|
|
| *Vultures Knob>>>Mountain Bike |
I'm a "Weekend Warrior" type. I will ride 1-2 times a month. What is the best mountain bike under $1,000.00 |
I know the possibilites are endless, when comes to puting different components together to make up a bike. I can't see the difference between a $150 Walmart/Target off the shelf bike and the bottom line $800 Specialized at my local bike pro shop. Both look shiny. The $150 bike looks like I get more shocks, gears, cushy seat, etc...I will be pushing it pretty hard, and just don't want the bike to fall apart. very big difference. Quality control is a big thing in bikes. The welds on a bike make the difference on teh quality of the bike. Materials and components help but the welds are probably the most important thing. Next comes the tubing. "walmart specials" usually have crappy welding and even have gaps soemtimes. Bikes from actual bike companies have very nice and even welds along the junctions. The components, as mentioned above are also of a better quality and can hold up to more punishment and the environment. Now, for what bike to get. Hmmm. at that price range you do have some options. I'm assuming you're new to the whole "hard core cyclist" thing so I'll advise you to stay with the well known companies such as Trek, Giant, Specialized, Cannondale, GT, Jamis, Gary Fischer, and Santa Cruz. Of these companies, usually, Santa Cruz and Cannondale are the most expensive in side by side comparisons. I'd say take a look at the Trek 6000/6500/6700 or the Giant Rainer or the Specialized Hardrock first though. These are very capable frames/bikes and are great for beginners/intermediates. the frames could last a lifetime. In fact, most companies are now giving you lifetime warranties on the frames against manufacturer defect. Also, you'll get a one year warranty on all the components. And, most shops will offer you some time for free service. At least, my shop does. YOu won't get that with an off the shelf bike. If you really want to get into it you could look for some more limited companies such as Kona, Cove, Banshee, Rocky Mountain, Foes, Intense, etc. There are lots of companies that give you many options. In the end, believe it or not, it comes down to piece of mind. There is indeed a difference in features and quality of the components.. Walmart bikes for instance might have cheap plastic pedals that falls apart after two or three rides. The bottom bracket and and other driveline components might also be suspect-- Cheap chainrings or cassettes can wear out fast. Walmart bikes are also generally heavier. The presence of shocks on the Walmart bikes are not a good thing. They are usually shocks with a simple spring with too much bounce, which soaks up your pedaling power and makes the bike slow, and difficult to pedal up hills. The more expensive full suspension bikes have shocks that have features like lockout (prevents the spring from working when you don't need it to). I would advise getting just a hardtail if you are not doing any rough terrain/downhill riding with vertical drops. So yes there is a difference. With bikes you definitely get what you pay for, and with a cheap Walmart bike you will spend at least 2x the purchase price to change out the subpar stock parts with better stuff to make it operate acceptably. If I was spending less than $1000 I would stay away from full suspension bikes. Riding a hardtail won't be a big deal; especially if you're only going 1-2 times per month. I would go for the Trek 6000 series because that's the point in the Trek lineup where the suspension is good and you get a 27 speed drivetrain. 27 speeds is the standard. Don't try to research the best components because it will make your head spin. You have a healthy budget. Practically any hardtail between $400 and $1000 will be a great bike for you. If you stick with a name brand bike, you can call around to different shops and price compare. Go to 1 shop to test drive it and get the model number. Then call the different shops in the area for the best price. Others have mentioned the pitfalls of the wal-mart bike. They just won't last. Check out www.mtbr.com, they have tons of info on every mountain bike on the market. |
| Tags |
| Kids Bike Schwinn Bike Cruiser Bike Road Bike Folding Bike Mountain Bike |
Bike Categories--Copyright/IP Policy--Contact Webmaster |