link1896
Mr Greenfield
And good at swapping parts over. "Wait ten fellas, I've just got to swap the rear triangle over"
This bike was to be a bike path queen, I now think I've fostered a new MTBer.
Should a beginner purchase a dual suspension bike to start?
- Thread starter Do_A_Mono
- Start date
This bike was to be a bike path queen, I now think I've fostered a new MTBer.
pink poodle
気が狂っている男
Just in case he doesn't shred both balls in the first break?
Did you try and search up the evidence?
link1896
Mr Greenfield
I can still vividly recall my primary school mate catching ball sack in the crack in his broken all plastic bmx seat.
It should have been implemented a Guantanamo bay as an "enhanced interrogation technique"
dunndog
Eats Squid
You spelt 'you will move on to a full suspension bike and never look back' wrong..:love:
Ivan
Eats Squid
I did, but didn't have any luck. Last time it was a spambot.
born-again-biker
Is looking for a 16" bar
My two cents worth....'coz I was in your shoes not along ago and I spent over a year researching & looking around before I handed over my hard-earned.
Years ago I used to rip around on a rigid with 26" wheels. There was rarely a day I didn't ride it in my teens & early 20's. I still remember how that bike felt.
Then, about 2 years ago (now in my late '30's) I decided to get back into mtn bikes.....fuck me, things have changed.
First question you need to answer: What are the trails you intend to ride like? Steep or flat? Rocky & rough or smooth & groomed? All of the above?
(if the trails are a bit of everything, you need a bike that can handle the worst of it, not a bike that only handles the nice stuff...)
I was initially convinced that a HT was all I needed (same old reasons - budget, won't ride much, don't need full sus, I'll go full sus down the track if I want to..... etc etc....)
....but a mate with a lot of experience told me if I bought a HT I would be back at the LBS 12 months later upgrading to full sus. I reckon he was right.
So, here's a few key things I have learned so far:
- I tried very hard to buy second hand. You should too. Why? Full sus bikes lose a shed load of value after about 6 minutes of ownership. Gumtree, ebay, bike exchange have all got used bargains. Unfortunately, being a tall bastard I never found an XL framed bike that was the right type / price etc....but if you're in the medium / large range and you look around for a few months you will find something that has had millions spent on it going for far less than what it costs to buy or build equivalent.
- If you buy new, DO NOT let the guys at the LBS up-sell a bike way above your budget. Everywhere I went (dozen's of stores in 2 states) they tried to get me away from the entry level dualies and onto the pricier stuff. The reality is if you're not ripping trails like the fully sponsored 22 year old bloke on the cover of the magazine, a lower spec dualie is still shit loads of fun...and still faster than any HT on a rough trail with a rookie at the bars.
- Most rear shocks can be locked out anyway, so if you ride some flat, wide (boring) stuff then you kinda get a HT for free anyway....
- I spent the first 18 months riding flat pedals. They rock. You have to focus hard on the trail & anticipate stuff....so there's you skills training off-set.
- Stay up late at least 2-3 nights a week reading anything & everything on Rotorburn. There is some very experienced biker's on here....and sometimes they even share their wisdom.
Years ago I used to rip around on a rigid with 26" wheels. There was rarely a day I didn't ride it in my teens & early 20's. I still remember how that bike felt.
Then, about 2 years ago (now in my late '30's) I decided to get back into mtn bikes.....fuck me, things have changed.
First question you need to answer: What are the trails you intend to ride like? Steep or flat? Rocky & rough or smooth & groomed? All of the above?
(if the trails are a bit of everything, you need a bike that can handle the worst of it, not a bike that only handles the nice stuff...)
I was initially convinced that a HT was all I needed (same old reasons - budget, won't ride much, don't need full sus, I'll go full sus down the track if I want to..... etc etc....)
....but a mate with a lot of experience told me if I bought a HT I would be back at the LBS 12 months later upgrading to full sus. I reckon he was right.
So, here's a few key things I have learned so far:
- I tried very hard to buy second hand. You should too. Why? Full sus bikes lose a shed load of value after about 6 minutes of ownership. Gumtree, ebay, bike exchange have all got used bargains. Unfortunately, being a tall bastard I never found an XL framed bike that was the right type / price etc....but if you're in the medium / large range and you look around for a few months you will find something that has had millions spent on it going for far less than what it costs to buy or build equivalent.
- If you buy new, DO NOT let the guys at the LBS up-sell a bike way above your budget. Everywhere I went (dozen's of stores in 2 states) they tried to get me away from the entry level dualies and onto the pricier stuff. The reality is if you're not ripping trails like the fully sponsored 22 year old bloke on the cover of the magazine, a lower spec dualie is still shit loads of fun...and still faster than any HT on a rough trail with a rookie at the bars.
- Most rear shocks can be locked out anyway, so if you ride some flat, wide (boring) stuff then you kinda get a HT for free anyway....
- I spent the first 18 months riding flat pedals. They rock. You have to focus hard on the trail & anticipate stuff....so there's you skills training off-set.
- Stay up late at least 2-3 nights a week reading anything & everything on Rotorburn. There is some very experienced biker's on here....and sometimes they even share their wisdom.
pink poodle
気が狂っている男
Some people pay a lot of money for that kind of pleasure.
This kind of bullshit isn't productive. Nor is it conducive to getting some fresh porn on here! Spend spend spend. The more you spend, the better the performance of the bike. This will cover any lack of skill on your behalf. The increased level of stoke an expensive bike brings will get you out on the trail more too. Not to forget the "Fuck me! I could have brought a house..." feelings you will have, they motivate a lot of riders.
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pink poodle
気が狂っている男
If you're going to go giant, get a trance. They either don't sell very many or don't break as often as the anthems.
born-again-biker
Is looking for a 16" bar
OK, forget the previous well thought out dribble....just keep this bit...
See?. It's a full blown crack-house methadone program for bikers that give zero fucks. Fucking mortgage. Fucking kids edumacation....
pink poodle
気が狂っている男
Damn straight. Sometimes we need to look out for the rookies and share the wisdom!
Another thing that is really important, do you want to slay the incredibly attractive specimens of the gender of your preference? If so rebel this, a really expensive dh bike is significantly more attractive than a Ferrari or Lamborghini. In my own experience women melt out from the cuffs of their pants whenever they see me on my big rig. Without fail you'll be drowning in it! So buy a life jacket too.
Another thing that is really important, do you want to slay the incredibly attractive specimens of the gender of your preference? If so rebel this, a really expensive dh bike is significantly more attractive than a Ferrari or Lamborghini. In my own experience women melt out from the cuffs of their pants whenever they see me on my big rig. Without fail you'll be drowning in it! So buy a life jacket too.
link1896
Mr Greenfield
Can I vote for you?
wkkie
It's Not Easy Being Green
Too true! Got it in one!
stirk
Burner
^^^ Corrected bro.
Smashing balls on XC bikes guarantees infertility just ask financialwar.
Oh, ok I see what's going on now......
link1896
Mr Greenfield
Anthems keep cracking as they have less then 9L of internal volume?
Either that or will add to the embarrassment when coming to a stop and slowly toppling over because you forgot how to unclip on your 10k bike.
stirk
Burner
Yeah, any more than 8L requires panniers which causes frame integrity issues.
pink poodle
気が狂っている男
I cant ride clipless in my heels, so I go flats.
born-again-biker
Is looking for a 16" bar
Snorkel & fins?
Nah just have kids first. I did that and now I can get clanged nads on my Anthem all day long and have no worries.