Mountain Bike Recommendations

"Rick B" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

The bikes that have got my attention so far are Giant and Shogun. Can
someone offer some advice here and perhaps let me know if I should wait

for

Quoted message said:

sales or am I too late for this season.

Giant seem to do good things..

You should still be able to find some bargains
on last year's models. See what your local
bike shop (LBS) has to offer and perhaps
some other listee's can suggest some specific
models? Giant Boulder SE rings a bell for that
price range..

good luck
hippy

@ $500, you might have to score a special on a MTB to have some decent components.
Thing to remember that sure a bike is a bike, but a good bike can enhance your riding expereince & may even lead to other things.
Dept store bikes might come in at $300odd, you may not have a pleasant experience with them & might chuck next hard rubbish collection (anyone noticed how many complete dept shop pushbikes are out on hard rubbish collection?).

My personal recomedation would be to look for bikes which have a certain level of components like Shimano Deore groupset (which means front & rear chain derailuers, rear cassette [chain cogs on the rear wheel], and maybe brakes.). You wont get any good sort of suspension below $1000 so steer clear of any dual suspension bikes. Front fork suspension are everywhere even though they wont be much chop under $500 bikes, so don’t expect much.
Problem with this price range - below $500 – is that these sort of bikes go 2nd hand really quickly. But sometimes it’s hard to pick the difference between a $400 or $800 bike when they’re new.

Pushbikes nowadays are all down to the components they run. It’s hard to say that one brand is better than another as they all carry a range from [censored] to overpriced. Of course we’re not looknig a boutique brands like Cannondale which are all $$$$$.

You might need to kick around for a good deal on a floor shop bike. Frame size for MTB bikes are pretty straight forward.

Rick B said:

Hi All,

I am looking for recommendations for a mountain bike. The majority of my
riding will be on a nearby Melbourne bike path (sealed) to parks. The idea
is to accompany my young son on bike rides so speed or anything like that is
not really important. If I go riding alone I am likely to stick to the bike
paths but travel longer distances.

Reliability and comfort is what I am looking for. My budget is around $500
but for that I am hoping to get a bike with some decent components.
Otherwise I might as well go to Big W and buy a Dunlop or something like
that for 300 bucks.

The bikes that have got my attention so far are Giant and Shogun. Can
someone offer some advice here and perhaps let me know if I should wait for
sales or am I too late for this season.

Many Thanks in anticipation.

Rick.

Sniff around the LBS's & see whats on clearout. You could still score a deal on older stock. As Marx SS said, a better bike will be nicer to ride & could lead to whole world bike induced enjoyment.

Another option is a better second hand hybrid. One owner, Low km's, Excellent condition, Originally sold for $(your budget +lots more$) 🙂

"Rick B" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]

Quoted message said:

Hi All,

I am looking for recommendations for a mountain bike. The majority of
my riding will be on a nearby Melbourne bike path (sealed) to parks.
The idea is to accompany my young son on bike rides so speed or
anything like that is not really important. If I go riding alone I am
likely to stick to the bike paths but travel longer distances.

Reliability and comfort is what I am looking for. My budget is around
$500 but for that I am hoping to get a bike with some decent
components. Otherwise I might as well go to Big W and buy a Dunlop or
something like that for 300 bucks.

The bikes that have got my attention so far are Giant and Shogun. Can
someone offer some advice here and perhaps let me know if I should
wait for sales or am I too late for this season.

MBC Prahran have an Acera 24 speed listed for $299 (RRP$499
http://www.bikes.com.au/html/s13_shopping/view_product.asp?id=658);
Shogun Alivio 24 speed "Trail Breaker" $459 (RRP$499
http://www.bikes.com.au/html/s13_shopping/view_product.asp?id=125);
Shogun Deore XT/LX 27 speed for $999 (RRP$1499
http://www.bikes.com.au/html/s13_shopping/view_product.asp?id=653);

MBC Clifton Hill have the one I reckon is best value, the Shogun MBC "Slick
Rock Sport 2005" for $499 (RRP$799
http://www.melbournebicycle.com.au/en-us/dept_105.html). It's the MTB
equivalent of the Shogun MBC hybrid I have and it's excellent value. MBC
Prahran should also have them but since they don't have it online you'd have
to ask them if they stil have stock (they sell rather quickly). It's a 27
speed Deore/Alivio mix with a Merida frame (Merida do all Shogun's frames)
and well worth the extra $50 over the Trail Breaker.

--

A: Top-posters.
Q: What is the most annoying thing on Usenet?

I bought an '05 Giant Rincon for $500 a few months, decent bike. Nothing broken yet :P.

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

Quoted message said:

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

Quoted message said:

Hi All,

I am looking for recommendations for a mountain bike. The majority of my
riding will be on a nearby Melbourne bike path (sealed) to parks. The

idea

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

is to accompany my young son on bike rides so speed or anything like

that

Quoted message said:

is

Quoted message said:

not really important. If I go riding alone I am likely to stick to the

bike

Quoted message said:

paths but travel longer distances.

Reliability and comfort is what I am looking for. My budget is around

$500

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

but for that I am hoping to get a bike with some decent components.
Otherwise I might as well go to Big W and buy a Dunlop or something like
that for 300 bucks.

The bikes that have got my attention so far are Giant and Shogun. Can
someone offer some advice here and perhaps let me know if I should wait

for

Quoted message said:

sales or am I too late for this season.

Many Thanks in anticipation.

Rick.

I bought a Shogun Trail-Breaker about two years ago and have no complaints
whatsover. I think it was $480 at the time. The only things I've had to
replace are the rear cassette and chain, but that was after about 3000km,

so

Quoted message said:

I figure that's pretty good!

Hope that helps.
Daniel

Several years ago my Brother gave me his Shogun mountain bike when he
upgraded, I rode that bike hard for several years before I also upgraded and
passed the Shogun onto a friend who now uses it as his main off road bike.
It still has the original Rockshox Mag 2.1 forks. That bike must have done
tens of thousands of km and is still running well.

Marty

DRS said:

"Rick B" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]

Quoted message said:

Hi All,

I am looking for recommendations for a mountain bike. The majority of
my riding will be on a nearby Melbourne bike path (sealed) to parks.
The idea is to accompany my young son on bike rides so speed or
anything like that is not really important. If I go riding alone I am
likely to stick to the bike paths but travel longer distances.

Reliability and comfort is what I am looking for. My budget is around
$500 but for that I am hoping to get a bike with some decent
components. Otherwise I might as well go to Big W and buy a Dunlop or
something like that for 300 bucks.

The bikes that have got my attention so far are Giant and Shogun. Can
someone offer some advice here and perhaps let me know if I should
wait for sales or am I too late for this season.

MBC Prahran have an Acera 24 speed listed for $299 (RRP$499
http://www.bikes.com.au/html/s13_shopping/view_product.asp?id=658);
Shogun Alivio 24 speed "Trail Breaker" $459 (RRP$499
http://www.bikes.com.au/html/s13_shopping/view_product.asp?id=125);
Shogun Deore XT/LX 27 speed for $999 (RRP$1499
http://www.bikes.com.au/html/s13_shopping/view_product.asp?id=653);

MBC Clifton Hill have the one I reckon is best value, the Shogun MBC "Slick
Rock Sport 2005" for $499 (RRP$799
http://www.melbournebicycle.com.au/en-us/dept_105.html). It's the MTB
equivalent of the Shogun MBC hybrid I have and it's excellent value. MBC
Prahran should also have them but since they don't have it online you'd have
to ask them if they stil have stock (they sell rather quickly). It's a 27
speed Deore/Alivio mix with a Merida frame (Merida do all Shogun's frames)
and well worth the extra $50 over the Trail Breaker.

And be aware that their prices are cheap because they do not provide
any kind of customer service.

--
Nick

"NickZX6R" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]

[...]

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

MBC Prahran have an Acera 24 speed listed for $299 (RRP$499
http://www.bikes.com.au/html/s13_shopping/view_product.asp?id=658);
Shogun Alivio 24 speed "Trail Breaker" $459 (RRP$499
http://www.bikes.com.au/html/s13_shopping/view_product.asp?id=125);
Shogun Deore XT/LX 27 speed for $999 (RRP$1499
http://www.bikes.com.au/html/s13_shopping/view_product.asp?id=653);

MBC Clifton Hill have the one I reckon is best value, the Shogun MBC
"Slick Rock Sport 2005" for $499 (RRP$799
http://www.melbournebicycle.com.au/en-us/dept_105.html). It's the
MTB equivalent of the Shogun MBC hybrid I have and it's excellent
value. MBC Prahran should also have them but since they don't have
it online you'd have to ask them if they stil have stock (they sell
rather quickly). It's a 27 speed Deore/Alivio mix with a Merida
frame (Merida do all Shogun's frames) and well worth the extra $50
over the Trail Breaker.

And be aware that their prices are cheap because they do not provide
any kind of customer service.

You must differentiate between MBC Prahran and Clifton Hill. Clifton Hill
has the poor reputation, but at $499 the Shogun MBC is very hard to beat.

--

A: Top-posters.
Q: What is the most annoying thing on Usenet?

DRS said:

"NickZX6R" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]

[...]

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

MBC Prahran have an Acera 24 speed listed for $299 (RRP$499
http://www.bikes.com.au/html/s13_shopping/view_product.asp?id=658);
Shogun Alivio 24 speed "Trail Breaker" $459 (RRP$499
http://www.bikes.com.au/html/s13_shopping/view_product.asp?id=125);
Shogun Deore XT/LX 27 speed for $999 (RRP$1499
http://www.bikes.com.au/html/s13_shopping/view_product.asp?id=653);

MBC Clifton Hill have the one I reckon is best value, the Shogun MBC
"Slick Rock Sport 2005" for $499 (RRP$799
http://www.melbournebicycle.com.au/en-us/dept_105.html). It's the
MTB equivalent of the Shogun MBC hybrid I have and it's excellent
value. MBC Prahran should also have them but since they don't have
it online you'd have to ask them if they stil have stock (they sell
rather quickly). It's a 27 speed Deore/Alivio mix with a Merida
frame (Merida do all Shogun's frames) and well worth the extra $50
over the Trail Breaker.

And be aware that their prices are cheap because they do not provide
any kind of customer service.

You must differentiate between MBC Prahran and Clifton Hill. Clifton Hill
has the poor reputation, but at $499 the Shogun MBC is very hard to beat.

Fair enuff. I've only had experience with Clifton Hill.

But you're right. Their prices are certainly low.

--
Nick

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

Quoted message said:

Hi All,

I am looking for recommendations for a mountain bike. The majority of my
riding will be on a nearby Melbourne bike path (sealed) to parks. The idea
is to accompany my young son on bike rides so speed or anything like that

is

Quoted message said:

not really important. If I go riding alone I am likely to stick to the

bike

Quoted message said:

paths but travel longer distances.

Reliability and comfort is what I am looking for. My budget is around $500
but for that I am hoping to get a bike with some decent components.
Otherwise I might as well go to Big W and buy a Dunlop or something like
that for 300 bucks.

The bikes that have got my attention so far are Giant and Shogun. Can
someone offer some advice here and perhaps let me know if I should wait

for

Quoted message said:

sales or am I too late for this season.

Many Thanks in anticipation.

Rick.

I bought a Shogun Trail-Breaker about two years ago and have no complaints
whatsover. I think it was $480 at the time. The only things I've had to
replace are the rear cassette and chain, but that was after about 3000km, so
I figure that's pretty good!

Hope that helps.
Daniel