|   Newbie looking for info. . please help | mdblue2
Aug 1, 2002 3:21 PM | | Hey, I know really nothing about mountain biking etc but I plan to buy a bike in the near future. I want something that's under 200 (possibly used?), somewhat lightweight, and made for someone who's 5'9. What's the best way to go about finding info?
Thanks |
| re: Newbie looking for info. . please help | Lowlypawn
Aug 1, 2002 5:29 PM | | 1st of u didn't mention whether you wanted full suspension or hard tail. I can tell you right now with a budget of 200 it's going to be tough other then wallmart.
The 1st thing I did was just look at a lot of online bike shops to get a feel for the prices, then read the reviews on what u like.
Also if u search back a few pages on this site I think the exact same question was already posted.
Good luck |
| re: Newbie looking for info. . please help | TickTock
Aug 1, 2002 6:24 PM | | Yeah its gonna be tough with a sub-200 budget. The real reason for this is not because bikes cost much more than that (which they do) but because as a bare minimum, youre going to need a helmet (`40-50$) a tire pump (`15$) a spare tube (2$) and an allen set (15$) just to get you by. Helmet is a no-brainer. You will get flats, its not avoidable. And if you plan to ever be able to do anything on your bike (ie tightening brakes etc) you need the allen wrenches. So we are talking 75$ bare minumum to safely ride. That brings your budget down to a level at which your choice will really not be off-road suitable bikes that will border on dangerous if you take them on any rough trails. If youre planning on doing commuting etc then you should be o.k.
You have to realize that mountain biking is not a cheap hobby. It breeds upgraditis and other conditions that soon have you spending lots of spare money. In the long run youre better off spending more on the initial bike and getting a good frame that you can later upgrade the components on. Most 200$ bikes frames wont be worth fixing.
My advice would be this: save up this fall. By the holidays you should have 500-700$. Get all your accessories for xmas. Then as all the shops sell off their 2002 model bikes, get a decent last-year's model hardtail. Even at 500-700 if you go full suspension the company will be skimping on componentry or shocks. Get a better hardtail. (of course just my opinion) I know this spring you could get a real nice stumppjumper or rockhopper (specialized) for around 500-700 as last year's model.
500-700 would also be a budget for a sweet used bike.
Of course, this is a crappy response because it means you wouldnt be riding till next season. Its a real tough one, man. If you want to do it right, save up. If you want to ride and not be mad that the bike falls apart in the first month, go walmart and save up over the winter for a real bike.
Post again if you need any more advice! Stick in there!
-TickTock |
| Forget it! | shwndh
Aug 1, 2002 11:36 PM | | Maybe you can find something used on eBay or something. Also check the classifieds on this site. But you WILL NOT find a brand new bike at that price point. You can get a decent hard tail starting at $400 -$500, but definitely not full suspension.
See if you can ride someone else's bike to see if you really like the sport. Or see if you can rent a bike. If you really like it, save some cash and get something that'll be worth upgrading. I got a $500 HT when I first got into MTBing and less than a year later I had a FS bike worth at least $1500. It's addictive.
But don't waste your time with a Walmart bike. It's just a waset of money because you'll end up getting another bike any way and trashing that one. You can't upgrade them either. So make a smart investment the 1st time around. "Words of Wisdom"
Shawn D |
| regardless of what you get... | JimC.
Aug 2, 2002 10:03 AM | | FIT is the most important thing.
http://www.coloradocyclist.com/bikefit/
$200 will get you a bike for tooling aorund town. Good quality will cost you about $500+, and a really gtood bike to use as value benchmark is the Giant Ranier, about $700.
Good lcuk in your search, Jim |
| Used | Kapusta
Aug 2, 2002 3:42 PM | | At $200, you are definitely looking at a used bike. My first real MTB was a $200 used (very used) steel GT hardtail with an old Mag21 shock and cantilever brakes. It served me fine for 4 or 5 months until I really got into the sport. Then I upgraded to v-brakes and got a better fork, which got me through another 6 or 7 months. Then I spent stupid amounts of money on a very nice bike.
I think a used bike is a sensible way to see if you like the sport. Just be sure to get a "real" mountain bike, something by a respected company, made for serious riding. Don't get anything like a hybrid or comfort bike, no matter how good shape they are in if you plan to ride on the trail. I would take a VERY used Specialized Stumpjumper (assuming everything works) over a less used Specialized Hardrock.
Good luck, there are things out there to get you started for $200, but they will have seen some action and will require some TLC.
Kapusta |
| Used | gtbikedoc
Aug 3, 2002 6:35 PM | | did you try a police auction they sometimes have good bikes for cheap
also your local crack whore might be able to get a good bike for a dime bag :) |
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