Introducing the Girls

[Hails16]

Hi I'm Hayley

Just getting into riding, had a new housemate move in a few months ago and he is seriously into riding and my bf and I have caught the bug!
My bf has been riding dirtbikes for years but I haven't ridden a bike since I was a kid! So the last month or so has been lots of fun getting the gist back

I've been riding my housemates specialized mountain bike which is way too big for me. So I've decided I really need to get my own and the prospect is very exciting! Now it's just choosing what to get.

I'm fairly certain I'm going to want a hybrid or possible a mtb. I essentially want to commute to work, and be able to ride some easy bush trails on the weekends. So far all I know for sure is that I definitely want disc brakes front and back, which the specialized ariels don't have

I've been looking at the Specialized Ariel or the Merida Crossway, my price point is up to about $700 and I'd really love any advice you could all offer

Looking forward to getting my knowlege up and getting peddling!

 

[hach_bee]

Congrats on getting amongst it! I'd point you towards the Jamis Durango series myself also, they come in womens frames/sizes and are great spec for their price. Also, cos they're stocked by Anaconda (but NOT a home brand, they're huge in the US) you can catch them at 20% off on one of their promo nights!

check it out! can't remember the current price for it...

EDIT: wow they actually are 20% off atm, stocktake sale ftw!

 

[Duracell Bunny]

Hi Hayley, and welcome.

Consider getting a used bike - the value for money is much better. There's always someone who's just upgraded to the latest & greatest bike and needs to offload last year's bike - should save you 50% off the price. Get the bike checked out carefully before you buy though.

Good luck!

Karen

 

[safire]

Hi Hayley,

I had to laugh when I read your post. Almost exactly 4 years ago I was after the same thing - a bike to commute on and ride some easy dirt trails. The mountain bike bug got me bad and I now have 4 bikes

Have a look on the Bike Exchange website if you haven't already. There's always specials around on 2010 and now some 2011 bikes that the shops are dumping before the new (2012) seasons bikes arrive over the next few months. Some close to half the original price, eg

2010 Scott Contessa 20
2010 Scott Contessa 10

These are both great prices for the level of bike. If you're in Melb then it would be worth taking a look.

For new bikes look for shimano deore level or better components. The better the componentry, the better it will shift gears, will last longer before wearing out and won't need as much tweaking and tuning to keep it shifting properly. Also try and get something as light as possible for your money, below 13kg if you can. Some of the cheaper bikes are pretty heavy and that makes it much harder work riding up hills. And of course disc brakes as you have already said. Re the hybrid vs mountain bike, you'll get a better bike (better gears, suspension, wheels, etc) for your money if you go with a mountain bike.

If you can get a good/high end second hand bike that would be great too. Depends a bit on your size though - if you are average height or tallish you'll find some options but if your a short-ass like myself there might not be much around.

Happy shopping!

 

[Hails16]

Thanks for all your replies and advice, I've been checking out the bikes you've recommended and they look great!

Safire unfortunately I'm in Sydney so those bikes are no go for me thanks tho! Thanks for the heads up on the weight, I hadn't thought of that! There are definitely some hills on my way to work

I have a question, will the width of a mountain bikes tyres make the communte to work a lot harder than a hybrid bike?

Will keep you all updated on the shopping!

 

[Duracell Bunny]

Don't worry about things like tyre width, tyres are easily changed to suit your needs. One of my MTBs has slick slim tyres on it for pavement riding when the trails are too wet for training. No wheel change needed, just tyres & tubes.

 

[hach_bee]

I have a question, will the width of a mountain bikes tyres make the communte to work a lot harder than a hybrid bike? )

Technically yes, I prefer to think of it as resistance training and I'd rather have better grip if you might be riding in the wet!

 

[Hails16]

Ah I see, that's good that the tyres can be changed!

The extra resistance is definitely a good thing, I just wanted to make sure I wasn't being crazy communting on a mountain bike haha!

 

[tmscott789]

Hi my name is Tenae and I am new to mountain biking I am 22 and am from nowra.

Thanks to a friend of mine i am trying my hand at everything xc, downhill and 4x. I currently have a giant Yukon and am about to get a Gary fisher hifi plus for my xc bike. I also have a norco atomik downhill bike and a giant stp2 for my 4x bike.

 

[stackalot]

Hiya, I'm Jen. Been riding since last year, mostly at Lysterfield or Youies. Have been on some great riding trips to Buller, Rotorua, Cairns, will never go on a holiday again without my bike! The flights seem to have messed with my brakes though, so now I'm developing my mechanic skills. I'm rebuilding an old Kula that's been sitting around, before I take on our real bikes. See you round the trails.

 

[feat]

Hi Jen,

I ride at Youies and Lysterfield alot also and live in the dandenong mountains! What sort of riding are you into? My sister and I are into downhill riding at the moment, but have done a bit of cross country at lysterfield to keep fit. We should do a ride together if your interested?
Cheers!
Lina:clap2:

 

[ride_29er]

Hi my name is lauren,
well, i only discoverd this site tonight and im totaly new at this forum thing. but this looks like a great place to meet other people with intrests in bikes and a good place to find friend and new rides!
Well i live in Sydney, in the hills district, im 17 years old in year 12 at school, i love my mtb and seriously caught the MTB bug at the beggining of last year and my case severly worsend towards chistmas, now i think im beyond curing! but im not complaining! i race XC but would love to get into the gravity diciplines, maybe super-D would be a good place to start that?
Any way I ride a Giant XTC 29, mum has an Anthem X2 which i like to borrow ^_^
I mainly ride with mum, although im better than she is! we like to ride at the local trails because, well, their local but their pretty disapointing when we come back from manly or mt annan, but they suffice =)
Ride: I have a Giant XTC 29, mum has an amthem X2 wich i borrow a bit ^_^
Riding style? hmmm well i MUST overtake that guy infornt of me no matter how hard i have to push and then when i pass him i must not look like im trying, i geuss thats a style?
Well, that me in a nut shell i geuss!
hope to get to kno everyone!

 

[Rider1111]

My name is Rachel
Been mtb'ing on and off for the last three years
Sydney based
Have a 29 er hard tail and 26 dual suspension bike
Raced a few enduro and cross-country races
Crashed last year at Mt Stromlo during Capital Punishment which resulted in surgery, screws, rehab ... four months off. Not recommended.
Looking to learn more and get smarter with my gear purchases.
Also hoping to off load some stuff that i no longer need and hence a newbie or beginner can get a good deal not have to buy new.
Cheers
Look forward to learning from everyone.

 

[mtb_ts]

Name: Shauna
Age: 37
Location: Sydney
Riding Since: 2009
Bike: -
Ride: XC, firetrail, singletrack, pine forest, alpine area, anything else with flow
Style: Fast & Flowing
Day Job: Outdoor adventure event volunteer, trek porter
Other interests: Alpine hiking, backcountry & resort skiing, snowshoeing, volunteering, travel.

 

[kylie75]

Northsider

Hi...
Kylie
37 yrs young
QLD - Brisbane Nothsider
Im on a merida one twenty 3800
Beginner keen to meet more people for chilled rides to increase my fitness
I also love photography, editing, art, animals, dirtbikes and anything creative ....

 

[Duracell Bunny]

Welcome Kylie, you're in a good spot for some nice rides around Brissie - Gap Creek (Mt Cootha), Bunya, Daisy Hill - lots going on. Also check out MTBDirt, it's a Brisbane based forum where we organise rides

 

[Asterope]

Hi all - looks like I am the first newbie post in the girls section for a while now!

Name: Eileen
Age: 33
Location: Brisbane
Riding Since: In one form or another since I was about 3.
Bike: - Santa Cruz Juliana for the tracks, Vivente Rosa for the tarmac
Ride: I remember being able to ride a lot more confidently when I got my first mtb when I was a kid, we lived near a big park with a lake and some forest that had some trails - I lost quite a lot of skin but didn't break anything! Grew up, got a road bike and became an absolute trail woos. I used my sisters (heavy!) mtb a few times last year to go riding with my partner, and brisbane trails being brisbane trails, it was hilly and I ended up hiking more than biking. This annoyed me somewhat so I decided I needed a proper bike so I could properly keep up and enjoy proper trails in the proper way! I think I am going to really enjoy XC riding because its long and exploratory and I like being outside all day.
Style: So far - slow and woosy and often falling off. I hope to be able to remedy this in the next month or so with encouragment, persistence and a lot of practice - I live really close to gap creek and sth boundary so there is no excuse really!
Day Job: PhD student and occasionally teaching undergrads how not to burn down the lab.
Other interests: Long-distance hiking, road riding (Duracell Bunny and I used to do the river loop every friday morning all those years ago (great memories! xoxox)), photography

If there are any newbie girls in brisbane that would like some company to ride with, please let me know Looking forward to meeting some of you out and about

 

[Techno Destructo]

Hey Eileen, welcome to Rotorburn! Always great to see another girl on the forums! You ride a Santa Cruz? I'm jealous!

You said you work in a lab? What's your field of study?

Welcome again!

 

[Asterope]

Hi TD

I have been thoroughly enjoying the santa cruz - seriously considering expanding the bike collection though

My project is on microbial comparative genomics, working with the group at the forefront of chlamydia research in koalas. I don't get to catch or work with any koalas but that does not stop me keeping my eyes looking up in the trees in case I find one of the cute little buggers. Hope we can do something to save the poor things but it would help if we stopped cutting down their homes.

 

[macMTB]

Hi ladies, another newbie to the forum here.

Name: Rach

Age: 34

Location: Scone (Upper Hunter NSW)

Riding since: about 5 yrs old as a BMX bandit with the other neighbourhood kids, re-discovered bikes and mtb'ing in 2001/2?

Bike(s): Specialized Rumor (my baby), an old Trek 6500 hard tail commuter, a 10yr old KHS XC duallie and my Cannondale CAAD8 roadie. I recently traded my very first MTB (a Giant Yukon) for a haircut!

Ride: At the moment, when and where I can... There is a fairly 'hairy' local track with lots of steep technical sections (both ascending and descending) and a few other flatter XC style tracks about an hours drive away. I also love a bit of road riding and more recently have been enjoying doing spin sessions on the trainer ( gasp of horror!! )

Style: not sure that I have a style really, I love a bit of everything. I do enjoy steep technical trails and challenging rides, though I've slowed up a bit since having kids.

Day job: at the moment - I'm a part time pharmacist at the local chemist. I have 3 young children who keep me very busy (5yrs, 3 yrs and 18months) hence why I have been spending more and more time on the indoor trainer.

Other interests - gosh, don't really have a lot of time to fit any more in at the moment - I'll come back to this question in another 5 yrs... Haha




Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk