Mountain Biking - buy a crap bike first???

im a noob. should i buy xmart (or at least rock-bottom entry level at a LBS) before investing in a good solid mtb?

some of you have probably read about how im in the market for a new mtb. right now i ride an old GT and my brother's mongoose, but i want a good bike to learn and develop my skills.

i was thinking of buying a higher-low-end/lower-midrange bike that i could grow into, but my brother said to buy a crap bike first, cuz ill probably end up totalling a bike in the process of learning to ride. this advice holds some water, too, cuz he ruined two frames while he was learning, but i was wondering what y'all have to say about it............

If you think you'll ride it, buy the best you can afford. If you're not yet sure if this is your sport, buy entry level, something like a Specialized Hardrock, GT avalanche, Trek 4300, or Giant Rincon.

I'd recommend a Jamis Durango 2.0

http://www.jamisbikes.com/usa/bikes/07_bikes/durango2.html

Do not buy a x-mart bike!!!1!11!!!!1

And how did your brother manage to ruin two frames while learning??

Edit: If they were x-mart bikes... no need to explain.

buy crap, ride crap, learn crap

Go with a low lever bike. (Entry level) Becuase you do want a X-mart bike that will break down on you all the time. Make sure its a hardtail, you can develop good skills.

Hard to find a crap bike at an LBS.

Unless they carry Specialized, Trek, Giant, Jamis or Crackandfail.

You forgot Haro.

Dude, look for the best bike you can afford, then buy the one that's a little more... you'll love the decision! :D

Or Haro, Titus, Intense, Turner, Seven or Knolly.

what about GT and kona?

Don't most mart bikes have stickers that say not to ride them off road (or something to that effect)? Buying crap probably won't encourage you to ride and could get you hurt in some situations.

I'd recommend a Jamis Durango 2.0

Actually, that's exactly the bike I had my eyes on until that bit of advice hit me today. Looks like a nice, solid bike.


.....lol .. looks like people are very much against the idea in the original post. I guess I'll take that as a hint and forget about the advice I received. lol :rolleyes:

Way to go gang. The poor OP is going to read all these brands to avoid, think they are crap and land up buying a Magna dual suspension.:eek:

Way to go gang. The poor OP is going to read all these brands to avoid, think they are crap and land up buying a Magna dual suspension.:eek:

I answered him.

Assume you will enjoy it, and buy something nice. Accidents will happen on whatever you buy, but chances of totalling it are slim. You can always replace what has busted.

buy crap, ride crap, learn crap

well put, junkyard..

im a noob. should i buy xmart (or at least rock-bottom entry level at a LBS) before investing in a good solid mtb?

some of you have probably read about how im in the market for a new mtb. right now i ride an old GT and my brother's mongoose, but i want a good bike to learn and develop my skills.

i was thinking of buying a higher-low-end/lower-midrange bike that i could grow into, but my brother said to buy a crap bike first, cuz ill probably end up totalling a bike in the process of learning to ride. this advice holds some water, too, cuz he ruined two frames while he was learning, but i was wondering what y'all have to say about it............
if you think you're gonna get hooked on, then you should get something decent.

Look at used, good bikes - you'll get more for your money.

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People that are new like him don't usually know what tolook for, or know if they're getting a deal or not used.

well put, junkyard..

i am a wordsmith

Way to go gang. The poor OP is going to read all these brands to avoid, think they are crap and land up buying a Magna dual suspension.

lol, actually, a Magna FS was the bike I started out on years ago, before adopting my dad's never-used GT Timberline. I've been on the GT for about 4 years now but am only recently getting serious about the mtb sport/lifestyle. I've done a lot of homework and I consider myself to be pretty familiar with what brands can be counted on to build crappy bikes, and what brands can be counted on the build solid bikes.

The more I think about this thread, the more I realize that I should've seen that advice for what it was: ********.

Sucky advice sucks!

Don't most mart bikes have stickers that say not to ride them off road (or something to that effect)?
Is that really true? I've never heard that before, but that is hilarious b/c of what they're imitating. We'll probably see versions with fake disk brakes pretty soon.

Anyway for what you pay for one of those cheapie bikes (BTW, why do people say "x-mart"--is that to be curtious to Wal-Mart?) you could buy one of the older used steel frame bikes. I think it's definitely good to learn off a less expensive bike, unless you have a giant budget.

Is that really true? I've never heard that before, but that is hilarious--tells you how much they probably suck at doing what they imitate and how much is just looks. Why full suspension with aluminum frames? We'll probably see versions with fake disk brakes pretty soon.

Anyway for what you pay for one of those cheapie bikes (BTW, why do people say "x-mart"--is that to be curtious to Wal-Mart?) you could buy one of the older used steel frame bikes. I think it's definitely good to learn off a less expensive bike, unless you have a giant budget.


I don't get it ... I'm not into FS rides, but why would an alu frame be unwise for FS rigs? (Or am I just reading that wrong?)

Why full suspension with aluminum frames? We'll probably see versions with fake disk brakes pretty soon.


Oh, they've already gone there. I pulled one out of a bike shop dumpster. I'm gonna cut the disc brake mounts off, weld them to an old lowrider frame and lace the hubs to 24" wheels. Slow and low b!tches.

Is that really true? I've never heard that before, but that is hilarious--tells you how much they probably suck at doing what they imitate and how much is just looks. Why full suspension with aluminum frames? We'll probably see versions with fake disk brakes pretty soon.

Anyway for what you pay for one of those cheapie bikes (BTW, why do people say "x-mart"--is that to be curtious to Wal-Mart?) you could buy one of the older used steel frame bikes. I think it's definitely good to learn off a less expensive bike, unless you have a giant budget.

Yes I've seen the "don't ride off road" stickers too. And x-mart is used because Walmart isn't the only one that sells "x-mart" bikes. Here you can get an x-mart bike at Fred Meyer, Target, as well as Walmart.

I wouldn't recommend maxing out your budget for your first bike though, not because you'll break it but just because of the expense. You want to spend enough to where the bike isn't just a pile of crap, but not so much that if you decide to quit you're out a buttload of money.

If you've been riding other people's bikes for a while and have some experience, you're probably farther past the newbie stage than you think. I'd recommend a High entry level hardtail. not the bottom rung of any LBS but like the 2nd or 3rd or 4th step up from the bottom. However, the more you spend the better they get, so if you're pretty sure you're gonna stick to it, go ahead and learn on a nice bike.

In the grand scheme of things bikes aren't that expensive. My dad just blew $12,000 on quads for summer riding. Plus a $1800 trailer to haul them, and i dunno what he spends in gas hauling them and driving them. I tried to tell him that for about 1/4 of that cost he could have bought the whole family good entry level bikes to ride.

I don't get it ... I'm not into FS rides, but why would an alu frame be unwise for FS rigs? (Or am I just reading that wrong?)

Just picking on cheapie bikes.

That truly made me laugh out loud.
Maybe it's just a testament to how naive I am, but I don't get it. I've been riding my GT for years now but it was always on sidewalks and stuff, and the occasional trail (light trails, at that). But now I want to get more serious about it. I don't see why it's funny, but okay.... :o


In the grand scheme of things bikes aren't that expensive.
um ... Hi, my name is Will. I'm a college student and I'm engaged to be wed ... aka, poor.

You can get a Specialized Hardrock for under $350. I know somebody who owns one, he's insane and hasn't been able to break it yet.

Dude, drop a few classes, and the girl; theres the money for the bike.

An added bonus is all the riding time your single, uneducated arse will have freed up :)

maybe im getting ahead of myself but i seem to have a deal lined up for an 05 fisher marlin.....

im waiting for a reply from the seller, but pray for me!