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

A mountain bike ability to survive "jumps" depends in part on the strength of the bike but also in the skill of the rider in landing the jump.

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Re: Looking for a beginner All Mountain, Hardtail Mountain B

Postby bychosis » Thu Oct 30, 2014 8:30 pm

And dropping off a gutter isn't a jump, except on a kmart bike.
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Re: Looking for a beginner All Mountain, Hardtail Mountain B

Postby __PG__ » Tue Nov 11, 2014 10:15 pm

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.
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Re: Looking for a beginner All Mountain, Hardtail Mountain B

Postby silentbutdeadly » Wed Nov 12, 2014 11:17 am

__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.
Rules out Giant. No 29ers in that price bracket anymore.

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

Sorry to break up the conversation, but I reckon this conversation should continue on a new thread.
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Lachlan

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Re: Looking for a beginner All Mountain, Hardtail Mountain B

Postby mitzikatzi » Wed Nov 12, 2014 5:07 pm

http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/posting" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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Looking for a beginner All Mountain, Hardtail Mountain Bike

Postby Lachiepower0402 » Wed Nov 12, 2014 6:44 pm

Alright you got me on that one, good video by the way. I'll just stay out of the conversation now.
Regards,

Lachlan

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Re: Looking for a beginner All Mountain, Hardtail Mountain B

Postby __PG__ » Thu Nov 13, 2014 10:39 pm

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;
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'.

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

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.
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Re: Looking for a beginner All Mountain, Hardtail Mountain B

Postby find_bruce » Sat Nov 15, 2014 11:46 am

__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.
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 __PG__ » Sat Nov 15, 2014 12:58 pm

For a bit more I can get A Fox 32 Float Evolution fork an a Hollowtech crankset (which I'm not that fussed about) and upgraded brakes.

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

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
Interesting. I guess that is why the fork is the first upgrade path for most MTB'ers?
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Re: Looking for a beginner All Mountain, Hardtail Mountain B

Postby silentbutdeadly » Sat Nov 15, 2014 10:17 pm

__PG__ wrote:
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
Interesting. I guess that is why the fork is the first upgrade path for most MTB'ers?
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.

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

Can get a Cube Acid for a bit more which comes with a Rockshox Recon Silver Air. Only difference between that and a recon Gold from the Rockshock website is steel vs aluminium upper tubes which costs about 300g.

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

Just a question about my bike, I have noticed that the bike has started to make a noise in the drive train, it is a quiet noise that sort of sounds like the freewheel, but is a lot quieter, what could this be, gears out of adjustment, not enough grease?

Thank you in advance
Regards,

Lachlan

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Re: Looking for a beginner All Mountain, Hardtail Mountain B

Postby silentbutdeadly » Tue Nov 18, 2014 3:12 pm

Start with chain lube and work up from there...
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Re: Looking for a beginner All Mountain, Hardtail Mountain B

Postby Lachiepower0402 » Tue Nov 18, 2014 3:22 pm

I don't have any chain lube, can I use any other grease or oil.
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Lachlan

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Re: Looking for a beginner All Mountain, Hardtail Mountain B

Postby silentbutdeadly » Tue Nov 18, 2014 3:44 pm

No. You need a light oil or (better still) a 'dry' wax lube like Rock n Roll. In the absence of chain lube, an alternative is Singer 3 in 1 machine oil (but sparingly)...it can be had from the supermarket.
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Re: Looking for a beginner All Mountain, Hardtail Mountain B

Postby Lachiepower0402 » Mon Nov 24, 2014 9:44 am

The problem seems to of gone away now after a bit of riding. But I am getting the bike checked over in 2 weeks as part of the warranty, where they will probably look at this.
Regards,

Lachlan

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Re: Looking for a beginner All Mountain, Hardtail Mountain B

Postby __PG__ » Mon Nov 24, 2014 10:31 am

Looks really good value. Best specs I've seen at that price. Will test ride it this weekend
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Re: Looking for a beginner All Mountain, Hardtail Mountain B

Postby __PG__ » Sat Nov 29, 2014 3:39 pm

I bought the Cell. Need a setback post for it though. Have to buy a rack and rear mudguard and some slicks for it's 9-5 job...and SPD pedals...and MTB shoes...
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Re: Looking for a beginner All Mountain, Hardtail Mountain B

Postby Lachiepower0402 » Sun Dec 07, 2014 4:03 pm

If you are going to get shoes and clip in pedals, I can recommend you the pedals and shoes that I have, since they are cheap and work well you should be getting them if you are just starting out like I am.

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.
Regards,

Lachlan

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Re: Looking for a beginner All Mountain, Hardtail Mountain B

Postby tcdev » Sun Dec 07, 2014 7:18 pm

Been following this thread since it began; wondering what type of riding you're doing, how often, and how you're enjoying it Lachiepower0402?
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Re: Looking for a beginner All Mountain, Hardtail Mountain B

Postby Lachiepower0402 » Sun Dec 07, 2014 7:24 pm

I mostly go on roads and trails, but I have taken it on a few 'true' off-road trails, with mud, sand, water and dirt. I try to ride every day to school and on weekends if I feel like riding I just do a 10km ride around wherever or do some geocaching. I have definitely been enjoying my new toy, it is 500% better than a Repco bike. I have been looking after it like it's my baby. Every time I ride off-road I come home and clean it throughly and then grease the chain and clean the brakes with bicycle brake cleaner if the brakes are squealing from the conditions.

So all in all, it was a worthy investment.
Regards,

Lachlan

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Re: Looking for a beginner All Mountain, Hardtail Mountain B

Postby tcdev » Sun Dec 07, 2014 7:34 pm

Good to hear, and very lucky that you get to ride it every day! With work and family commitments, I can only get out 3 times per week at most, and often less. Only taken it off-road twice, so mainly roads around home for me (but I did buy it mainly for fitness).

Wonder how long until you want a 2nd bike! :P
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