Would like to try getting into mountain biking. Tips?

shrimants

shrimants

Well-known member
I was thinking about how to get some activity into my life. The thought of going on a path through some dirt, rocks, etc and really seeing some pretty sights seemed like a great time. I figured its also a good way to spend some time with the wife and get her to see some sights worth photographing and working on her skills. you can only take so many cat pics.

I was initially planning on going to target and grabbing a couple of 100-200 dollar POS's. thats what my last bike was and despite me doing 0 maintenance it lasted for 10 or so years.

upon reading some reviews, i saw that the bike will fall apart and repairs would immediately cost more than the bike's worth.

Then i went to a store and realized that the most basic bike they offered was a hard tail for 300 bucks, the grips felt like crap, the seat felt like crap. but it did have an aluminum frame unlike my full suspension mongoose, which was heavy as FUCK.

I dont have an infinite budget for this and i'll be buying 2 bikes and a bike rack for my car.

just hoping i can get some pre-purchase tips and advice so that i know what to look for in a 500-600 dollar price range (per bike), etc. And of course, if you guys know of some nice trails where i can park the car and go through the woods or w/e that would be great.
 
B

Bronto

Well-known member
Iron Horse Trail has excellent rides. Trek out North explore around Concord. get in shape start doing the dirt trails of Las Trampas to Mt Diablo.
Trek out South on Iron Horse to continue on back roads towards San Jose.

Advise on Mtn Bike ? Only thing I can suggest is get a large enough bike frame for your size. See a Bicycle shop to find the right frame size.

Hard Tail with front shocks and a million gears would be my choice :laughing
 
greggargubby

greggargubby

Back For More
Qualifier: I worked in the biz for about a decade and sold more mountain bikes than Jesus. Yeah, I'm great. I'll try to be brief, but I suck at it, so don't get your hopes up.

You'll wind up at $600 per bike, so just plan on that.
For first bikes, you don't need to spend more than $600, but you could.
Bikes are like jeans, they have to fit.
A Trek might fit you, but that doesn't mean it fits your girl.
Meaning, his and hers are not necessarily an option.
If the bike fits you and the seat is in the right position, you WILL NOT be able to touch your toes when stopped and sitting on the seat.
If you can touch your toes, that's ok, but just know that you will need a bigger bike before you turn into an aggressive rider
Any store that doesn't put in some effort to find bikes that fit you is a store you should avoid.
Plan to spend a lot more on accessories than you think.
A lot more.
Bare minimum: pump, patch kit, spare tube, tire levers, helmet, shorts (more on this in a sec), gloves, hydration pack, car rack, LOCKS, and a few other things I've forgotten.
Don't be that guy that leaves his bike unlocked
"I was only in the bagel shop for a smear and a latte!! How could this have happened?!?!?!"
Because it only takes two seconds to ride away, that's why.
Your ass is almost certainly the determining factor of whether you like bicycling or not.
Clothe it in lousy $30 shorts and you will likely hate bicycling because if effing hurts.
Put on some $60 diapers the sport will seem much more reasonable.
Roof racks are expensive.
Trailer hitch racks are much more affordable if you have a hitch.
If you opt for a roof rack, buy AT LEAST TWICE the number of lock cores you think you need.
Fuck that, always buy the full dozen; ask the shop guy why.
Don't go for gel grips and gloves; they make the handlebars too big around.
Shoot for thin grips and thin gloves, they make for a strong connection to the bike and cause less ache.
Check out the trail reviews on mtbr.com, but take them with a grain of salt because people give them negative reviews to keep traffic down.
Last thing until I realize what I've forgotten: if you do manage to get into it enough to travel, go to Bend and ride Phil's Trail.
 
lefty

lefty

Well-known member
Bronto makes a good point by pointing you towards the "Iron Horse" brand. They sell them at Costco, and they actually seem like they can withstand a moderate amouint of abuse, unlike the $100-200 bikes from Wal Mart.

I checked Costco.com, but I did not see it. I only found this one http://www.costco.com/Infinity™-Quantum-Mountain-Bike---18"-Frame.product.100107293.html

Good luck to you. You may be able to get a much better deal on C/L? I sold a bike that was 16 y/o, that I paid $1,200 for, for $150 on C/L. It was in great shape with all XT components. So, there are some deals to be had.
 
B

Bronto

Well-known member
Heh I didn't even know there is Iron Horse Bicycles. :cool

My reference might only be understood by a local. San Ramon has a walking/jogging/riding trail that goes North toward Concord and South towards Dublin. Its named after the Iron Horse aka Locomotive as the trail replaced train tracks.
Cool there is a brand of iron horse bikes.
 
ndirienzo

ndirienzo

Well-known member
This question has been asked a few times here as well as in the mountain biking thread in non-moto activites. Like Greggar, I too used to work in the industry (about 13 years).

The reality is that a $300 mountain bike isn't intended for mountain biking. Heck, a new $600 bike is just maybe off road capable. Now, if you're just starting, you're not going to be hitting anything too crazy, so the $600 new bike will probably cut it. A quick note about Iron Horse and other similar bikes - they are b/c level brands, and get to be a good dollar value by skimping on places the average person won't notice (hubs, bottom bracket, stem/post). So, they often appear decent on the surface, but still break down if you really ride them. Still, you can get a lot of bike if you get something used off craigslist. $600 will get you a really nice, off-road capable hardtail. Look for something with 26" wheels, only front suspension, and possibly disc brakes.

As Greggar said, size is critical, so you'll likely end up buying different bikes for the two of you.

Anyway, check CL. If you find something that seems nice, post it up here or PM me. There's a lot of overpriced crap on CL, too, so it's best to get an opinion from someone that knows what they're talking about.

Oh, and for racks, just get a decent strap type one to start. Hitch racks will run you a few hundred, and rooftop even more. The strap ones are a bit more of a pain, but you can easily find nice ones on CL for $50-70. A pretty decent place to start.
 
shrimants

shrimants

Well-known member
is there a reason not to go for one of those universal style racks? obviously i didnt really give a shit about buying a 30 dollar rack for my 120 dollar last bike but i dont want to put 1200+ worth of bikes on some shit department store rack. and that rack did not inspire too much confidence in me to begin with, but it did get the job done.

Hooli, :twofinger :laughing

ndirienzo, I figure my wife and i will start on these, see how we like it. perhaps we really enjoy going on more and more rough terrain, or perhaps we just like riding around in the city. I'm not sure yet, which is why i dont want to suddenly spend 1.5K on a bike and accessories. this beginning part of the hobby is more about getting myself active again and spending some time with the wife. can definitely sell these bikes and save up for nicer ones in the future if we get into it.

one thing i can already say: that aluminum frame bike was way less unwieldy than the steel frame mongoose i used to ride. i was afraid i'd blow over if the fan pointed at me the wrong way lol. especially after trying to keep a 350 pound motorcycle upright.

Hooli: did i mention :twofinger
 
auntiebling

auntiebling

megalomaniacal troglodyte
Staff member
Op I would buy used. 6-8 years old is a goodnplace to start.looking

You might even be able to download something that will help you make your decision

Hooli said:
Watch out for pine needles.
Click to expand...

They are all over and very sneaky.

+11ty billion
 
fawndog

fawndog

Well-known member
300-500 for a trailer hitch rack is a great buy. Ones that hang off the trunk will scratch the car, roof racks are harder to load, and many a cyclist destroyed expensive bikes driving into garages.

Buy a used Performance Bike rack
 
shrimants

shrimants

Well-known member
fawndog said:
300-500 for a trailer hitch rack is a great buy. Ones that hang off the trunk will scratch the car, roof racks are harder to load, and many a cyclist destroyed expensive bikes driving into garages.

Buy a used Performance Bike rack
Click to expand...

what if i dont have any sort of trailer mechanism for my car?
 
shrimants

shrimants

Well-known member
volkswagen jetta GLI, 2012.

i care if it gets horrible visible scratches but if its just scratches on the edge of the paint around the trunk i dont really care.
 
PhoS

PhoS

[ˈfäs]
FYI,

Iron Horse Bikes went out of business a few years back. I think the brand name got bought by someone and they are now selling some really crappy department store level bikes. Do not pass go. (on anything new atleast)

I agree that you should expect to spend around $600 bucks and that goes used or new really. Used it will snag you something that was higher end a few years ago with better parts. (hopefully used not abused) However, you might have to spend some time and leverage someone who knows what they're looking at searching for something decent. This so that you can get riding and don't have to spend any more money or do any repairs.. New, this will get you an entry level hardtail from a known brand with entry level components that would be worth upgrading later if you decide to stick around.
 
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augustiron

augustiron

2fast 2live 2young 2die
get a hardtail, for your pricepoint full suspension will be garbage and too much of a headache caring for a used one.
use bmx platform pedals, no special shoes or toeclips to start. you want to be able to get your foot out fast to stabilize a wobble..
go rack up miles
 
fawndog

fawndog

Well-known member
I'd install one
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SF3bJt_L3SM

Here's where I break away from these knowledgeable gentlemen. I recommend you buy a mid priced bike (roughly 2-3x your budget). My logic is, if you hate cycling and sell the bike you may only be out a $100-200. The cheaper bikes are harder to get rid of if for some reason you don't like them ($300 ea x2 = out 6 bills if you can't resell them).
 
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