Thinking of getting a Mountain Bike, no clue where to start

[zott28]

I haven't owned a mountain bike since I was 13, and I'm pretty sure you can't call my Skyomish from Costco a true mountain bike in the first place.

I have no clue where to start. I'm thinking of renting something and hitting some trails to see if it's as fun as I imagine.

I'm thinking of selling one of my road bikes to fund this, so I should have around $2000 to play with.
Can anyone break down the fundamentals for me, what I could get for around $2000, full suspension vs hard tail, 26" vs 29". disc vs canti, new vs used, carbon vs other materials. Sizing, I ride a 58ish top tube now. Level of components?

I'd be doing most of my riding in Marin and the SF peninsula, and I'd prefer to ride to and from my rides.

Are there any roadies that will tell me it's not worth it and just stick to the roads full time?

[Ken Robb]

See what riders who ride where/how you want to ride are using. I have loaned one of my bikes to people who wanted to try one kind of riding or another. See if you can borrow one from one of your pals.

For a first buy I would try to find a used bike in decent condition. What you like and don't like about riding it will help you analyze what your dream bike will be when you are ready to buy the new one. If you get a reasonable deal on the used bike you should be able to recoup most of its cost when you sell it.

[texbike]

I haven't owned a mountain bike since I was 13, and I'm pretty sure you can't call my Skyomish from Costco a true mountain bike in the first place.

I have no clue where to start. I'm thinking of renting something and hitting some trails to see if it's as fun as I imagine.

I'm thinking of selling one of my road bikes to fund this, so I should have around $2000 to play with.
Can anyone break down the fundamentals for me, what I could get for around $2000, full suspension vs hard tail, 26" vs 29". disc vs canti, new vs used, carbon vs other materials. Sizing, I ride a 58ish top tube now. Level of components?

I'd be doing most of my riding in Marin and the SF peninsula, and I'd prefer to ride to and from my rides.

Are there any roadies that will tell me it's not worth it and just stick to the roads full time?

MTB is a blast and a great complement to road riding. I'd check out MTB forums for the Bay Area and see what those members suggest for trails in your area.

I've had both SS and geared mountain bikes, 29r and 26r, rigid and fully-suspended over the years. My personal preference is a dirt cheap, Redline Monocog 29r with no suspension (other than the 29r 2.2 tires on it). It's a pig, but it's simple and a blast to ride.

Texbike

[vav]

I am on the same boat. Sold some redundant road bikes and have been searching CL and other venues for a MTB until a IF steel hardtail 26" showed up and bought it in a second. I don't know much yet, was on two rides this weekend and they were way more fun than any road biking I have done. I had platform pedals and I am sticking with those for a while. Even with these pedals, I managed to fall a few times ( it doesn't help that I went for a very technical trail my first time ) but its close to my house, anyways... lots of fun, highly recommended. Also, in less than 1 hour I got such a great cardio and legs workout, probably would have to be on a road bike for 3-4 hrs for similar results. Try it, really fun.

[jmoore]

Pull the trigger on a Spesh. :p



(sorry, I couldn't resist myself)

[redir]

Check around to see if any shops in your area are having a demo day. Great way to get out and test ride a bunch of different bikes. $2k should be plenty of money to play with and find something nice especially in a hard tail.

[TPetsch]

I'm thinking the 650B's are where it's at ...or where it will all settle out at.

[twangston73]

It all depends on the type of riding, of course, but I'd think that, especially in your size, there would be great deals to be had on used 26er hardtails. In a hardtail format, steel, carbon or ti would be more forgiving and proably a better choice than aluminum.

[christian]

I'd spend $500-700 on a 2006-2008 something or other with Deore or XT or SRAM X7. Ride that 6 months, re-sell and get what you think you want. I think it's very difficult to guess what one might want in advance of riding.

If you'd asked me before I got my bike what I'd wanted I would have told you a focused 29er XC racing bike. Now that I have my 2006 AM 26er, I actually think for the riding I do around here, full-sus and with some travel might be the way to go. And I've been riding all of 4 weeks.

[zott28]

Thanks guys,
I'm not even sure what are pros and cons of 26" vs 29". What benefit do they have and for what kind of riding?

I get the hard tail vs suspension. As a road bike guy, I see full suspension bikes and just think of the weight and all the wasted energy, so I think I'll focus on a hard tail.

Size wise, should I be looking at a straight conversion, 58cm= 22-23 inch bike?

No offense to the shop owners here, but I'd like to know as much as I can before I talk to any shop guys...

[crownjewelwl]

actually...given your proximity to some world class riding, i bet there are some solid shops that will offer good advice

most good shops will have a reasonable demo fleet (not just reserved for demo days)

christian's advice is good...you're not gonna know what you want until you ride a while (ask me how i know)

[JAGI410]

What part of mountain biking has you so excited? The speed of the downhills? The challenging climbs? The gnarly rocks and tech? The free flowing ride of a well groomed trail?

When you know what you want out of it, it'll be easier to recommend gear to get you into it!

[christian]

Thanks guys,
I'm not even sure what are pros and cons of 26" vs 29". What benefit do they have and for what kind of riding?

I get the hard tail vs suspension. As a road bike guy, I see full suspension bikes and just think of the weight and all the wasted energy, so I think I'll focus on a hard tail.

Size wise, should I be looking at a straight conversion, 58cm= 22-23 inch bike?

No offense to the shop owners here, but I'd like to know as much as I can before I talk to any shop guys...

At your size, you're between a L and XL MTB. Probably looking for something with about a 24-24.5 TT, depending on bike style. In terms of 29 vs 26, I don't think there's any right answer, though someone across the hall said generally the below, which I think sounds plausible:

Racing, wheels stay on the ground: 29er HT
Fun riding, wheels come off the ground: 26 Full-squish

I had the exact same reaction about full-squish, being a 20-year full-time roadie, but having now ridden rocky, rooty east coast singletrack, I am finding I like my FS bike. 220 lbs of air and 8 clicks of rebound in the shock keeps the rear end planted for both climbing and descents, so I can get power to the ground and good braking.

If I lived somewhere with smooth, buff trails (as I imagine Marin), I'd probably be looking at a 29er HT, but really I think riding bikes is going to inform you more than any postings on the net can.

Alternately, get a Ventana El Comandante Ultimate. Because those seem as cool as the other side of the pillow.

[Mr Cabletwitch]

After owning every form of MTB imaginable for someone starting out I would get a 29er Hard tail. I currently ride a Niner Jet9 but after spending years on hardtails and even rigids its taught me to pick a line. Just starting out you are probably going to keep the wheels on the ground mostly anyway. A good used 29er HT shouldn't loose too much value if you decide to go another way, but at the same time 2k can buy you a good new one as well.

[ofcounsel]

If you're thinking hardtail:

Consider 100mm suspension up front. A Fox Float and RockShox Reba are good starting points for forks.

9mm quick release axle was pretty standard up until very recently. Now, 15mm thru-axle is more prevalent, even on XC hardails. because it's provides a bit more stiffness to the wheel.

Tapered headtubes is also significantly more common, as it's designed to increase stiffness and steering accuracy.

Personally, I'm a big fan of 29er hardtails, and it's where the market is now.

In terms of components, at the $2000 pricepoint, look for Shimano XT/SLX mixes. I've also had good luck with SRAM X9.

[Liv2RideHard]

Man, you live where the MTB was born. Riding out that way is world class. Get a MTB. Mix it up. Burn some double track and fire roads as well as single track. The MTB is a great way to break up the monotony of the road.

Go visit one of the fantastic shops out there. Demo a bike or two...or three. Demo a squishy bike and a hardtail. Try 650b if you can. Demo 26ers and 29ers. Try whatever you fancy then you will have an idea of what you like best. I know from experience that some shops will then credit you whatever you gave them in demo/rental charges to a new bike.

You will really enjoy the MTB out there.

[alessandro]

Man, you've taken a drink from the fire hose. The only thing I don't see recommended in here yet is BB386... or whatever the flavor of the month is. I love bikes, but the industry drives me crazy. Everything that's old is new again if you wait long enough.

As others have said, buy a used hardtail and ride it for six months. 26 or 29. Disc brakes are much better stoppers, and it'll probably be hard to sell one without discs in a year. Size: MTB sizing is not a straight conversion. If you ride a 58 cm road bike, you sound more like a size L to me, or a 19" bike. But swing a leg over first, eh? Go ride and have fun. :)

[majl]

My $0.02 - look for a used Superlight. There always seems to be a pretty good selection on the local SF Bay Area CL. The design really hasn't changed much over the years because they got it right from the beginning. Yes there are lighter bikes out there, yes there are more efficient pedaling platforms out there, but if you just want to dip your toes into the world of MTB, it's hard to go wrong with one of these because they are just plain fun. If you are patient you can probably find one with a nice build on it for $800-$900.

I've got 3 mountain bikes - two hardtail 29ers and one 26" wheeled Superlight and it always brings a smile to my face blasting down the local singletrack on the Santa Cruz.

Do that, get a feel for what MTB is like and whether you even like it and then you can start to think about what you like and don't like about the bike. You'll be much more informed with your own experiences than anything any of us can tell you.

[alessandro]

Notwithstanding the above, since you're in Marin, just go back to the beginning:

Get a prewar Schwinn, equip it with moto bars and drum brakes, and you're good to go with an original klunker. Charlie Kelly on Repack in 1976:

[josephr]

+1 on the try before you buy thing....unless you've got money burning a hole in your pocket. When I got back into it 5 years, I bought a used entry-level bike off Craigslist for $250. The technology has changed a lot since then and now folks have moved to more hard-tail 29ers instead of full-suspension 26ers. They great part about this is you can find some really nice 26er full-suspensions at some really good prices.

If you aim for the big brands, you won't get something crappy. Also, check pinkbike.com and there's usually tons of used mtb bikes on there.

Still, before investing...do the demo day thing or ask some of your riding buddies that may mountain bike too. Also, like road bikes, mountain bikes can be tailored from an down-hill specific to an XC/touring hybrid.

[MarinRider]

Just north of sf you have hundreds of miles of trails in Marin where you can ride for days in end without repeating yourself. The trails are not technical, most are fire roads or double tracks, and are rideable with cross/monster cross bikes, but not all that pleasant on trails like those on Pine Mountain. I am mostly a road rider and over the last three years I have been riding full rigid 29ers around these hills. With bigger volume tires, say 2.3 and above, you really have all the suspension you need. With the right design, you can get super short chain stays that tucks the rear under you to swing around switchbacks. It's about perfect for places like Marin. Yeah I can go faster and set PRs on my trek fuel but I am sick of changing oil, cleaning the bushings, greasing the pivots, and hearing the constant creaking creak when I am alone in the woods.

[neiltron]

I'll second the rigid 29er option as a first MTB. It will make you a better rider and there's PLENTY of trails and fire roads you can ride in the bay area without getting too beat up.

I have a rigid 29er and it's great for most of the trails in the North Bay and in the East Bay. The only place I needed suspension was Annadel up near Santa Rosa.

Camp Tamarancho up in Fairfax is amazing. It's got a mix of everything - single track, fire roads, a rock garden, switchbacks, double track. Ride couple laps at Tamarancho and have beer and sausages at Gestalt Haus in Fairfax. Die a happy man.

[markie]

I am a rigid 29er fan, it is all I ride. However, for new riders a full suspension bike can be more fun. I think they are more forgiving, so they beat you up less. You can instantly go fairly quickly and the suspension will save you somewhat when you make a mistake.

Try and ride a few different bikes and go to a demo day.

[pcxmbfj]

Start on a used hardtail of good pedigree and fit so you can learn to pick lines rather than just riding over everything. You should be able to get one for $500 at most.
As your style and skill change graduate to the bike that best addresses your type of riding.
If your hardtail survived put it in reserve as an alternate to the new one.
Even now a new $2000 modern mtb from any of the major makers will be highly capable just not the lightest.

[DRZRM]

Agree with most of above, but don't buy anything prematurely. There are good shops in your area with decent rental fleets. I'd rent/demo a few from local shops to see what suits you. If you are on a 58, I'd start with a large 29er hardtail and see how it feels to you, then try a full suspension on the same trails. Figure out what you like in terms of both bikes and trials and then buy. $2K should buy you a lot of used bike. I'd guess that a used ti 29er with a 24" top tube (IFs are great) could come in around that pricing if you get lucky.

[redir]

IMHO I can't imagine riding a MTB without a front shock anymore. Maybe it's the rough Appalachian trails I ride but I've done it for years and when I got a shock I thought I'd went to heaven. No more wrists burning up on long descents. You can still pick a line with suspension and really there is only one line to pick, the best one. And if that line has a root in it then you are better off with a shock.

I see people on a ridged bike and it reminds me of the 90's :D

[MattTuck]

Was at the bike shop today and was really digging this 29er single speed from Cannondale. Took it around the parking lot and was thinking (for myself) the ~$900 was a pretty good price to get myself into a bike that looks like a lot of fun. I am a sucker for the color scheme too.
http://www.cannondale.com/2013/bikes/mountain/hardtail-29er/trail-sl-29er/trail-sl-29er-3-ss

http://thepathbikeshop.com/images/new_products/2013/bikes/2013-Cannondale-Trail-SL-29er-3-SS-20668.jpg



Add to that, it appears the designers read this forum and were loosely inspired by the bike of our very own DRZRM.

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f302/drzrm/2012-11-03085045.jpg

[mcteague]

I started Mt Biking back in the early 80s. Bought a Schwinn High Sierra, one of the few production bikes at the time that did not have a 68 degree HT. For east coast riding the whole Repack geometry thing did not apply.

Then, moved to a Specialized Team Stumpjumper>Lightspeed Obed>Klein Mantra Race. Sold the Klein after I got a custom Seven Axiom and found myself riding it year round. Used to ride the mt bike only in Winter.

Now, I find myself thinking about dirt again. As I am over 50 and don't want to abuse my joints any more than I have to so I am thinking about something like the Specialized Camber Comp 29 (http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bikes/mountain/camberfsr/cambercomp29). The bigger wheels seem to make sense for the rocky, root filled trails we have in the Mid-Atlantic. The Epic Comp 29 (http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bikes/mountain/epicfsr/epiccomp29) looks cool as well but don't really need a race bike. Would be nice to test them before handing over the credit card.

Tim

[Gummee]

In your area, pretty much anything from a cross bike to a HT 29er will do the trick. Trails aren't nearly as rooty/rocky as they are here in the mid-atlantic. :nah Rigid or a shock. Up to your wallet's limits.

For right now, stay away from a single speed. Learn to ride before you get into the fringes of the sport. :nod

Craigslist and/or ebay are your friends. Buy someone else's garage queen and save $$.

HTH

M

[zott28]

Any thoughts on a couple options that are different
One full suspension 26"
2006 Cannondale Prophet 1000 with SRAM x9 and x7
And one hard tail 29"
2010 NINER AIR 9 with x9 on it.

[josephr]

In your area, pretty much anything from a cross bike to a HT 29er will do the trick. Trails aren't nearly as rooty/rocky as they are here in the mid-atlantic. :nah Rigid or a shock. Up to your wallet's limits.

For right now, stay away from a single speed. Learn to ride before you get into the fringes of the sport. :nod

Craigslist and/or ebay are your friends. Buy someone else's garage queen and save $$.

HTH

M

completely agree...stay away from single speed until you get some experience under your belt. you'll appreciate your gears!!!

I disagree about going used though....while you might be able to find a good garage queen, there's nothing wrong with buying a new $500 29er bike with the ole entry-level components. I think the upper level components are over-rated anyway. I had a GT Avalanche that was my 'get-back into mountain-biking' bike with Shimano Acera components that still shifts smooth and quick. What you're getting is a nicer frame and shock due to technology trickle-down. I think Trek/Cannondale/Specialized all make a 29er for $500-$600 thats pretty darn nice for entry-level.
Joe

[quickfeet]

Here is the breakdown you were probably wanting... I have ridden every sized bike(with the exception of a 36) and have spent quite a bit of time bushwhacking in the woods over the last 15 years. Definitely buy a mountain bike, they are awesome. Sorry in advance if there are typos, I am typing this fast before work.

26
-These are the classic MTB bikes, what we have been riding for about 30 years at this point. These days they are mostly used on all mountain, trail full suspension where the smaller wheels allow for more travel/better suspension designs(there are limits for the bigger wheels and effective long travel suspension) the vast majority of MTB sales have moved away from 26in bikes in most shops because a lot of companies are no longer supporting the wheel size due to lack of sales. Trek for instance dropped their hardtail 26' from the highend line entirely in the states this year.

650b/27/27.5
-this tweener wheel is not really an in between wheel and doesn't offer the benefits it claims it does. There is only a marginal difference between this wheel and a 26. I posted a good photo of the difference between wheel sizes at the bottom. The 27.5 has really been pushed along by those in the industry who missed the boat on the 29er revolution and don't want to be left out again. I think the biggest advantage of this wheel is for shorter riders who can't get their handlebars low enough on a 29er but want a bit bigger wheel or for the all-mountian rider.


29er
-The 29er has almost fully eaten up all MTB sales in the last 5 years. If you look at floor space the 29er has 90% of it in most shops. Hardtails are most popular and give a really smooth fast ride on the standard XC trails most people have access to. I generally say the 29er hardtail rides similarly to the short travel 26' full suspension. The 29er eats up most trails and allow some versatility for gravel riding. I generally recommend riders just getting into MTB to get a hardtail 29er because they are very forgiving to novices and help you learn to ride MTB a little easier.

full squish
-full suspension adds some plushness to your ride. If your goal is endurance MTB or you riding area is technical(super rocky, steep, or has chair lift access) the full squish may be the way to go. I didn't enjoy the 29er full suspension in my area(mostly smooth XC riding) because it may every trail too easy. I would just point the bike down a trail and run over stuff. The full suspension bike generally don't teach beginners how to ride MTB very well because they don't help you learn how to pick good lines, running over obstacles isn't always the fastest way through a trail.

Price points
-$500 and Under
don't buy these if you want to ride off road. They aren't durable enough for off-road use.

-$600-1000
good for getting your feet wet, if you want to MTB once or twice a month and are not too extreme these bikes are fine. They don't have great suspension or components butare great for getting people into the sport before they outgrow this price of bike.

-$1000-2000
-great hardtails and mediocre full suspensions. At this price you decide on whether you want a really good hardtail or an OK full squish. Hardtails offer more bang for your buck because they don't have all the moving parts. You can get an alloy hardtail with XT at about $2k that would be a great bike for a few years for a beginner getting into the sport.

-$2000 plus
-Carbon hardtails or great full squish. Any bike from major manufacturers in this price point is going to be awesome. All of them will be very well thought out and spec'd with great durable parts. Awesome full suspension is going to run you $3000 plus easy

-Used
I generally tell people not to buy used bikes(unless they are from me!) when getting into MTB. It is too easy to end up with a headache or a lemon with MTB just because of all the abuse the take day in and day out. If you aren't comfortable spotting what is in good shape MTB wise, it is very risky to go this route.

[zott28]

Thanks quickfeet,
Very informative:beer:.

[zott28]

So I got a karate monkey to mess around on until I figure out how to spend more money. This tread has been very help full.
Just went on my first ride on a forest road in Los Padres national forest while visiting family on the central coast.

Things I learned.
1. I now know what choosing your line means. Learned this in about 5 seconds.
2. I want a bike that's good at climbing. It's 80% of your day. Going down is fun, but climbing on the set up I have isn't. I'm going with a hard tail 29er.
3. Front suspension is going to be nice
4. I might as well of had a single speed. Never really got out of my lowest gear. This was mainly due to my set up. 1x9. 44x32 wasn't enough on some slopes.
5. Climbing is totally different. Standing requires staying back over the wheel. Arms are needed a lot more.
6. Only having one position for my hands gets tiring. Might need better grips.

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5471/9222588761_c0cc40c3f6_b.jpg
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5515/9225370466_562318b3aa_b.jpg
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5333/9225353026_0e5a90e7d2_b.jpg
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5454/9225363396_acdb85c327_b.jpg