good entry level mt bike

[giggy]

hi all - I know there are some bikers here - so hopefully can get some good info

I am looking to supplement my training for climbing/hiking with some basic mountain biking. I plan to basically use the bike for around town and real easy off road trails - like powerlines or something. Right now, I want the cheapest thing I can get that won't injure me!! I have thought about getting the wal-mart mongoose special -but have visions of this thing falling apart on me.

I see REI has something called K2's.

I really don't want to spend alot - in fact I would like to spend less then 200. I know you get what you pay for - but there has to be something out there for this $$ that is decent for basic biking.

besides racing bmx when I was young - I don't much about bikes.

thanks

 

[HAMTERO]

mountain bikes

You may have some luck finding a older model (2004) bike on sale at a bike shop. Bikes come in frame sizes and it is inportant to get the right size or you will have a miserable time-like too small boots. The wal-mart ones won't last long and their in store assembly is pretty bad. You are talking $500 plus for something you can ride off road. BTW powerlines are usually hard going since they just cut straight across the hills and are muddy.
If you can figure out what size you need maybe a used bike would fit the bill.
Where do you live? Maybe I could help you find something.

Lloyd

 

[giggy]

in mass - franklin - but work in cambridge. yea - any bike shops you can recommend would be great - thanks

 

[HAMTERO]

bike shops

i'm in somerville. You could try Belmont Wheelworks or it's sister store in Davis Square, Ace Wheelworks. There is a store in Powderhouse square called Paramount cycles that has some used stuff. You don't need suspension to do what you want to do just a good frame with some decent parts. How tall are you and i'll check by Ace while i'm out for a ride in a little bit?

 

[giggy]

5'11 - thanks much

 

[Waumbek]

You can get some killer bike deals at the LL Bean outlet in Concord NH. They have Specialized and other frame makes as well as their generic. It's hit or miss at an outlet. I'm heading by there early this week so I'll have a look.

 

[darren]

Stay away from the walmart bikes. junk. period. Your options are limited for $200 so as others said, you are best off buying a used bike. If you want to go off road you will probably want a front shock. Do not buy a full suspension (ie: front and rear shocks) for less than $1000 (even used). You will regret it.

In addition to teh local bike shops, check ebay for local bikes.

- darren

 

[paul ron]

Raleigh is a well made bike. My daughter bought one and looking at the welds and the shifters, it's all quality stuff. Her bike was the M20 solid frame, no shocks or suspension, selling for around $200 4 years ago. Now almost every bike has suspension but that is somethig that you have to decide you need depending on the kind of riding you will be doing.

Sizing and fitting the bike to you is as important as the bike you buy. I have an old Trek which was about $200 6 years ago but it fits like a glove and I wouldn't upgrade it no matter what you offer. I enjoy a wider seat for long distance and no suspension because I am a bit on the large side, suspensions tend to bottom out and don't give me the handeling I like on rough dirt.

Check out a local bike shop, these guys are better at sizing you up... and expensive isn't always better, just more options.

 

[hammerhead]

Look into a cyclocross bike. Great for around town and super cool for trail riding.

 

[Tramper Al]

Well, I'm not a biker.

I bought a basic mountain bike at REI (house brand) new for $300 and something like maybe 3 or 4 years ago, and it has been great. I think it's called the Bonanza or Ponderosa (or is it Big Valley?) or something. I use it for road rides to car spot for one way hikes on the AT, or to close loops in the White Mountains. It took me on a nice 20 mile CoHP round trip on Nantucket last January, in 4-6 inches of new snow. I have had it on forest roads, rough gravel stuff, and some power line tracks and it has always served me well. As I say, I am not a biker. For me it's just a ride, but it has been a good one.

 

[Puma concolor]

Oddly enough, entry level is considered around $600 and up. But you can get a good mountain bike for your purposes for less. It sounds like you're basically in the same place I was a couple of years ago and I spent about $300 and am now looking to upgrade. If you have a Dick's Sporting Goods in your area, you should be able to find an adequate selection of bikes that will suit your purposes that are somewhere in between Wal-Mart level quality and 'entry level.'

Some things to look for:

1. Hard Tail v. Soft Tail. Both are good but soft tail (those bikes where the seat kind of floats over the rear tire) are generally more geared for downhill or freestyle riding.

2. Disc brakes v. pad brakes. Most higher quality mountain bikes have disc brakes these days.

3. Forks. The front fork should have some sort of capacity for absorbing shock. The Judy Fork ('Rock Shox') are very good and are found on many entry level bikes. Don't buy something with just a straight fork.

If you swing buy your local magazine stand, you should still be able to find the 2005 Buyer's Guide of "Mountain Bike" bike magazine, which reviews a few bikes in the $600 range. Personally, I'm planning on getting the GT Avalanche 0.5 this year, which retails for about $1000. K2 as you mentioned also has many good entry level bikes as does Trek, Diamondback and Mongoose ... among others.

Have fun. I know I've been.

 

[Rick]

A lot of great information here. I agree that decent starter bikes are usually going to cost you a bit more than $200.

It will also help you to learn a bit more about bikes and how to do maintenance and adjustments on them yourself.
It is like kayaking, skiing and most anything else - If you get hooked, you are going to want to get something better than what you have.

I know a few of the Local Bike Shops have used bikes that could certainly fill the bill here. Nothing wrong with getting older components that are still quite an upgrade from what is on a $2-300 new bike.

Here are a few links on maintenance & bike anatomy that might help as well as bikeforums, which I find absolutely indispensable for bike info. (Kinda like the VFTT of NE hiking)
Sheldon Brown (I go here before anywhere else when tearing down my bike)
Bike Forums
Mtn Bike Repair
Bike Anatomy

Good luck!!!

 

[giggy]

thanks

some great info here - thanks much.

 

[alistair]

Trek, Specialized, and Giant all have "entry level" bikes. It all depends what you want to spend. Do you need full suspension?.... not for riding arounf town. Do you need aluminum frame?
I just bought a $400 Trek last year for an adventure race. I'd never riden before and have been very happy with it so far.

 

[professor]

There are inevitably a lot of abandoned mountain bikes at most college campuses. Frequently, these are confiscated by the campus police at the end of the academic year, put in storage for a while, and eventually thrown out. If you live near a college campus, you might ask if they ever put these bikes up for sale to the public (the institution where I work does this some years). These bikes are usually well -worn, but can be fixed up for a small fraction of the price of a new bike. At the very least, if you get lucky you can get a fine frame wtih some nicks which can be mixed and matched with other used parts to get a very workable bike which is far better than the 200 buck WallMart bikes which have been alluded to.