any bike made from U6 alloy (Koxx/echo family) will be a good longer lasting bike. Dont know why U6 is better but i have seen old levelbosses and echo pures last through ages of really hard abuse. Not being biased or anything, but thats just what i have seen.
 
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