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08-24-05, 09:30 PM
Hi everyone. Newby here.
I'm looking to purchase a bike to ride around the neighborhood with my kids. I've narrowed my choices down to two and am looking for some input from the forum to help me make my final decision. The two I'm considering are the 2006 Raleigh Passage 4.0 and the 2006 Diamondback Maravista. The geometry of these frames seem to fit me better than other brands in this price range.
I'm 6' tall, 260 lbs, and have a 32" inseam. The Passage 4.0 comes in a 21" and 23" frame. The largest Maravista is a 21" frame. I sit fairly upright on the 21" frame, and lean slightly forward on the 23" frame. The Maravista has slightly better components, but with 32 spoke rims, whereas the Passage comes with 36 spoke rims. Many people have suggested in other threads that a heavier person, like myself, should go with 36 spoke rims.
Here are some of the differences in the components (Maravista vs. Passage 4.0)
Front Derailleur: Shimano C202 vs. Shimano C50
Rear Derailleur: Shimano Alivio vs. Shimano Acera
Cog Set: SRAM PG-830 8spd (11-32t) vs. Shimano 8spd MegaRange (11-34t)
Shift Levers: Shimano EF-35 Rapid Fire vs. Shimano EZ-Fire-29
Forks: Spinner Odessa ACS (Adjustable) vs. SR NEX-4000 (Adjustable)
Rims: Weinmann AC-19 Double Wall 32h vs. Alex R1000 36h
Should I go with the 21" Maravista which has slightly better components, or with the Passage 4.0 for the 36 spoke rims? Also, the Passage 4.0 is available in a 23" frame. Should I be sitting upright or leaning slightly forward when I ride?
Here are the webpages for these bikes:
Passage 4.0: http://www.raleighusa.com/items.asp?deptid=7&itemid=273&childid=495
Maravista: http://www.diamondback.com/items.asp?deptid=5&itemid=187
Any thoughts and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
I'm looking to purchase a bike to ride around the neighborhood with my kids. I've narrowed my choices down to two and am looking for some input from the forum to help me make my final decision. The two I'm considering are the 2006 Raleigh Passage 4.0 and the 2006 Diamondback Maravista. The geometry of these frames seem to fit me better than other brands in this price range.
I'm 6' tall, 260 lbs, and have a 32" inseam. The Passage 4.0 comes in a 21" and 23" frame. The largest Maravista is a 21" frame. I sit fairly upright on the 21" frame, and lean slightly forward on the 23" frame. The Maravista has slightly better components, but with 32 spoke rims, whereas the Passage comes with 36 spoke rims. Many people have suggested in other threads that a heavier person, like myself, should go with 36 spoke rims.
Here are some of the differences in the components (Maravista vs. Passage 4.0)
Front Derailleur: Shimano C202 vs. Shimano C50
Rear Derailleur: Shimano Alivio vs. Shimano Acera
Cog Set: SRAM PG-830 8spd (11-32t) vs. Shimano 8spd MegaRange (11-34t)
Shift Levers: Shimano EF-35 Rapid Fire vs. Shimano EZ-Fire-29
Forks: Spinner Odessa ACS (Adjustable) vs. SR NEX-4000 (Adjustable)
Rims: Weinmann AC-19 Double Wall 32h vs. Alex R1000 36h
Should I go with the 21" Maravista which has slightly better components, or with the Passage 4.0 for the 36 spoke rims? Also, the Passage 4.0 is available in a 23" frame. Should I be sitting upright or leaning slightly forward when I ride?
Here are the webpages for these bikes:
Passage 4.0: http://www.raleighusa.com/items.asp?deptid=7&itemid=273&childid=495
Maravista: http://www.diamondback.com/items.asp?deptid=5&itemid=187
Any thoughts and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.