New bike advice for old noob.

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OZZYJIM

Squid
Hi all,
a quick rundown on myself, 44 years old, haven't rode a bike since my late teens, overweight/unfit and need to change that right now. So now that's out of the way here I am needing some advice.

Looking to slowly but surely get into mountain bike riding as ive always thought it looked fun and would be a great lifestyle. I live in the lower Blue Mountains NSW and for now at least just want to do easy fire trails kind of thing. Ive been doing a bit of research and without knowing anything at all about mountain bikes all I can come up with is the Giant Fathom 29er 2, its in my ball park figure (I can go a little higher if needed). Problem is, I can only find one written review on it (which was pretty good) but due to my lack of knowledge I just have no idea if I'm buying a good bike.

So given my age/health and complete noobness, can anyone here point me in the right direction? Is the Giant fathom 29er 2 the right bike? Should I get the more expensive 29er1? Another brand maybe?

Any advice is greatly appreciated:)

Cheers
Jim
 
P

Paulie_AU

Likes Dirt
Welcome to the forum.

That Fathom looks like a good bike to start out with. 29er will roll nicely. A hardtail will knock you around a little more on rough trails but it is definitely the best value solution given your budget. The equipment will have some limitations strenth and durability wise but inless you fet really agressive with it or start smashing out heaps of ks it should serve you well.

As for brand Giant is a good value option. I dont have a brand preference but my two latest bikes are Giant due to the value for money they offer.

If you really get into it budget for an upgrade in the next 2 years...... upgradeitis is a thing.
 
S

SuchisLife

Likes Dirt
I started out on a polygon, great value bikes and free delivery with 14 day money back guarantee.

Sent from my LG-H815 using Tapatalk
 
O

OZZYJIM

Squid
Thanks for the replies I appreciate it. That polygon looks alright, I'll do some research on it after work. My first bike doesn't have to be new or a 29er, I just assumed that would be best for me. As for budget I could stretch it to 2k,max.

Cheers
Jim
 
moorey

moorey

call me Mia
I'd go s/h. More bike for your money, and depreciation has already occurred, so you won't lose much onit when you upgrade soon.
 
M4RT0

M4RT0

Likes Bikes
moorey said:
I'd go s/h. More bike for your money, and depreciation has already occurred, so you won't lose much onit when you upgrade soon.
Click to expand...
Yeah, first bike is good to get second hand. When you can really figure out if you're into the sport and you understand what you're (geometry, riding style) after without spending big dollars on something that spends too much time in the shed.
 
O

OZZYJIM

Squid
Where is the best place to look for a S/H bike? I have no problem buying s/h as long as it's a good bike for the right price. I've looked at bike exchange but they only had a few and not cheap at that.

Also, have been looking at the giant stance 2 and the giant trance 3 if I really wanna push the budget. Can anyone comment on either of these two?

Cheers
Jim
 
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kiwiinmelb

kiwiinmelb

Likes Dirt
usually a lot of stuff on ebay ,

the main problem with buying second hand if you lack experience , is recognizing a good deal and more importantly getting the right size ,

How tall are you ?
 
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Peter650

Likes Dirt
All things being equal a 29inch wheel, will break before a smaller wheel. The bike industry can be a little unrealistic, about the average male weight. For example my tyres are rated to 90kg. If my bike was 13kg, i was 75kg, & my backpack was 3kg . My advice would be to buy the strongest bike you can afford. Luckily for you strong heavy bikes are cheap , light (fragile I'm going to be in the shit for this) are expensive. Bicycle riding is a great sport to get into. For the simple reason it fast becomes a healthy lifestyle. I personally prefer 26 inch bmx bikes because they are strong, cheapish, & simple. Dirt jump bike with a long seat post might be worth a look to. You could go to the other end of the spectrum, & buy a 2nd hand downhill bike (you would have a hard time breaking one of those). As your weight comes down you could buy lighter faster bike (if that's what you are into). No matter what bike you end up getting just remember this you are going for a bush walk with your bicycle don't be afraid to get off and push it.
 
moorey

moorey

call me Mia
OZZYJIM said:
Where is the best place to look for a S/H bike? I have no problem buying s/h as long as it's a good bike for the right price. I've looked at bike exchange but they only had a few and not cheap at that.

Also, have been looking at the giant stance 2 and the giant trance 3 if I really wanna push the budget. Can anyone comment on either of these two?

Cheers
Jim
Click to expand...
Not a stance. Will crack.
If trance 3 is pushing budget, absolutely get s/h.
 
D

doihoi

Likes Dirt
moorey said:
Not a stance. Will crack.
If trance 3 is pushing budget, absolutely get s/h.
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But moorey, what about unlimited warranty with Giant :rockon:

+1 on s/h though

OZZYJIM, do you have a friend who knows a thing or two on mountain bikes? Could always take someone with you when checking out s/h bikes
 
golden path

golden path

Banned
For your purpose I'd stick with a hardtail IMO.

You'll get a better spec for your dollar and there'll be less maintenance.

Nothing wrong with a hardtail for fire roads and moderate trail riding.

Comfort wise, fatter tyres at lower pressure can help smooth out the ride a bit.

There's a reason Giants are common as arseholes, because they tend to be at or near the top for bang for the buck, though the gap has closed over the last couple of years and brands like Specialized and Trek that used to be poorer value seem to have caught up to some extent.

GT are also not bad, and tend to be somewhat overbuilt as opposed to trying to be light at all costs.

Avanti are doing some interesting Plus bikes, no idea where you can get them though.
 
Boom King

Boom King

downloaded a pic of moorey's bruised arse
Welcome OZZYJIM,

You've come to the right place for advice, plenty of it too. So far, you should go a 29er dually, 29er Hard tail, new, second hand, 26" BMX, Dirt Jumper with a long post or second hand Down hill rig.

Pretty easy choice, right?
 
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OZZYJIM

Squid
Thanks again for the replies, I've taken all into consideration :)

I've just come back from the nearest bike store and had a good look around and chat with the salesman. Basically I think it comes down to either a good s/h bike or go whole hog and get the trance 3 ($2700). The wife's happy for me to spend that much so all good in that department hehe.

Someone asked my height and it's 177cm.

So yeah that's where I'm at right now. I can't find any duelly 29ers in my budget so it will have to be 27.5, the salesman explained the differences and I "think I'll be OK with 27.5".

Again appreciate the welcome and advice:)

Cheers
Jim
 
Ivan

Ivan

Eats Squid
moorey said:
I'd go s/h. More bike for your money, and depreciation has already occurred, so you won't lose much onit when you upgrade soon.
Click to expand...
M4RT0 said:
Yeah, first bike is good to get second hand. When you can really figure out if you're into the sport and you understand what you're (geometry, riding style) after without spending big dollars on something that spends too much time in the shed.
Click to expand...
After a recent experience Im not ure I agree with this.

I recently had a friend (noob) who bought a s/h 2016 bike that looked in good condition from the photos, and it was less than 12 months old. Once they bought it they brought it around to my place for an assessment, and the gears were all out of tune, the Dropper seatpost needed a full service, and both front and rear shock felt like they needed a service as well. I tuned the gears, tidied up some cables etc and helped them find a good place to get the seatpost serviced, but in the case of someone without any help this would be a bit of a shitty experience as a first bike. :noidea:
 
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golden path

golden path

Banned
Yep.

Problems with forks and shocks and even brakes may not be evident on cursory inspection.

A brand new bike is like a brand new woman. :clap2:
 
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