Mountain bike to buy?

[soundbeltfarm]

Looking at getting a mtb for me and tracey .
just a basic one for cruising with the kids or just when i want to use it for training.
prob wont see too much off road stuff, although i really dont know.
anyone got any tips for buying one.
i dont want to spend heaps on one that will only be used for basic riding.
Thanks

[disenfranchised]

Much like buying a motorbike, stay away from cheap chinese ones!!

Avoid anything with excessive angles or curves in the frame...at the cheaper end of the market this is a sure sign of crap heavy metal being used.
Definitely don't get rear suspension.

You want to find something with properly branded gear mechanisms (Shimano etc...) the, rest of the components probably wont matter for riding on the road.

Oh, and do check the frame size, it needs to be suitable for your height.

[ynot slow]

See John at O2 in Stratford,seems like a knowledgeable guy.

[MisterD]

How much is "heaps"?

Go to your local Avanti dealer and ride a few...

[soundbeltfarm]

dont want to spend more than 700.
i looked on TM but there alot of different looking styles.
im 6ft 3 and 108 kg so prob need a big size

[YellowDog]

How much is "heaps"?

Go to your local Avanti dealer and ride a few...
A big plus on that one.

The Avanti shop in Albany (Oteha Valley Rd) is excellent. They have bikes for every budget.

(No I don't work there however I do deliver mail there.)

[bungbung]

dont want to spend more than 700.
i looked on TM but there alot of different looking styles.
im 6ft 3 and 108 kg so prob need a big size

Have a look for a 20" frame or "Large"

edit $700 is a fine amount for a entry level bike.

[MisterD]

dont want to spend more than 700.
i looked on TM but there alot of different looking styles.
im 6ft 3 and 108 kg so prob need a big size

Look for something Cross-country (XC) oriented...jump bikes and downhill is strictly for the kids. Front suspension is good although there'll not be many bikes other than 29rs without it these days. Hydraulic discs > cable > V brakes.

Make sure you can stand over the bike with a decent amount of clearance for the family jewels and that you're not too stretched out (although a decent shop will swap stems for you). You need to be able to shift your weight around easily.

[Dave Lobster]

I'm 6ft 3 and 108 kg so prob need one with an engine

Edited...
;)

[kiwifruit]

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Sports/Cycling/Mountain-bikes/Front-suspension/auction-244464902.htm

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Sports/Cycling/Mountain-bikes/Front-suspension/auction-244845706.htm

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Sports/Cycling/Mountain-bikes/Front-suspension/auction-243687602.htm

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Sports/Cycling/Mountain-bikes/Front-suspension/auction-244425304.htm (size??)

[YellowDog]

I had a look in the local pawn shop (cash convertors) the other day and I must say, they do sometimes have some real bargains.

[Usarka]

Go for a known brand..... Avanti, Trek, Giant, Kona, Specialized, Marin, GT......?

[sil3nt]

How many do you want? I have one that never gets used. Will take it in to get a basic service soon then probably sell it. It is a damn good bike but doesn't have any suspension. It is a Scott bike and from what i understand they make damn good ones! I have 2 others exactly the same that me and the girlfriend still use. Could save yourself some money seen as brand new ones are way too expensive. I was looking at getting a new one but the $700+ price tags for a basic bike is way out of the question so im sticking with what i got!

[marty]

I bough a 2nd hand ex. condition Avanti Competitor with full XT gear off tardme for $500.

Light, fast, top quality bike.

Look at Avanti Aggressor/Competitor, or Kona

this is a BIG bike but good gear on it: http://www.trademe.co.nz/Sports/Cycling/Mountain-bikes/Front-suspension/auction-244464902.htm

GT make nice bikes: http://www.trademe.co.nz/Sports/Cycling/Mountain-bikes/Front-suspension/auction-245128460.htm

good entry level Avanti: http://www.trademe.co.nz/Sports/Cycling/Mountain-bikes/Front-suspension/auction-245115619.htm

Haro make bomb proof BMX race bikes - their MTBs are nice too: http://www.trademe.co.nz/Sports/Cycling/Mountain-bikes/Front-suspension/auction-244425304.htm

[Drunken Monkey]

Go for a known brand..... Avanti, Trek, Giant, Kona, Specialized, Marin, GT......?

Won't get a Kona for that kind of money methinks? could be wrong, but all the Konas I've looked at were even flasher than my Merida. Some basic Treks, Marins and Apollos in that price range, will probably be more than fine. Despite discs being all the rage, V brakes are fine unless you ride in the wet or really need fine brake control.

Basically in a bike range you buy a frame, then the models go up in price with lighter/better components. The reality is even most entry bikes are decent for a casual rider, once you've been riding heaps you'll get a better idea of what you want and can upgrade accordingly. Even 'cheap chinese' ones aren't that shit, and face it even the good US and European brands get their bikes manufactured in Taiwan.

Sounds like you won't need full suspension, and if you're seldom going off road, you probably won't even need front suspension either - certainly if you're sticking to nice trails. Suspension helps you ride over obstacles a lot more smoothly, you can just keep the power on and ride over rocks, roots and the like and let the suspension do the work.

There's also other things which you might want/need, but you can always upgrade later - lighter components, clipless pedals, etc...

With skill you can make even cheap shitty bikes work, I certainly used to, and with a bit of regular maintenance kept them going well for years longer than expected. These days my finances allow me to buy toys much more capable than I :)

[Drunken Monkey]

A big plus on that one.

The Avanti shop in Albany (Oteha Valley Rd) is excellent. They have bikes for every budget.

(No I don't work there however I do deliver mail there.)

Unfortunately belty lives in the 'Naki...

Try "O2 Project"
They're at 377A Broadway, Stratford.

Oh look, they're online too: http://www.o2project.co.nz/index.php?pr=Our_location

[Drunken Monkey]

You want to find something with properly branded gear mechanisms (Shimano etc...) the, rest of the components probably wont matter for riding on the road.

Unfortunately just about everything is Shimano these days, and Shimano make everything from cheap alloy crap to SuperAwesomeBlingParts(tm), if you don't know enough about bikes to pick a basic one that you have to ask on a motorcycle forum, you're going to struggle to know what Shimano bits are good and which ones are junk.


Oh, and do check the frame size, it needs to be suitable for your height. + WEIGHT

True, this one is important, no matter what he gets.

[soundbeltfarm]

Thanks for all the help people.
much appreciated.
is there anything i need to look at when looking at second hand?
Thanks

[Mully]

Don't let Jrandom see this thread - he'll tease you mercilessly for considering a "mountain" bike for road riding.
:girlfight:

[HTFU]

dont want to spend more than 700.
i looked on TM but there alot of different looking styles.
im 6ft 3 and 108 kg so prob need a big size

700 Each or for both.

For you height and weight the Talon below would be awesome. Giant make the best big bikes, comfort wise XL is big. The Talon has the strongest wheels on any trail bike you can buy without going to jump bikes and with your weight important off road. You will have this bike for 10-15 years so worth spending the dollars if its going to be used.

If looking new and only for road use with a little offroad look at a Giant boulder (disc) or rock (V brakes not disc) They are in your budget. Not sure who does Giant down your way.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Sports/Cycling/Mountain-bikes/Front-suspension/auction-244464902.htm

[Leseid]

I've been asked this same question before. Some info:

Aluminium frames, nice and light but have a hard ride.
Cromo frames, nothing rides like steel but the older frames have geometry designed for ridged forks.
Suspension forks: Try and get one with oil over coils, a lot of the cheaper ones just dampen on friction.
Drive train and shifters: Are good now on all bikes if the cables are well maintained.
Brakes: Hydraulic disc brakes are the ultimate, some models are more reliable than others. Cable disc brakes are ok, and Vee brakes are fine with good pads.
Wheels: Double wall rims and stainless steel spokes are very standard now on modern bikes, hubs have been good for a while now.

$800 buys you a good new bike these days and you can pick a frame size that fits. It's a bit like buying a new motorbike, no body makes bad bikes any more.

Second hand: Maybe for a high end bike. But we would get people bring there TradeMe bargain bikes into the shop to get working often spending more than they paid in the first place. Quite often we would show them what they could have spent buying new and they get a bit upset.

Stay well away from Kmart unless you want to buy some expensive piece of scrap steel.

I hope that is of some help, don't worry to much about brands etc as they are mostly all made in the same part of Taiwan.

[ckai]

Thanks for all the help people.
much appreciated.
is there anything i need to look at when looking at second hand?
Thanks

As a few others have said you can get a pretty good new bike for 7 hundy so why buy second hand?

I would say the main thing I could suggest is do you really need a MTB? You'll find it sooooo much easier road on a road bike. The wife had a MTB with road tyres. After a few months of riding 30kms a day, gave up and brought a road bike. Loves it and doesn't miss the rough stuff (she smashed her ankle on the rough stuff so that could have made the decision easier :))

A lot of people say it'll be good to have one "in case" but that never arrives. Remember you can't miss what you've never had.

I brought my MTB for $150 second hand. Spent a grand on it. But that's a proper MTB. So you get what you pay for.

If you do go second hand MTB, make sure the gears change smoothly with no grinding. They can be easily adjusted but noisy/rough gears may need parts changing if worn.

Cranks shouldn't move side to side either (stuffed bottom bracket basically) and the handle bars shouldn't move back and forth in the frame (stuffed headset). Same goes for wheels. Basically anything with a bearing should not be "wobbly".

Don't get me started on shocks. That's a-whole-nother chapter. Basically they should act like a shock and nothing else (mine were shot but I knew that).

This is the reason I suggest new like a lot of others. Avanti is like Toyota. Giant can be a little bit of a step up but they are your decent entry level bikes in my opinion. A shop will fit them for you too (make a big difference from experience) so you don't get uncomfortable.

As for cred - I used to race peddlers for 15 years - but only know the "advanced basics". So others with mechanical knowledge and in the industry may give you better details.

Fuck me that's a lot of writing!!! :zzzz: Enjoy and happy hunting anyway :2thumbsup

[soundbeltfarm]

700 Each or for both.

[/URL]
for each one mate