First season Mtn Biking - Buy, daily rent, season rent?
I've finally decided to stop delaying and get into mountain biking. Its been all talk through the years but no one ever wanted to dish the money ($80 a day with rental). I'm trying to figure out the smartest way to go about the first season. I come from a snowboarding background, and while it may seem irrelevant, I see how cheap the season pass is at the local resort ($300), how ****ty the rentals are, and how you can find last years equipment for cheap. Ultimately I think if you're confident you'll like snowboarding your best bet is to get a season pass and buy last years gear and you'll have the best entry level setup with room to expand.
Is mtn biking the same way? I think most people logically would say to just rent, but I plan on going at LEAST 5 times, if I could do it every weekend or every other weekend, I would do that. Season pass by us is $300. Are there entry level bikes that make sense to purchase, or would a season long bike rental from a shop be a logical move. Renting a bike from the resort seems foolish if their rentals are anything like the quality of rentals in other sports.
To also make this easier, I'm selling my single speed as I never ride it, so I'll have some extra money for a mtn bike, and I can still let my friends use it when we go out in town.