mountain bikes

test
"Miles" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hello Group,

Is this the right group for mountain biking?

I am thinking about a basic hard-tail bike. Under what
circumstances will it be sufficient? I am not looking at the
most difficult terrains.

There are quite inexpensive front suspensions? Are they any
good? If I have to get suspensions, I would rather get quality
ones.

I am a little bit worried about the cheaper brakes. Should I
get disc brakes?

I am kind of a techophobia, not necessarily after the fancy
gizmos, but I need an adequate one.

Thanks.

Miles

"Miles" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hello Group,

Is this the right group for mountain biking?

I am thinking about a basic hard-tail bike. Under what
circumstances will it be sufficient? I am not looking at the
most difficult terrains.

There are quite inexpensive front suspensions? Are they any
good? If I have to get suspensions, I would rather get quality
ones.

I am a little bit worried about the cheaper brakes. Should I
get disc brakes?

Rim brakes are just fine, until you actually ride enough to determine that
you need more.

Quoted message said:

I am kind of a techophobia, not necessarily after the fancy
gizmos, but I need an adequate one.

The standard answer:
1. Define your budget. Add 25% for eye candy and extra stuff (pump, tools,
etc)
2. Go to a bike shop. Test ride one or more bikes
3. Go to another one. Test ride a couple other bikes.
4. If there's another, go there as well.

Repeat 2-4 as many times as necessary, but don't over analyse.

Bring home the bike you like the best, from the shop you like the best.

Pete

Lance Boyle said:

test

Test failed for lack of content.

Quoted message said:

"Miles" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hello Group,

Is this the right group for mountain biking?

I am thinking about a basic hard-tail bike. Under what
circumstances will it be sufficient? I am not looking at the
most difficult terrains.

There are quite inexpensive front suspensions? Are they any
good? If I have to get suspensions, I would rather get quality
ones.

I am a little bit worried about the cheaper brakes. Should I
get disc brakes?

I am kind of a techophobia, not necessarily after the fancy
gizmos, but I need an adequate one.

Thanks.

Miles

Miles says...

Quoted message said:

Hello Group,

Is this the right group for mountain biking?

I am thinking about a basic hard-tail bike. Under what
circumstances will it be sufficient? I am not looking at the
most difficult terrains.

A hard tail will be fine if you aren't doing the most difficult terrain.

Quoted message said:

There are quite inexpensive front suspensions? Are they any
good? If I have to get suspensions, I would rather get quality
ones.

I would rather have a rigid fork than a cheap suspension fork. IMO, flex
is the dark side of suspension forks, and you will get plenty of it with
a cheap fork. A hard tail with Deore parts would be a good bike, except
for the cheap fork that it almost certainly will have.

Quoted message said:

I am a little bit worried about the cheaper brakes. Should I
get disc brakes?

Don't worry about brakes so much, but I'm sure some cheap bikes have
crappy ones.

Quoted message said:

I am kind of a techophobia, not necessarily after the fancy
gizmos, but I need an adequate one.

It all depends on your budget. If you can afford it, get a well equipped
bike with a good fork. If money is really tight, then you can get a
cheaper bike and eventually replace the parts that give you headaches.

Miles says...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I am thinking about a basic hard-tail bike. Under what
circumstances will it be sufficient? I am not looking at the
most difficult terrains.

Super Slinky said:

A hard tail will be fine if you aren't doing the most difficult
terrain.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

There are quite inexpensive front suspensions? Are they any
good? If I have to get suspensions, I would rather get quality
ones.

Quoted message said:

I would rather have a rigid fork than a cheap suspension fork. IMO,
flex is the dark side of suspension forks, and you will get plenty of
it with a cheap fork. A hard tail with Deore parts would be a good
bike, except for the cheap fork that it almost certainly will have.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I am a little bit worried about the cheaper brakes. Should I
get disc brakes?

Quoted message said:

Don't worry about brakes so much, but I'm sure some cheap bikes have
crappy ones.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I am kind of a techophobia, not necessarily after the fancy
gizmos, but I need an adequate one.

Quoted message said:

It all depends on your budget. If you can afford it, get a well
equipped bike with a good fork. If money is really tight, then you
can get a cheaper bike and eventually replace the parts that give you
headaches.

I wouldn't be afraid of buying used, either. Find one that fits and have it
thoroughly inspected by your Local Bike Shop before slapping down the coin.
You can often get one that's about a year old for about 50-60% of its price
new. That gets you a much better bike without expanding your budget.

Did I say have it checked first??

Neil

: I wouldn't be afraid of buying used, either. Find one that fits and have
it
: thoroughly inspected by your Local Bike Shop before slapping down the
coin.
: You can often get one that's about a year old for about 50-60% of its
price
: new. That gets you a much better bike without expanding your budget.
:
: Did I say have it checked first??
:
: Neil

A cautionary note here: I once saw a used Trek bike at a pawn shop for $400.
As I was on my way to my LBS, I mentioned it to the guy at the shop and he
said, "Hell, we sell that model for $379 NEW!" He then explained that he
used to work at a pawn shop and the rule of thumb was to mark up an item for
sale at 400% of what they invested in it. That means this particular bike
was "worth" $100 to them and that shows a ton of room for bargaining....

Pat in TX
:
:

Quoted message said:

"Hello, is this the right group for
mountain biking?"

Actually, there is a group dedicated to this branch of this sport, but
it's rarely visited.

This group is "general" in nature, however. So MTB'ing is perfectly
acceptable, I would think. :-3)

- -

"May you have the wind at your back.
And a really low gear for the hills!"

Chris Zacho ~ "Your Friendly Neighborhood Wheelman"

Chris'Z Corner
http://www.geocities.com/czcorner

"Chris Zacho wrote: Actually, there is a group dedicated to this branch of
this sport, but it's rarely visited. (clip)
*************
I do more mountain biking than road, but I have given up on that
newsgroup--seems most of their posts are defending mountain biking's
legitimacy, or attacking and insulting the bikers. We are accused of
destroying the environment, etc. I won't dwell on it further, 'cause I'm
already starting to get angry.

On Sat, 20 Nov 2004 00:52:49 GMT, "Leo Lichtman" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

"Chris Zacho wrote: Actually, there is a group dedicated to this branch of
this sport, but it's rarely visited. (clip)
*************
I do more mountain biking than road, but I have given up on that
newsgroup--seems most of their posts are defending mountain biking's
legitimacy, or attacking and insulting the bikers. We are accused of
destroying the environment, etc. I won't dwell on it further, 'cause I'm
already starting to get angry.

'sokay. People who actually go in the woods know who's been maintaining the
trails, packing out trash, building bridges and like that. Those who don't?
Screw 'em they don't actually go in the woods.

Ron