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08-24-07, 08:39 AM
I plan to buy my first full SUS bike later this year or early '08. I generally check specs on manufacturer websites (most of these websites are complete disasters in terms of user interfaces, but that's another story), then I check reviews on mtbr.com and search for threads here. Ultimately I will end up with a list of bikes to test ride.
I got tired of continually returning to manufacturer websites, re-typing keyword search terms in the mtbr.com interface, trying to compare bikes in my head. So, I designed an Excel spreadsheet to keep track of key info. I hyperlink to manufacturer pages and mtbr reviews/relevant bikeforums threads to get expanded information. I can rank the bikes, sort on any of the numeric fields (standover, bb height, top tube length, price etc.) A good deal of legwork up front, but worth it in the end.
I'm a database designer by trade and this would be a nice web app, but Excel is great for personal use when data integrity only matters to me and a real database would be overkill.
Below is a screen shot of the xls. Currently the Iron Horse 6 point series is top-ranked as I'm looking for an all-mountain full sus bike I can afford and I currently ride an IH warrior comp which I really like, so I'm somewhat brand-loyal. The rankings can change daily, however, as I seem have a weak spot for FR hardtails. Actual riding impressions will be added once I start testing. It's a lot of fun to mess around with.
Enjoy.
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g218/steelkilt/bike_rank_1024.jpg
I got tired of continually returning to manufacturer websites, re-typing keyword search terms in the mtbr.com interface, trying to compare bikes in my head. So, I designed an Excel spreadsheet to keep track of key info. I hyperlink to manufacturer pages and mtbr reviews/relevant bikeforums threads to get expanded information. I can rank the bikes, sort on any of the numeric fields (standover, bb height, top tube length, price etc.) A good deal of legwork up front, but worth it in the end.
I'm a database designer by trade and this would be a nice web app, but Excel is great for personal use when data integrity only matters to me and a real database would be overkill.
Below is a screen shot of the xls. Currently the Iron Horse 6 point series is top-ranked as I'm looking for an all-mountain full sus bike I can afford and I currently ride an IH warrior comp which I really like, so I'm somewhat brand-loyal. The rankings can change daily, however, as I seem have a weak spot for FR hardtails. Actual riding impressions will be added once I start testing. It's a lot of fun to mess around with.
Enjoy.
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g218/steelkilt/bike_rank_1024.jpg