Mountain Biking - New Bike

Hello.
I don't have a ton of experience, but I'm looking to purchase a bike that I'll be able to take on some easy trails up in the hills around my city, and eventually graduate into some of the easier, and then more difficult freestlye courses. A friend of mine has similiar plans and has already purchased a Norco Bigfoot himself. I've personally been looking at the Norco Bigfoot or the Kona Shred 06. I'm quite fotunate to live in an area where I have easy access to many different mountains and trails. I was just wondering what opinions other people have. I don't mind spending the extra money for the Bigfoot, but is it that much better?
I'm just wondering what other people would choose.

I don't want to seem impatient, but after waiting a couple hours does someone think that could please just quickly tell me which bike they would choose between the Shred and The Bigfoot?

Best advice I could give you and most people here would give you is...go test ride both bikes and see which one feels better. You can always upgrade to better parts as you progress, but a good comfortable geometery is important.

Thank you, I appreciate the reply. I've personally tested the Bigfoot, but not the Shred. I was just curious as to whether or not both bikes can handle similiar stresses. The Bigfoot isn't too much more expensive at the shop, and I know it has a slightly stronger crank set, front suspension fork, and frame as well as having the hydraulic braking system. I was just curious as to whether or not the Shred can hold it's own against the Bigfoot.

The Shred's frame is a lot stronger than the Bigfoot(I'll probably get yelled at for this one). I've never seen a broken Kona frame, but I've seen 4 bigfoot frames broken in the last year.

I think the Shred would be better for Dirt jumping and street, whereas the bigfoot would do better on a mountain. Go try both.

I would have to agree with Jason on that one, about the shred being better DJ/street and the Bigfoot being better on a mountain.. go test ride them I tells ya.

Thank you, I appreciate the reply. I've personally tested the Bigfoot, but not the Shred. I was just curious as to whether or not both bikes can handle similiar stresses. The Bigfoot isn't too much more expensive at the shop, and I know it has a slightly stronger crank set, front suspension fork, and frame as well as having the hydraulic braking system. I was just curious as to whether or not the Shred can hold it's own against the Bigfoot.


I don't agree. The crankset of the Shred is better than the one on the Bigfoot, its Ruktion on the Shred against Blaze on the Bigfoot. Also both bikes have the same fork, and the frame of the Kona is stronger than the Bigfoot.

I appreciate the replies. And as to the comparison that I made, I'm a total newb and these are the things that I was personally told.
So by the sounds of it the Bigfoot would be the better choice (depending on which I find more comfortable of course) for North Shore riding? I understand that it's unrealistic to believe that I'll ge able to dive into freeriding and hard mountain trails, but after I've been riding some easy mountain trails for a few months I think it's a possibilty that I'll be able to get into some of the easier courses, wether or not I can complete them, I have to start somewhere.

I ride an 05 bigfoot, It's great for just starting up dh which is exactly what I'm doing, later upgrading the parts like frame then forks and so on so forthj

Again, thanks for the reply. I've learnt a couple things, and I guess what it comes down to is a couple test rides. But can I just get one thing straight. The Bigfoot is the better bike of the two for the mountain, but the Shred is a bike that's quite capable of riding some easier freestlye and mountain courses with a capable rider, correct? Right now I'm feeling that it's all up to the test ride, but I just want to be sure that if the Kona doesn't ride the mountains quite as well, it's still a bike that I'll be able to take up into the mountains for many months with no fear of a breakdown, and that will perform quite competently.

Go with the shred, riding a bigfoot for DH or FR just isn't fun. The frame is mre of an XC style and is hard to jump on.

The frame is mre of an XC style and is hard to jump on.

I sure don't agree with that

Oomp, spend a few hundred more and get the Norco Sasquatch.

Or, if you get the Shred, you can set it up for mountain riding. KonaRider24 has a nicely setup Cowan you can compare to.