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| *Vultures Knob>>>Mountain Bike |
Who knows about Mountain Bikes?? And Mountain Biking!? |
I want to start Mountain Biking and have a few Questions? 1) I need a bike... What kind is good for off-road thats less than $200 dollars 2) Where can I get it 3) What are some key things that the bike should have, Shocks? Foot straps? Weight? What should I wear? Any information will be greatly appreciated! Thanks! For $200, this pretty much limits you to a used bike. Find a club, a shop, or other place that might have some classified ads. You probably want a hardtail. Decent rear suspension is expensive and is only needed for fairly extreme downhills. Look for a bike with v-brakes and aluminum rims. The most important feature is a frame that fits. You can start off wearing sneakers and gym shorts but you'll probably want to get some bike shorts. Always wear a helmet. Trees and rocks are hard. You can probably find a decent used bike for $200 try ebay or craigslist or see if you can buy one off of a friend or a mechanic at a local bike shop (it seems those guys always have 1 or 2 extra bikes sitting around- and they're well cared for). What kind of riding will you be doing? If singletrack and other trail riding you'll want a bona-fide mountain bike, if just dirt roads and smoother stuff a hybrid bike will do OK. I'll assume you're interested in doing trail riding. Look for a bike that fits. Go to bike shops and test ride new bikes in different sizes so you know what feel you want from a bike. Remember, there's no obligation to buy a bike you test ride. When in doubt go with a bike that is slightly too small than slightly too big. When you are looking at used bikes check out the wheels, are they true (straight)? Is the frame bent or dented? Is there rust on the bike or components? Does it look like it's clean, lubed and well cared for? Does it look like the tires need to be replaced? A bike in good working order doesn't make a lot of noise from the drivetrain and shifts smoothly through all of the gears. It also stops without too much squeal from the brakes. (brake squeal can usually be fixed, though) Look for components from Shimano, AVID (brakes) or SRAM on a mountain bike. Other stuff is probably too cheap to bother with. Look for V brakes and three chainrings in the front, this will give good gearing for climbing hills. Front suspension is a plus, but many of us learned to ride single track on a rigid frame- it's doable, but a suspension fork makes roots and rocks much easier to manage. I wouldn't bother with rear suspension at the $200 price range, it just wouldn't be worth it. Some riders like toe straps, others don't. Some call them "death traps" because they are hard to get out of. If I were you I'd start with flat pedals- it's easer to put a foot down when you need to. Don't worry about weight too much. For 200 bucks you'll take what you can get. Worry about weight when you are in prime shape and ready for racing. Some shorts and a t-shirt with tennis shoes will work just fine to start. For shorts- they are making some great short liners with padding designed to wear under regular shorts. These are much cheaper than bike shorts. I would consider buying a pair of cycling gloves to save your hands from blisters. A helmet that is comfortable and fits well is a MUST. experience For less than $200.00 the BEST website is simply EBAY ( www.ebay.com) ---there are those bikes that are w/ front suspension w/ low-end parts ( unless you want to upgrade)KEY THINGS include a good helmet ( get it on EBAY too) for your safety, go for a bike w/ aluminum frame, Shimano Alivio or LX drivetrain, the right size for your height and V-brakes ( Disc brakes are the current expensive upgrade)---and try wearing cargo shorts, some triathlon sneakers ( since SPD shoes w/ cleats are out of the question.) and add a water bottle too. Sunglasses from Oakley are good especially on sunny routes. Enjoy! www.mtbr.com, www.mbaaction.com, www.spokejunkies.com |
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