Mountain Biking - so here's my synopsis

ok, so you guys talked me out of a FS. I think i'm thanking you already.

So i did the rounds of some of the local shops and here's what i've found...

most shops around here carry either trek, fisher, and giant ... without looking too hard. I think the fisher is ugly as sin, so i don't care how good it is. so this leaves the treck 4900, and giant yukon or iguana in my price range.

my buddy has the trek so i wouldn't want to copy ... so i'm leaning toward the giant. the shop i saw it at had an 03 model yukon going for about $490 (us) ... i wasn't sure about the iguana. I think he said it was upper 5s?

So what i'm wondering is:

1. what are your thoughts on the new yukons and iguanas?

2. what's the big differences between them? is it worth getting the iguana or can I save some $$, get the giant, and replace parts to make it just as good (or better) than the iguana? (i kinda like how the yukon looks better anyway)


thanks for your input ...

if the trek fits you best and you like it, get it and don't worry about your friend!

I have the 4900 and love it. though I wish I had bought the 6500 instead because of the better frame mainly, but the better components too... 9 speed etc

get the bike that fits you best.. then look at secondary things like color and such

yeah i was just being dumb about the trek. overall i liked the giant more ... i wouldn't let myself be as superficial as not getting a bike cause my friend had it ;)


does the yukon have disc mounts? the site doesn't say but the guy at the shop said yes. i didn't look.

http://www.giant-bicycle.com/us/030.000.000/030.000.006.asp?lYear=2003&bikesection=8817&range=122&model=10631
http://www.giant-bicycle.com/us/030.000.000/030.000.006.asp?lYear=2003&bikesection=8817&range=122&model=10633
From these two I'd choose Iguana.

I don't like the geometry of those bikes but the iquana is pretty tough. Not bad for a cheap bike.

I would grab it up.

I own a Iguana. Tough as hell and comes with better components than most bikes in it's price range.

thanks for the replies...

MeHT ... for what reasons would you take the iquana over the yukon?



i'm still trying ti figure out the main differences between these 2 models. I don't know enough about compnetry yet to be able to tell the differences and if they even matter.

thanks

What's the price difference between Yukon and Iguana (with no disks)? Do you plan on installing disk brakes later or do you want to buy a bike with disks now?

Yukun has generic brakes and tires. Iguana has a better cassette, shifters and front derrailleur. http://bike.shimano.com/mtb/index.asp

Iguana has more XC-oriented geometry, not sure about Yukon. Not sure about forks as well.

i'm not sure about the exact price difference ... i think the iguana with discs was upper 5s. maybe the no disc version will be around 540?

if the only difference is the brakes and front derailer i'll probably just go with the yukon. I can get new pads and a new derailer if I so choose.

I don't know if the yukon has disc mounts... I don't even know if that matters to me. If it doesn't have mounts, what's involved in adding discs?

I'm not very fond of the appearance of the iguana ... so there will have to be some big difference in quality for me to get it i think ... something I would regret later. That's what i'm trying to figure out.

but as long as the frames are the same and whatnot i can live with thigns like bad pads unless they're significantly worse.

Oh, the frames are different, BTW. Look at the geometry, Iguana is more suited for XC and Yukon for freeriding.

ended up getting the Iguana Disc. The shop i was at didn't stock the standard iguana, just yukon and iguana disc.

It seems to be a mix of the 2. it has the same fork as the yukon. I didn't notice that til after i bought it... i assumed it would be the same as the iguana all around except with discs ... that's what i get for assuming.

but the frame and derailers are same as the iguana. so i got the better geom ... not so great fork ... but discs.

their price was $599 ... a little higher than i wanted to go and i probably paid to much ... but i wanted to get it over with and the couple of bucks i would have saved probably wouldn' thave been worth energy to find the deal.

Congrats on the new bike :)

Good luck with the new ride! Let you have a lot of fun time with each other.
;)