Seeking advice on high quality bike.

crossada

crossada

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May 16, 2004
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I'm looking to buy a new bike this year and want to know what i'm looking for. After researching some manufacturer websites I realize how little I know. When I was a kid you either had a mountain bike, 10 speed, or BMX. Now it seems there are multiple sub-categories for each:confused:

Several years ago I bought a Specialized Hardrock XC from a bike shop and it has served me well. It was a $300 bike and was all my budget would allow at the time.

We don't have any mountains in Iowa obviously but I want a bike that can handle anything from a cow path to gravel to a paved bike trail. Some brands I really find aesthetically pleasing such as Surly but don't know if they are good or not.

Any advice to give on brands, tire size, suspension etc. would be greatly appreciated.
 
Can't go wrong with a surly. First I weigh 300lbs I do around 700 miles a year I have 2 surly's .
Nice thing is you can buy a complete bike or a frame and build it to what you want . This is my custom long haul trucker 54 c.m. 26 in tires I ride mostly paved trails but you could change to a more agressive tire and be at home on dirt trials that picture was taken 20 miles from my car
P4260016_zpsbf7caafd.jpg

This is my surly steamroller it is single speed 56c.m. 700c tires it is great simple just get on and ride it can be configured as a fixie. I played with a couple freewheels til I got the gearing to what I wanted I run 46 teeth front cog 20 rear fast enough for me yet I can climb most hills
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A price range would help as well as if you live near a large city... used bikes on craigslist can be an excellent way to get way more bang for the buck... I also have a Surly, a crosscheck that I would highly recommend but maybe not for a beginner as the steering angle is a bit sharp and they go for about a grand complete. Many older mountain bikes can make excellent commuters with a little bit of customization... post what you want to spend and what exactly the type of terrain it will be used for and I bet I can come up with some suggestions for you.

Also, check out bikeforms.com... they are incredibly nice and have tons of info easily accessed for any kind of biking.
 
First piece of advice, do not buy from a big box store like Target, Walmart, etc. Even the same brand and model sold at these store as in a bike shop will be different. Besides, are you going to take it to Walmart to have it serviced when needed?

Price ranges are typically, <$400, $500-$1200, > $1200. The low end will get you a solid bike that will last you years but will be as basic as they come in components and quality. Lots of compromises in these bikes. The next range is the biggest segment where deals can be had, these are the highest selling bikes, will have the most selection and often times be discounted heavily during seasonal changes. The next level is where bikes start to get serious. Many miles of riding, upper tier components, minimal upgrades needed for a while. This covers road and mountain, which a $1200 mtb is going to be in a higher market segment than a same priced road bike.

For your type of terrain you really could pick anything. I would assess what type, how often and how far you plan/hope to ride. This will be the biggest factor in choosing a style. Then it comes down to brand.


Good luck!


-Xander
 
you can't go wrong with a Surly, however you could spend a lot less on a different brand and not be sacrificing much in my opinion.

I would look for a steel frame and disc brakes as general advice.
 
Price range? I know Iowa does not have mountains and Kansas does not either, but there can be some rugged trails for the state and a lot of fun that require MTB's. I am a big Trek fan and Specialized (I know polarizing competition) I love my Treks, but that does not take away from Specialized which makes equally good bikes. Take a look at GT too. price range would help. I would recommend a Mountain bike or a hybrid for what your looking for. Hardrocks are good entry level MTB's. Cannondale and Giant as well are good brands. I like to through out the big names because they are usually reliable and have good service and easy service by local shops and warranty.
 
How old are you?
What is your height/weight?

There are a lot of odd hybrids out there now, much depends on what kind of riding you do.

If you do not plan on a lot of heavy off road and really want a pleasant ride check out a company called Electra. I went with the Townie 7 and it is the most comfortable bike I've ever been on. Trust me... one small ride on one of these and you will never get on a mountain bike again. They moved the bottom bracket forward a few inches so the seated position is very layed back. The ergos and geometry are incredible in a reasonably light weight package.
 
check craigslist for sure the steamroller in the picture with the few nonstock things on it would have cost $800+ new out of the store I got it off craigslist for $300 it hadn't been rode much the long haul trucker was built in a shop from good conponets but most were new old stock that they had on the shelf for 1-3 years full retail would have been around $1600 by working with the shop I saved a bunch
As I said before I am 300 lbs they handle my weight fine
Roy
 
I've been a road rider for over 30 years. I crashed 3 years ago and totalled my custom road bike frame. After a couple of years I got the used Trek hybrid and I've been riding it for a couple of years. I think you can't go wrong with a Trek. Also some of the brands that you buy at REI are good. If you go to a big REI store, or a good bike shop, they will have brands that you can trust. For a reasonable bike that you can have faith in and that will last you a long time, you will need to spend maybe around $700 minimum for a new bike. Used bikes can be a lot less but you have to find one that is the type and model that you want, AND the right size for you.

IMG_2676b.jpg



I just got a new "parade" bike recently- a Schwinn Paramount from the 1980's. Actually I bought the frame used and added all of the components from my old bike.

paramountb_zpscb01348f.jpg
 
bdmicarta said:
I've been a road rider for over 30 years. I crashed 3 years ago and totalled my custom road bike frame. After a couple of years I got the used Trek hybrid and I've been riding it for a couple of years. I think you can't go wrong with a Trek. Also some of the brands that you buy at REI are good. If you go to a big REI store, or a good bike shop, they will have brands that you can trust. For a reasonable bike that you can have faith in and that will last you a long time, you will need to spend maybe around $700 minimum for a new bike. Used bikes can be a lot less but you have to find one that is the type and model that you want, AND the right size for you.

IMG_2676b.jpg



I just got a new "parade" bike recently- a Schwinn Paramount from the 1980's. Actually I bought the frame used and added all of the components from my old bike.

paramountb_zpscb01348f.jpg
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you must be tall!!! that head tube is gigantic!!!

To the OP, Check out what is available at your local bike shops. Get models/names then hit the interwebs for customer reviews.

You can save a ton of money by purchasing 2nd hand, but you need to know what to look for/look out for. Not a deal if you save $400, but need to spend that on hubs, other bearings, and tune up. I know that number is extreme, but it isn't out of the question. I co-worker of mine had a very nice 80s road bike that he spent $500 on getting going again. hubs were shot, so he needed new hubs and wheels built. The shop was able to find OG hubs for him, but they were 'spensive! If you are buying a fairly recent bike, it will not be hard to find replacement hubs. Best to not need replacement parts out of the gate though.

You should also be weary of brands owned by off-shore conglomerates. Schwinn had a great reputation in the 80s and 90s, but were scooped up by Chinese ownership and now is a mass produced turd. I'm not 100% sure about GT, but I thought they suffered the same fate. Mongoose, Diamond Back, and other big names from the 80s suffered this fate as well.

Really hard to go wrong with Trek, Specialized, or some other big brands, but check out some lesser known brands like Felt. Surly is a great company, but they have a cool factor that costs extra. If you have a Performance bike shop, their Scatante (spelling is probably wrong here) is decent. Fuji can often be found with better parts than other makers for the same or less. Watch out thought, they sometimes scrimp on brakes or cranks.

Most important thing to do is find out what size you need. Buying the wrong bike will be money wasted. I had a friend who raced triathlons and thought he knew about fit. Yet a shop owner convinced him that the bike he had in stock was his size. It didn't feel right on the test ride, and after a few hundred miles, it still didn't feel right. He realized that the guy lied and sold him the wrong size bike because he didn't want a sale to get away.

There are so many options out there that you really need to provide a narrowed down description of what you want to spend.
 
I got a higher-end bike at a great price from a local shop in Colorado Springs. They had an arrangement to purchase frames from about the last USA-made frame builder, then the shop would rig the bike with a couple of different standard configurations, a high end and lower end. Of course each bike was assembled in-house, so they could swap parts or customize bikes for each individual buyer.

The total price, including the USA frame, was about $1500. Seems like a lot, but it was hundreds less that similarly-equipped bikes from brands like Trek, Giant, or Fisher, who use imported frames. And the shop's prices were way lower than the exclusive high-end brands (Ellsworth and others) that used the same frame builder.

The shop had their own brand name too, Monument Cycles. It's my understanding they no longer build with their own brand any longer, but perhaps a shop near you does something similar?

My first idea was to approach bicycle building the same way that I buy computers, by selecting individual components and snapping them together myself. Well forget about that - the shops get the component parts at so far below retail prices that there's no way that made sense.

Bike1.jpg


bike2.jpg


Bike3.jpg


A huge tip, for a big guy wanting to control speed on steep downhills, there's no substitute for hydraulic brakes. :thumbup:
Mine are the Avid Juicy Seven brakes; I have no idea what would be a comparable current-production system.
 
I just bought a new bike last summer and my advice would be to go to all the bike shops in your area and take test rides and see what you are getting for the money. I test rode almost every make and model out there before I made a purchase. The most important thing is to get a bike that fits you and is suitable for where you will be riding. A good bike shop will help you get the right bike and let you test ride. I ride a Giant Talon 29er and its a great bike for the money!
 
Thanks for all the advice so far:thumbup:

My price range is in the $1500 range and can fluctuate. I'm 6' and 160#. I will buy through a bike shop like I did last time so hopefully they will know which size I need. Is there a general scale for a person's height to go by?

I'm dead set on keeping with the MTB style like my Specialized Hardrock. I want something that can get off the beaten path eventhough it will see plenty of pavement too. I want to buy a complete bike as it would be to overwhelming to do otherwise.

My Hardrock has 26" rims. Is there a clear favorite between that and the 29"? Also, is a full suspension worth it if you're not busting down mountainsides?
 
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crossada said:
My price range is in the $1500 range and can fluctuate. I'm 6' and 160#. I will buy through a bike shop like I did last time so hopefully they will know which size I need. Is there a general scale for a person's height to go by?
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There's no general scale, since people even of the same height can be proportioned so differently. Some shops will have a computer-assisted customizing system, and other shops will utilize only the experience of the sales staff. Plus your own comfort and preferences of course. Much of the fitting isn't done by buying larger or smaller bikes, but rather by replacing or adjusting components. Buying my bike, for example, they switched out their standard stem for a longer one.

My Hardrock has 26" rims. Is there a clear favorite between that and the 29"? Also, is a full suspension worth it if you're not busting down mountainsides?
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I like the idea of a 29" bike. But being only 5'9" on a tall day, it was out of the question. Ride one to see if you like it.

My bike is a hard tail also. The extra expense of a full suspension wasn't worth it.

I also downgraded the front suspension from the shop's standard high-end choice to their standard low-end choice. I rode both and could not tell the difference between the $300 shock and $700 shock. My ignorance saved me four hundred dollars. :D
 
I'm about 6'3'' 185 lbs and I got the 21 inch frame for my Giant mountain bike. You might fit a 19" - 21" frame depending on what feels more comfortable to you (Different companies also use different frame sizes). I like the 29" wheels because they roll faster and seem to take rocks and roots better. But the bigger wheels aren't as quick and the handling isn't quite as good as 26 inch wheels. Some new models actually have 27.5 inch wheels which is supposed to be the best of both worlds. I would suggest trying all three.
If you aren't riding really technical or hilly/rocky areas, then a hardtail will be fine. You should be able to get a great bike for your price range.
 
I gave up full suspension trail bikes several years ago. They are nice, but you get a better equipped hard tail for the same price than a soft tail. Unless you get a lockout capable rear shock, they waste a lot of energy on flat land. Technique will get you through technical trails better than suspension and up the next hill easier.

For that kind of money you can get one hell of a hard tail bike. I suggest going 26" wheels unless you know exactly what tires you like and can get them easily. Frame size is more dictated by your physical inseam length (not your pants inseam) but I'm 6' 185# and ride a 21" frame. I have a 32" inseam. I would suggest no more than 4" (100mm) travel fork, dual air with lock out. Shifters are your next consideration, try the different styles/brands and decide for yourself. Also, bikes in that range will probably not come with pedals. You should be looking at the cross country style bikes. They can handle all the tougher stuff fine, but excel in fast terrain and hills.

All the big brands make great bikes in this category, other brands like Scott, Orbea, Ellsworth, and others usually break into mtb market in this segment. Lots of good bikes to choose from.


-Xander
 
You guys are not helping my bank account.
Like I need another hobby.
All my friends ride Trek, Cannondale, and Giant and I cant decide between the few thousand options.
How often do you have to replace tires and other parts on cross country bikes?
 
HuntBomb said:
You guys are not helping my bank account.
Like I need another hobby.
All my friends ride Trek, Cannondale, and Giant and I cant decide between the few thousand options.
How often do you have to replace tires and other parts on cross country bikes?
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Depends on how much you ride it, how well you take care of it and if you crash or damage any components.
If you make sure to keep the moving parts oiled, clean and free of dirt and debris, everything should last for awhile. The chain and brake pads are probably the two things you want to make sure are not worn out. But those parts are fairly cheap. Tires shouldn't wear out too quickly. If you are a casual rider maybe replace them anywhere from 1-3 years.

I am by no means an expert just giving my two cents. You can take your bike to a shop and they will check everything out and replace anything for maybe $50 plus parts.
 
Thanks for all the help and suggestions:thumbup:

Not a lot of stocking dealers within 2-3 hrs of home unfortunately for some of the bikes i'm interested in. I might have to try out something similar in stock then go from there.

On a side note those Fat Bikes look like fun in the winter:cool:
 
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