Advice needed on mountain bikes

[Okey Dokey]

I bought a second hand (ex-rental) Avanti Spirit about 7 months ago for $299 from Blenheim. This style probably isn't hardcore enough for you, I suspect. It came with brand new tyres fitted. It was in beautiful condition and the staff at Spokesman Cycle avantiplus provided great support. Great folk to deal with!

It is a comfort/mtb. It has suspension in the seatpost in addition to front suspension. I find this works well over potholes/corrugations on the gravel roads I pedal on. May be an option for you? Wiser heads here can comment.

I'm really pleased I got an Avanti. I think the quality is excellent. Manitou shocks, Deore gears, etc. I hope you find a bike that makes you as happy as mine does.

[MisterD]

It's singlespeed, but this:

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Sports/Cycl...-353430897.htm

is an absolute bargain. I'd be bidding if it wasn't too damn big for me.

[ac3_snow]

pm sent, I work at pack and pedal newmarket, come down sunday and check out what got, give you an idea of what to look out for.

[Brian d marge]

I bought a chinki from my local DIY shop

cheap as

The front gear changer thingy wore out , in 4 months , as did the tyres and brakes

replaced those with a muddy fox one I had lying around

been sweet as ever since

I cycle 40 km most days 20km to and from work
and have been for 8 months now , since I bought the thing....
I do like the idea of a Giant , with disk brakes and light and all , but if it was stolen ,,,,
if the chinki was stolen ,,, who cares , its paid for itself , many times over

Doesn't stop me from standing outside the bike shop drooling , like I used to outside the motorcycle shop windows back in the day !!

Stephen

[avgas]

So you can lock the suspension. Useful on a full suspension bike on the road, but got it on the front of all my mountainbikes and never used it on any of them, if you're bouncing that much when you're pedalling on the road I'd say you're doing it wrong.

Depends on the quality of the shock, and how hard you pedal.
It takes a bit of skill to crank over the frame when going up-hill.
Likewise if you have a set of plush forks like DirtJams etc even cranked up full load they wallow a good 10-20mm when you hammer it.

Worst I had was trying to do a triathlon with a set of BOXXER's - I looked like I was riding a pogo stick with wheels at kick off. But man they were lovely shocks when you hit a 'suprise' dropoff

I miss having nice bikes. They were nice.

[Headbanger]

I bought a budget bike, about $500 if memory is correct.

Its been fucking awesome, if it died now I'd give it an honour burial.

No idea what quality it is, well apart from the fact I'm 130kg (well, a bit lighter now) and Ive beat the shit out of it, leave it outside or on the back of the work ute, and she has never failed or cost me a penny.

I do anywhere from 20 to 80km a week on her rain, hail or shine, and shes been going strong for a good 4 or 5 years. Crank bearings are now a little fucked.

Sure I don't ride up or down actual mountains but she sees a lot of different terrain, terrain that would destroy a road bike with one ride.

I'd be interested if its considered a piece of shit by "those in the know"

[Headbanger]

m
Buy yourself a decent set of bike shorts. Wear other shorts over them if you must. Your arse will thank me.... www.groundeffect.co.nz locals, made in NZ, really decent kit and it lasts. Yes a pair of bike shorts costs $100: just suck it up.

Surely you jest?

I spent $25 on a gel seat, then simply ignored the minor discomfort until it went away, Just like we all did back in the 70's.

Of course I stick out like a sore thumb when I'm cycling as I'm wearing my work clothes, Makes sense to me, one set of dirty clothes for the day, they go in the wash when I have my nightly shower.

I figure I'm the only one out there on a bike thats not an egg, fuckin silly fuckers with their costumes on, acting like they own the road.

LMFAO.

[Headbanger]

My next bike

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Sports/Cycl...-353798805.htm

[Latte]

I bought a budget bike, about $500 if memory is correct.

Its been fucking awesome, if it died now I'd give it an honour burial.

No idea what quality it is, well apart from the fact I'm 130kg (well, a bit lighter now) and Ive beat the shit out of it, leave it outside or on the back of the work ute, and she has never failed or cost me a penny.

I do anywhere from 20 to 80km a week on her rain, hail or shine, and shes been going strong for a good 4 or 5 years. Crank bearings are now a little fucked.

Sure I don't ride up or down actual mountains but she sees a lot of different terrain, terrain that would destroy a road bike with one ride.

I'd be interested if its considered a piece of shit by "those in the know"

Bauer - known brand in the US I beleive.... You'd prob still get a few hundred notes for it?

[HenryDorsetCase]

Surely you jest?

I spent $25 on a gel seat, then simply ignored the minor discomfort until it went away, Just like we all did back in the 70's.

Of course I stick out like a sore thumb when I'm cycling as I'm wearing my work clothes, Makes sense to me, one set of dirty clothes for the day, they go in the wash when I have my nightly shower.

I figure I'm the only one out there on a bike thats not an egg, fuckin silly fuckers with their costumes on, acting like they own the road.

LMFAO.

dont confuse wearing lycra shorts with full roadie fag getup. In my (now infrequent) mountain bike rides I wear decent shorts, with baggie shorts over the top, and either a t shirt or sweatshirt or GE top. Its about comfort and fitness for purpose. Plus if you do a lot of miles decent bike shorts make a massive difference. Its like wearing decent kit when you're riding your motorbike innit?

[neels]

I'd be interested if its considered a piece of shit by "those in the know"

Nope, it's probably about right for what the op was looking at doing with a bike,

[spacemonkey]

It's singlespeed, but this:

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Sports/Cycl...-353430897.htm

is an absolute bargain. I'd be bidding if it wasn't too damn big for me.

Hoooly shit that's a bargain!
And dammit to big for me too.
Surly's are awesome bikes.

[marty]

there's gonna be a bidding war on the Surly tomorrow night. That bike will go for over a grand i reckon.

The Bauer looks like a bargain. I'd be happy on that as a city communter and occasional off-road.

Giant do make good bikes.

The Kona would be my choice though - simply because of its strength. As I said though - I am on an Avanti Competitor with full XT and hydraulic brakes, so I feel a little spoiled

[avgas]

Bauer - known brand in the US I beleive.... You'd prob still get a few hundred notes for it?

Good brand. Been here a long time. Only problem they had in their past was crap component (most of the guys used to rip it out and replace it with Shimano, and replace the shocks with Manitous).

I have always been a fan of GT frames......but never owned one
Kona is quite young here. But great bikes. Avanti is old hat, but like the age old saying goes if it aint broke dont fix it. I rebent my old Barracuda frame 100's of times.
I miss Cro-Mo

[MisterD]

Kona is quite young here. But great bikes.

My first MTB in '88 was a Kona Fire Mountain...black with pink spatter paint job

Avanti is old hat, but like the age old saying goes if it aint broke dont fix it.
I miss Cro-Mo

I'm pretty impressed with the current crop of Avantis, quite possibly going their way for the 29er I'm just about to buy.

Steel, as they say, is real.

http://www.singularcycles.com/peregrine.html