Mountain Biking - Super-cheap freeride build?

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SquatchCO
11-25-05, 12:26 AM
Asking for advice:

I'm not a big mountain biker (have done it in the past, but only on my brother's borrowed bike). I'm looking to get into it, and I saw a super-cheap freeride kit in. Wheelworld.com has sales: an '04 stinky primo for $600 and their freeride build kit for $1000. Basically that means almost half off. Here are links for the specs:

Kit: http://wheelworld.com/site/itemdetails.cfm?ID=2898&Catalog=39&sort=Price
Bike: http://wheelworld.com/site/itemdetails.cfm?ID=2883&Catalog=39&sort=Price

Now here's the dilemmna: I have little experience mountain biking, and all the experience I have is on a hardtail. I'm not ready for the freeride stuff...yet. I can see in the future getting a freeride bike, but if I were to buy a bike at full price it would be hardtail first, then a full suspension. The other option would be a efficient all-mountain bike: a yeti 575 or the like.

The question is: do I get the bike now? If I decide I don't like it, what would the resale value for a bike like that be? I'm guessing $2000 for lightly used. Less? More? I know it would be a sweet bike, but money is always an object and I'm thinking it might not be the right bike for me yet. What are your collective opinions on an entry- to mid-level biker getting a bike like this? Will I progress into it and make it worthwhile, or will be just a waste of a bike?

Brian
11-25-05, 01:11 AM
Figure a 1 week old used bike is worth 1/2 the retail. Seriously. Don't purchase a bike with any ideas of getting your money out of it later.

On to the bike - You can get a smoking deal from Wheelworld, but you'll be lugging a lot of extra weight around that you won't be using. If you're keen for the adrenaline rush, but lack the skills, it's an option. If you just want to get your feet wet in the dirt, it's overkill.
rasheed
11-25-05, 06:47 AM
you'd probably be better off ordering the kona dawg frame and the backcountry kit. that way you'd have a good all around bike that can take a bit of the light freeride stuff.

norcodirtjumper
11-25-05, 06:55 AM
That build kit is a real deal. What makes it worth it for me is that it comes with LX everything, it comes with pretty high end stuff.