Looking for a beginner All Mountain, Hardtail Mountain Bike
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Re: Looking for a beginner All Mountain, Hardtail Mountain B
Postby mitzikatzi » Thu Oct 30, 2014 6:23 pm
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Re: Looking for a beginner All Mountain, Hardtail Mountain B
Postby bychosis » Thu Oct 30, 2014 8:30 pm
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Re: Looking for a beginner All Mountain, Hardtail Mountain B
Postby __PG__ » Tue Nov 11, 2014 10:15 pm
Criteria was hydraulic discs, 29" wheels. Price limit was $1000. Was thinking of 2nd hand only but it seems that you can get quite a good new bike for that, Cube and Merida in particular seem to have a few models.
Thoughts/suggestions welcome.
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Re: Looking for a beginner All Mountain, Hardtail Mountain B
Postby silentbutdeadly » Wed Nov 12, 2014 11:17 am
Rules out Giant. No 29ers in that price bracket anymore.__PG__ wrote:This is a timely thread. I'm looking to buy a Mountain bike for the first time since high school. Mainly for riding single track with my son and mates, bike tracks with my wife and daughter, commuting and maybe hacking around at the tail end of an open CX race.
Criteria was hydraulic discs, 29" wheels. Price limit was $1000. Was thinking of 2nd hand only but it seems that you can get quite a good new bike for that, Cube and Merida in particular seem to have a few models.
Thoughts/suggestions welcome.
Merida Big Nine 100 or 300 would fit but neither strikes me as great value. Same goes for the Cube Analog or Attention which are also in your budget. GT Karakoram 2.0 has similar spec to any of these but typically a couple of hundred cheaper.
Best value new in your budget and spec at the moment would have to be the Polygon Siskiu 7.0 http://www.bicyclesonline.com.au/polygo ... -deore-xt/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Re: Looking for a beginner All Mountain, Hardtail Mountain B
Postby Lachiepower0402 » Wed Nov 12, 2014 3:22 pm
Lachlan
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Re: Looking for a beginner All Mountain, Hardtail Mountain B
Postby mitzikatzi » Wed Nov 12, 2014 5:07 pm
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Looking for a beginner All Mountain, Hardtail Mountain Bike
Postby Lachiepower0402 » Wed Nov 12, 2014 6:44 pm
Lachlan
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Re: Looking for a beginner All Mountain, Hardtail Mountain B
Postby __PG__ » Thu Nov 13, 2014 10:39 pm
That does look like good specs but I'm reticent buying a MTB blind. Haven't ridden one in decades and don't really know how it should 'fit'.silentbutdeadly wrote: Best value new in your budget and spec at the moment would have to be the Polygon Siskiu 7.0 http://www.bicyclesonline.com.au/polygo ... -deore-xt/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
99 bikes is having a sale. These two caught my eye:
Merida Big 9
Cube Attention SL
Are through axles really a big deal? That seems to be the main difference b/w those and the Polygon. Others being 180mm front disc and slighter different components. Don't mind having a conventional sealed bottom bracket. New standards require more maintenance.
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Re: Looking for a beginner All Mountain, Hardtail Mountain B
Postby __PG__ » Sat Nov 15, 2014 9:23 am
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Re: Looking for a beginner All Mountain, Hardtail Mountain B
Postby find_bruce » Sat Nov 15, 2014 11:46 am
There is more to a good fork than low weight, but it is easier to measure & gives you a rough guide, especially when they are all the same manufacturer__PG__ wrote:Have posted a thread on weight weenies. Feedback from there (and other riding friends) seems to be at that price point the most important item is the fork.
Polygon Siskiu 7.0 Rockshox XC32 TK AIR, Travel 100mm (Thru Axle) 2.133kg
Cube Attention SL Rock Shox XC 28, TK, PopLoc, 100mm 2.263 kg
Merida Big Nine 500 Rock Shox XC30TK29 100mm 2.322 kg
You can easily & cheaply save 500g on a fork, eg RockShox 30 Gold TK Solo Air 1.828 is €182 + shipping. Usual diminishing returns from there though, eg Reba is 1.614 kg & €285 + shipping
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Re: Looking for a beginner All Mountain, Hardtail Mountain B
Postby __PG__ » Sat Nov 15, 2014 12:58 pm
Went to a local bike shop, the different between a cheap elastomer Suntour fork and a Rockshox Reba air (on a $1500 bike) was amazing.
I'm also trawling the reviews section on mtbr.com on brakes and forks.
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Re: Looking for a beginner All Mountain, Hardtail Mountain B
Postby __PG__ » Sat Nov 15, 2014 12:59 pm
Interesting. I guess that is why the fork is the first upgrade path for most MTB'ers?find_bruce wrote: There is more to a good fork than low weight, but it is easier to measure & gives you a rough guide, especially when they are all the same manufacturer
Polygon Siskiu 7.0 Rockshox XC32 TK AIR, Travel 100mm (Thru Axle) 2.133kg
Cube Attention SL Rock Shox XC 28, TK, PopLoc, 100mm 2.263 kg
Merida Big Nine 500 Rock Shox XC30TK29 100mm 2.322 kg
You can easily & cheaply save 500g on a fork, eg RockShox 30 Gold TK Solo Air 1.828 is €182 + shipping. Usual diminishing returns from there though, eg Reba is 1.614 kg & €285 + shipping
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Re: Looking for a beginner All Mountain, Hardtail Mountain B
Postby silentbutdeadly » Sat Nov 15, 2014 10:17 pm
Yep. And none of those forks carry any significant kudos in the MTB world either. They are basic and not particularly adjustable to rider weight or terrain. First principles at this level are 'how big are the stanchions?' and 'does it have air?'. The XC32 has the biggest diameter stanchions and is air adjustable so it is an OK place to start. The XC28 is a Suntour equivalent PoS and having put an XC30 on the Boss's hybrid bike (at her request) to replace a dead Suntour...just don't.__PG__ wrote:Interesting. I guess that is why the fork is the first upgrade path for most MTB'ers?find_bruce wrote: There is more to a good fork than low weight, but it is easier to measure & gives you a rough guide, especially when they are all the same manufacturer
Polygon Siskiu 7.0 Rockshox XC32 TK AIR, Travel 100mm (Thru Axle) 2.133kg
Cube Attention SL Rock Shox XC 28, TK, PopLoc, 100mm 2.263 kg
Merida Big Nine 500 Rock Shox XC30TK29 100mm 2.322 kg
You can easily & cheaply save 500g on a fork, eg RockShox 30 Gold TK Solo Air 1.828 is €182 + shipping. Usual diminishing returns from there though, eg Reba is 1.614 kg & €285 + shipping
In the Rockshox range...Recon Gold is the best place to start. Otherwise, X-Fusion. Anything less and you are truly better off with a $300 rigid carbon fork. I've got one - weighs just 750 grams, has about 40mm of travel (but the rebound is fast!) due to the flex and makes the front end as light as a feather so the bike flies flat in the air. To even get away with twice the weight I'd have to spend four times as much...
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Re: Looking for a beginner All Mountain, Hardtail Mountain B
Postby __PG__ » Sun Nov 16, 2014 1:37 pm
The Fuji comes with a 2013 Fox 32 Evolution CTD. These forks were recalled (although not the 100 mm version) although general performance of the 2013 models seems to have been mixed. Many riders seem to have stumped up cash to upgrade to the 2014 damper design according to this and this
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Re: Looking for a beginner All Mountain, Hardtail Mountain B
Postby Lachiepower0402 » Mon Nov 17, 2014 11:59 am
Thank you in advance
Lachlan
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Re: Looking for a beginner All Mountain, Hardtail Mountain B
Postby silentbutdeadly » Tue Nov 18, 2014 3:12 pm
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Re: Looking for a beginner All Mountain, Hardtail Mountain B
Postby Lachiepower0402 » Tue Nov 18, 2014 3:22 pm
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Re: Looking for a beginner All Mountain, Hardtail Mountain B
Postby silentbutdeadly » Tue Nov 18, 2014 3:44 pm
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Re: Looking for a beginner All Mountain, Hardtail Mountain B
Postby Lachiepower0402 » Mon Nov 24, 2014 9:44 am
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Re: Looking for a beginner All Mountain, Hardtail Mountain B
Postby __PG__ » Mon Nov 24, 2014 10:31 am
Cell Bikes Awaba 1.0
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Re: Looking for a beginner All Mountain, Hardtail Mountain B
Postby __PG__ » Sat Nov 29, 2014 3:39 pm
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Re: Looking for a beginner All Mountain, Hardtail Mountain B
Postby Lachiepower0402 » Sun Dec 07, 2014 4:03 pm
The pedals I have are: PD-M530
The shoes I have are: SH-M088
Also rear and front mudguards are a must as I have learnt from when riding in water and mud I always get covered in water and dirt. But the front mudguard is more important because if you are getting water flung in your face at high speed, you can't see where your going because you can't keep your eyes open. Unless you are wearing sunglasses.
Lachlan
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Re: Looking for a beginner All Mountain, Hardtail Mountain B
Postby tcdev » Sun Dec 07, 2014 7:18 pm
2011 Schwinn Sporterra Comp
2021 Giant Contend AR1
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Re: Looking for a beginner All Mountain, Hardtail Mountain B
Postby Lachiepower0402 » Sun Dec 07, 2014 7:24 pm
So all in all, it was a worthy investment.
Lachlan
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Re: Looking for a beginner All Mountain, Hardtail Mountain B
Postby tcdev » Sun Dec 07, 2014 7:34 pm
Wonder how long until you want a 2nd bike!
2011 Schwinn Sporterra Comp
2021 Giant Contend AR1
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