School me on mountain bikes

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IronYuppy

IronYuppy

10 Year 15 Year
Joined
Jul 3, 2006
Threads
259
Messages
1,935
Location
Fort Apache: Victoria
Okay, my bike is dead. It's like you can't get 20 years out of a mass-produced, entry level bike anymore.

I'm looking for a bike I will probably use on weekends, maybe up to 3 days a week when the weather is good. We have tons of level, mild trails around here, and that's going to be my primary route. But I would also like to do some moderate hill runs (like 300-300' altitude variations, heavily wooded areas). Whatever I buy, it'll be dropped, crashed and rained on. It's going to happen.

The last bike I had was an Iguana, by Giant. Loved it. But it pre-dates suspension frames, and it doesn't even have shock forks. I'd probably pay to upgrade and keep it, but It's nearly impossible to find parts for anymore.

Plus, what can I say? I'm 40. I don't want a sore ass at the end of a day biking.

So talk to me about a decent bike. I don't know the new technology at all. What should I be looking for? I think with the amount of rain we get here, I should probably look for disc brakes, but what else is good?

BTW, before the first person suggests something in the 4-5 figure range, I should add that I'd like to stay under $800 if possible.
 
As others said, start with MTBR. The problem is that you can get a decent hardtail in your price range, it is hard to get a decent full suspension bike. If you insist on full suspension, check out the Ibex Ignition 3, direct from Ibexbikes.com.
 
I'm thinking hard-tail.
 
KHS Bicycles Canada CA$479.00

I've had a KHS FXT Trail for nine years, I replaced the Hand Grips and Seat becouse my Sister dropped it, and I've worn out the rear Tyre once. I whipped it out of the backyard two weeks ago, where it had been sitting outside unused for about three years. - All I had to do to get it rideable was to get the chain to bend as it should, by spraying it with WD40.
Lastweek I rode it into the s***y of Melbourne and back with a round trip of 40 something km carrying 80 something kg of my perfection. :princess:
 
decavo said:
going from a old school bike to one with fork shocks is trippy to begin with ... the front shocks are cool after you get used to them .
Click to expand...

exactly. I tried a full-float bike last summer and didn't like it. Too weird.
 
I recommend a Ventana Cuervo or a Santa Cruz Bullit or V10 maybe a Nomad - I used to ride bigger bikes but they were almost as heavy as a scooter, like a Karpiel Armageddon and sorts, my favorite was the Santa Cruz Bullit though for ease of maintenance and reliability. The only setback of the buillit was feedback on the rear disc would cause the rear shock to freak out and like a hard tail at the worst times yadda yadda
 
Really long - got carried away

Hey Man,

What type of terrain will you be riding?
How much do you weigh?
How tall are you?
How much climbing will you be doing?
How aggressive are you? Is getting big air 6 inches or 6 feet? (For me 6 inches is plenty)

I'm tall (6'7") so finding a bike that fits is difficult. Big bikes look like **** IMO so I decided on a 29er for one of my rides. A 29er uses 29 inch wheels instead of 27. There are all types of arguments about rolling over obstacles etc. I only did it because I wanted a bike that fit me and didn't look freakishly large. I personally can't see much difference between my 27 bike and my 29er as far as handling. Remember fit is very important. Make sure you go to a good shop and get fitted properly. I try to support my local shops as much as I can but admit with eBay I have gone the cheaper route more than a couple times.

Get something that has a good frame with lesser components. As you wear them out you can reward yourself with upgrades. I'm a Shimano guy so I would start with LX and XT and move up over time. Many times frames will be identical (except color or stickers) and the price difference is the components.

I ride two bikes mainly:

1. Seven Vere 29er (recently converted to single speed) This hard tail climbs like a mutha and is supper efficient when transferring power from you to the trail. I like going down hill fast on it, but I have to pick my lines very carefully.
Seven.jpg



2. Specialized Enduro XL with Rock Shox Totem Fork. This bike is Bad ass and can do a lot more than I am willing to. It is big and built to take abuse. I love bombing down rock gardens on this bike. It is more of a point and shoot adrenaline factory. It is comfortable as hell and actually climbs pretty well too.
Specialized.jpg




Lastly, seats and a good pair of bike shorts are key to a good time on the bike. Everyone's anatomy is different so it may take time to find the right one. More padding does not always mean more comfort. My most comfortable saddle has no padding at all, it is a Brooks and molds to your "taint" over time. It is the one in the picture of the Seven. I am not recommending this saddle to you mainly because of price and the fact it needs to be taken care of (covered when raining etc.) I am just illustrating a point.

So recommendations:

First Choice
Full Suspension Cross Country rig (4" of suspension front and rear) - Prices have really come down and you will feel a lot better at the end of a ride. Get one that you can lock the rear shock - Instant Hard Tail. When I raced downhill my bike had approximately 4.5 inches of suspension - these days, guys race cross country with that.

Second Choice
Hard Tail (w/ front suspension fork) if you are going uphill a lot and/or trails are tame. If you like pain go single speed.

Disc Brakes are great for the rain - I highly recommend. Get hydraulic if it fits your budget. They will not fade like cable actuated brakes do.

Oh - check out Stan's No Tubes. I haven't had a flat in years!

I hope this help, I tried to cover everything because I am going out of town for New Years in the morning. Feel free to shoot me a PM if you like. I'm new to FJ40s, but I have been into bikes for years!

:beer::beer::beer:
 
I'm pretty sure they still sell the Iguana, look into it. It's still a decent bike.
 
cardinal33 said:
I recommend a Ventana Cuervo or a Santa Cruz Bullit or V10 maybe a Nomad - I used to ride bigger bikes but they were almost as heavy as a scooter, like a Karpiel Armageddon and sorts, my favorite was the Santa Cruz Bullit though for ease of maintenance and reliability. The only setback of the buillit was feedback on the rear disc would cause the rear shock to freak out and like a hard tail at the worst times yadda yadda
Click to expand...

He asked about riding mild trails on an $800 bike, not downhill. Why would you recommend 40+ pound $2000+ downhill bikes?
 
Last edited:
Search Ebay, MTBR classifieds. You may be able to find a good, hardly used bike in the $800.00 range.
 
Doc said:
I'm pretty sure they still sell the Iguana, look into it. It's still a decent bike.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I was, but I don't see it on Giant's website. I'm going to contact them after the Holidays and ask. If they no longer carry it, I'll see whyat they replaced it with.

I'd like a Giant; they're a local company.
 
bigassbike said:
Hey Man,

What type of terrain will you be riding?
How much do you weigh?
How tall are you?
How much climbing will you be doing?
How aggressive are you? Is getting big air 6 inches or 6 feet? (For me 6 inches is plenty)

I hope this help, I tried to cover everything because I am going out of town for New Years in the morning. Feel free to shoot me a PM if you like. I'm new to FJ40s, but I have been into bikes for years!

:beer::beer::beer:
Click to expand...

Informative!

I'm 6' 180lbs, so about as average as it gets.

I suffered a major lower SI strain when I was 20 which still haunts me if I've been sitting or riding for more than a couple of hours, so a comfy seat is worth a few bucks to me.
 
That's upper entry-level money, appropriate for what sounds like regular but not heavy riding. A Specialized, Trek, or other major brand hard-tail will be money well spent. You can get disk brakes or full-suspension for that money, but quality might not be what you want as a regular rider.

Full-suspension requires a different riding style to get the most out of it. You get used to it, then you love it. I could get by with a hard-tail, but I'm hooked on full-sus from my racing years.
 
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