Mountain Biking - New Yorker Newbie Needs Some HELP... Choosing first Bike

Here is the situation. My girlfriend and I plan to start biking this summer. When it comes to selecting quality mountain bikes, we had NO CLUE what we are doing/looking for. We know not to buy something cheap from a department store and that is about the extent of our knowledge. I used to be into freestyle/BMX bikes and this category is all new to me. I am about 5'8" 150 lbs or so... and my girlfriend is about 5'5" 120lbs.. or so.. No, we don't need to get matching bikes or anything like that.. lol. We are both just looking for an economical bike that we can ride around in from the suburbs to the city to weekend trips on trails. Anyone with tips, price range advice, etc..?

ANY help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance

*In addition, I am wondering what is a good bike rack I could pick up to hold two bikes (VW Jetta) for the weekend trips.

You can also reach me at defynyc@aol.com

-Victor
(718) 490-7170

Are you two going to go hard core trail riding? Quick rides? How about your level of expertise and hers? Do you want something on the more comfortable side? Something more technically inclined?

Hi. I was new to all of this not that long ago as well and have learned many things from these forums. I would suggest Specialized, Trek, Giant, Marin, Kona...they all make entry-level models(which is what I am assuming you are looking for....a good all around bike) in the $300 range give or take.
As far as a good bike rack, I'd suggest the Saris Bones 2 or 3 bike rack. In my opinion, it is the best rack on the market. Pricepoint sells the 2 bike model for about $85, which is a great deal!
Good luck and happy riding!

Are you two going to go hard core trail riding? Quick rides? How about your level of expertise and hers? Do you want something on the more comfortable side? Something more technically inclined?


Thanks for the feedback.. As for our level of expertise, we ride around the neighborhood and there are some local trails (nothing hard core). However, we do plan on heading out to some trails on the weekends. You could say we are beginners. Probably looking for something more on the comfortable side to begin with. Any other suggestions?

I was personally thinking of getting a Specialized.

I would highly recommend you visit a bike shop before you buy anything.
Geometry is different for every bike and you'll definitely want to be comfortable on your new rig.
I'm 5'8" and ride a bike with a 31" standover height.

I would highly recommend you visit a bike shop before you buy anything.

Ya, that would probable be you safest bet.

You already know, stay away from department stores. I would go to a few shops, test out some bikes, see what is right for you. Specialized is a great brand, which has some good bike for entry level riders (Hardrock) which is about 375ish. For what you are saying of doing I would suggest a hardtail. Try to stay away from brands like Mongoose, Huffy, GT is iff. But most bike stores will carry decent brands, not like x-mart bikes.

-Matt

Thanks for all the advice. I will get to a bike shop this weekend and will post about the feedback I get.

So, I visited a bike shop and they recommeded a Specialized RockHopper ($399). (hardtail). Can anyone explain what exactly a "hardtail" is? Any other advice for me here...

Hardtail = a [mountain] bicycle with no rear suspension.

Any other advice for me here...

I think a Rockhopper is a great first bike. It will handle a lot lot of different situations and should last a long time if well maintained. It is a great place to start

Thanks for the advice again. Anyone have any idea where I can possibly get older models of a Rockhopper for a cheaper price?

I can recommend the Kona Dawg series of bikes, and Kona Blast is a great hardtail for the right price.

So, I'm thinking of now getting a Specialized Stumpjumper..