Mountain Biking - New Bike Suggestions

I am a fairly new rider and have been looking for a good all around bike. I am 6' tall, 200 lbs and 33 years old. I want to ride on the nearby mountain trails as well as the rails to trails with my wife and kids. I have researched and test road the following bikes:

Specialized Hardrock Pro Disk $699.00
Specialized Stumpjumper Disk $1999.00
Cannondale Prophet 600 $1599.00

Do you think I would really benefit from the FS for $1000.00 more? What bike do you suggest? I have LBS's that sell Cannondale, Specialized, Trek, and Giant. Thanks.

shane

I like the prophet, cannondale makes a sick bike.

Thanks for the reply? Any other suggestions? HT or FS? Thanks again,

shane

Shane,
I'd say it really depends on the type of riding you'll be doing most. I'm 3 yrs older and a few lbs heavier than yourself and 10 yrs ago my body was a little more durable than it is now. My HT bike was great (especially considering the 10 yr old suspension designs) and I loved it. Fast forward 10 years and let me tell you after being back in it for a little over 2 months I've learned a couple of things. 1st, I really missed being in the woods and 2nd, my lower back really hates a long top tube and no suspension.

I've exchanged bikes on the trail w/ one of my old riding bud's who recently bought a Kona Dawg and let me tell you that todays suspension technology is so far ahead of 10, even 5 years ago stuff. Most of these FS bikes have a more relaxed goemetry (more straight up seating position) and take a lot of weight/stress of the back and arms. I realize this is a real generalization (w/ downhill, freeride, XC and all the diff styles of bikes) but I think you'll find its true. For that matter it may be the case even w/ HT bikes as years ago it seems the thought was the closer you got a XC bike's geometry to the extreme angles of a roadie the quicker it would handle and the faster you could ride. While this is true it sure makes for a real "leaned over" riding position and some real "quick" handling especially over the rough stuff.

After all this rambling what I'd recommend is the HT if your more likely to be on smooth family rides like rails-to-trails and the FS if you are likely to be on the rough stuff. Either way enjoy yourself and any of the bikes you mentioned should be competent choices.

I am a fairly new rider and have been looking for a good all around bike. I am 6' tall, 200 lbs and 33 years old. I want to ride on the nearby mountain trails as well as the rails to trails with my wife and kids. I have researched and test road the following bikes:

Specialized Rockhopper Pro Disk $699.00
Specialized Stumpjumper Disk $1999.00
Cannondale Prophet 600 $1599.00

Do you think I would really benefit from the FS for $1000.00 more? What bike do you suggest? I have LBS's that sell Cannondale, Specialized, Trek, and Giant. Thanks.

shane

Shane,

I think you should consider buying a used bike, through Craig's List or mtbr classifieds. You can get a very nice hardtail or fs bike for much less. Then, if you decide you don't want said bike (let's say you buy FS, and decide you'd rather go hardtail, or the other way around) you can sell it for pretty much the same price you bought it for. There are many people selling their bikes on-line, and it should be easy to find what you want. For the cost of the Prophet, you could get a used high end bike.

I bought a used high-end hardtail for $900 last year. If I had bought the same bike, same parts new: frame, $750, fork $450, CK headset $115, wheelset $250, etc.. Not one of the used parts has any significant wear, and the guy I bought it from was efficient, packed well, and a gentleman to work with.

If you have a LBS you'd like to support, then simply take it there for service. They will make more money from that then selling you a new bike at marginal profit and then supplying you with free tune-ups. And you will have cash left over that you can save and get another used bike of a different style, be it DH, road, whatever.

I agree about the top tube statement. I noticed that the longer top tube length seems to have an effect on my back and neck.

shane

where is the rockhopper pro disc 700??

You are correct. It was the Hardrock Pro Disk.