Thinking about getting into Mountain Biking?

[corny]

Hi, I'm 18 years old and was looking for a new hobby haha.
Recently I've been thinking about getting into Mountain Biking, but not like at the extreme level.

I don't even have a bike yet and not sure on where to purchase one that is worth it. I have searched and read that I should stay away from buying at stores such as Walmart, Costco, etc. Is this true?

Any advice or something I should keep in mind before I buy a bike?

Please don't flame me :]

 

[Tucson4runner]

I love mountain biking but just like our 4runners it can become a money pit. I'd say if your looking to get into it you should buy a decent bike. My first "real" mountain bike was a GT avalanche it was about 900 bucks and I upgraded it and now its at about 2400 and that's not including my 700 dollar light. You don't want to go to cheap on your first bike because you'll end up just wasting money on a bike that breaks a few months later.

 

[Hepar]

Don't do it! Run run run!

I say this for a few different reasons. One, expensive. Two (and this is the big one), it is not hard to completely destroy yourself. I have a bunch of friends who are all into a wide variety of activities (from mountain biking to climbing, surfing, fishing, mountaineering, wakeboarding etc etc) and the one activity where my friends always show up with a cast or some sort of injury is mountain biking. Actually, at a recent get together two friends showed up injured. One had a broken collarbone and the other fractured his back in two places.

 

[Kung]

IMHO, even if you're going to just pedal along nice woodland trails, I wouldn't buy one from Wal-Mart. The reason is the same as anything else you buy from Wal-Mart - they cut corners.

I've heard of plenty of stories where people would buy a bike from Wal-Mart, and then have a wheel bust, or a chain bust, or the brakes would fail, etc. Yes, this stuff could be upgraded, but you'd actually be better off to purchase a cheaper version of a better bike.

F'rinstance, if you buy a 'good' bike from Wal-Mart, it'll run you $150 or so, but it'll still be on the cheap. E.g., Mongoose. They used to be a great brand - as did Schwinn - until Wal-Mart got them.

When I got into mountain biking, I purchased a Specialized Hardrock A1 Comp FS, back in like 2002. It's a 'hardtail' (no shocks in back) with a front shock fork.

I enjoyed it because you could use it on some pretty decent trails - e.g., wooded trails, some small jumps (less than 7' or 8' jumps - meaning vertical drops), and the like. It wasn't the most fun to ride on the street - I wouldn't use it for a 10 or 20 mile bike ride - but then again, that's not what mountain bikes are for.

Anyways, that's what I did, and I haven't regretted it. Spending that extra $150 or so (I think I paid $400) got me vastly better shifters, brakes, spoked wheels, etc.

Actually.....now that I think of it, my father in law is HUGE into selling bikes. I was at their house for Christmas, and he literally has like 30 bikes. I distinctly remember seeing some mountain bikes there.

If you want, I can get information on which ones he has, and send it along to you with pics as well, and see if any of it interests you. He'd have to ship it - he lives in Virginia - but trust me when I say that the man treats bikes like a car nut treats a first-year Corvette. Let me know if that's something you're interested in...you'd probably save a decent amount.

 

[Dilong26]

I've only been mountain biking on a legit trail once. I used a friend's schwinn ranger he got from walmart or something. I had no helmet, WTF was i thinking. I literally flew off my bike like 4 times total. surprisingly, i survived with a few cuts and bruises. riding thru the rough stuff, its much easier to go fast thru em than to ride your brakes. I probably won't ever do it again till i get a higher end bike and like all the pads and full face helmet, not some walmart POS bike that surprisingly held up from all the abuse. I also found that hardtail bikes makes it harder to go up very steep dusty hills, I kept losing traction on the rear wheel. Anyways, i suggest you get a legit bike before you start mountain biking. And also a helmet at the very least. The trail i was on is called morning glory, here in San Luis Obispo.

 

[JohnsD90]

Craigslist a nice Kona, Specialized, Cannondale, Santa Cruz, and a fe others, buy a used bike or frame on Craigslist from one of those brands, I wouldn't buy a frame older than 05/06 and make sure it's in good shape, and be ready to spend $700-$1500+ depending on age, hardtail, full suspension, brand, travel, and what the bike is set up for.

A solid intermediate bike is a Specialized Rockhopper, it's a middle of the range hardtail, that will do anything that a cross country can throw at you, and it has good components for a good price.

 

[KidVermicious]

You can get a decent entry level hardtail for $300-$350 new. If you do your research, you could spend less and get better as suggested on Craigslist.

I think you should do it. Just like any sport, it's easy to go too hard and hurt yourself (downhill or freestyle), but it's also very easy to just enjoy yourself on a nice remote chunk of sweet buff singletrack. There is some excellent riding in the Sierras. Get a bike.

 

[corny]

Thanks for all the replies guys, hopefully I can find a good buy on craigslist that hopefully won't run me $900+ lol!
Ill post in here if I find anything interesting.

Actually I just looked now and have no idea what "frame size" I am..baha I don't even know what that means!! such a noob ;[

Anyone wanna chime in and explain if it's not too much to ask?

I'm about 5'4..yeah I know..I'm pretty tiny..lol

 

[harper7]

Thanks for all the replies guys, hopefully I can find a good buy on craigslist that hopefully won't run me $900+ lol!
Ill post in here if I find anything interesting.

Actually I just looked now and have no idea what "frame size" I am..baha I don't even know what that means!! such a noob ;[

Anyone wanna chime in and explain if it's not too much to ask?

I'm about 5'4..yeah I know..I'm pretty tiny..lol

You would most likely take a Small frame.
Best thing to do is go to a bike shop if you don't have a friend that mountain bikes. They will fit you, get you hooked up on safety gear ,tell you where easy local beginner trails are and alot of shops give lessons and most have rentals. That way you can see if you like it before spending a bunch of money.

I've been mountain biking on and off for aover 15 years now and it's one of my favorite activities. I really think road biking is more dangerous then mountain biking now with all the peeps on cell phones on the road ,half ass paying attention. At least around here....I had a couple of close calls on my road bike a few years back and won't go on the road anymore.

I have a 08 Specialized FSR Pro and a 02 Schwinn Moab hard tail now and they go for around $800-1000 used. You usually get what you pay for after doing some research.If you do get into it ,MTBR.com has all kinds of info,reviews and of course a forum.That's a good place to research and find deals on used bikes.

 

[Stgo2019]

I love mt biking. I actually got the 4 Runner as a camping/mtbike vehicle.

This months issue of Mountain Bike Action has a good article on how to pick the best bike for you. The article is geared to the novice, so it's easy to understand.

You would likely need a small frame depending on how your body is (long legs v. Short torso or visa versa) you could use a medium. Go to a reputable bike shop and have them fit you. Lot's of bike shops rent bikes and if you buy one they usually put the rental fee towards the price of the bike. I recommend that route to my friends.

All major brands (Trek, Cannondale, Giant, Specialized, Kona) make a really good beginner bikes in the 500-900 range.

I would suggest buying new so that you get the bike shop support. Most new riders don't know the first thing about deraileurs, shifters, component levels, maintenance, gear, full suspension v. hard tail ect.... All essential things usefull for getting into this sport. They can also help out in regards to where to ride and hook you up with other beginners.

CL is a great place to look for a decent used bike. But if you don't know what to look for you may end up with a money pit.

Another good resource for bike and trail information is mtbr.com.

 

[Tucson4runner]

if the frame size you were looking for is a number its in cm and its a measurement of your inseam. they have a tool to measure it correctly at most bike shops. im 5'9" and mine is a 54cm

 

[BucknutBob]

By all means, definitely give it a go, corny! I totally concur with those suggesting going to a reputable bike shop (or a serious sporting goods store with a dedicated bike section with trained staff)--you will get fitted properly, and you will get good advice, and experienced initial assembly and follow-up maintenance. I am likewise from the "vertically challenged" side of the tracks (under 5'7"), and you will almost definitely need a small frame (13-15" by the numbers on most frame styles). Since you're wanting to keep costs down, I would stay away from rear suspensions, and get a hardtail with a nice front suspension fork. Like others mentioned, brands like Giant, Specialized, Trek, etc. will serve you well--avoid Mongoose or anything from a department store like the plague. And one last thing--get a serious helmet! Enjoy!

 

[Stgo2019]

if the frame size you were looking for is a number its in cm and its a measurement of your inseam. they have a tool to measure it correctly at most bike shops. im 5'9" and mine is a 54cm

The frame size is the measurement along the seat tube from the middle of the top tube to the center of the bottom bracket.

Road bikes are measured in cm. mt bikes are measured in inches. A small mt bike would be a 15 to 15.5 inch frame depending on the maker. A medium would be 17 to 17.5 inches depending on the maker.

 

[034RUNNER]

I don't know much about mtn biking but always envied those who are into it. You always see people with lots of endurance who are into it, and YES those bikes can get expensive! Definitely a cool hobby.

 

[LittleCaesar]

Being 5'6" (used to be 5'7" with hair), I raced at Norba events back in 97-98 in CO. Great time of my life. Mountain biking is fun.

To size the bike correctly, stand over the top tube and pull the bike up to the crown jewels to where it is a little snug with both wheels off the ground. You need at least 2 to 3 inches of clearance. I would recommend a 170mm crank length. For a stem size, be bent over about 30 to 40 degrees off standing axis. A 110mm stem with either a 10 or 15 degree rise would probably do you well. Bike fitment is the #1 most important rule to follow. A Small or Xtrasmall is probably the way to go.

Since you are in one of the best places for mtn biking, go to all the bike stores and see what they have in new and used bikes. Ride them all. Then you can decide what you like. $500 gets you on the trail. $1000 gets you something trail worthy. $1500+ gets you a weekend racing rig. I'd stay off CL until you have the bike fitment down pat. Then you can have enough personal experience to make a lucid choice for any future bike.

It can get addicting. At one time I had over $18,000 in bikes, tools and parts. Now I have just some old Kleins and Ibises. They are still fun to ride though.

Good luck. Let us know how you fare.

 

[BrianSD_42]

I suggest you start trolling CL for a nice used bike.

People sell 3+ year old bikes for $300 on CL that were originally $1000.

The only thing is you need to know about bikes or at least have a friend look it over before purchasing it.

 

[terra4r]

All good advice. I would go to a LBS and check it out, let them know you're a beginner and have them advise you on what to look for in a quality entry level bike. As everyone said, prices can stack up fast.

And remember it doesnt need to be a beauty queen either, chances are there will be spills and tumbles. Nothing like getting a $2k-5k bike and throwing it on a bunch of rocks. Start off with a used one, your size, and go from there. Like everything else... don't forget protection.

Currently a 14 year old GT frame is all that's stock on my ride. Still rocks, keeps me active!

Keep this thread going, ask questions! It looks like there are a lot of riders on the forum that can help.