Mountain Biking - what kind of bike should I buy????

I don't know what kind of bike I should buy. I use to race BMX but I know nothing of MBs, I weigh 240 pounds and I am looking for something to run trails with. I will probably be climbing a little but I mostly want a durable beginner bike that I am not going to destroy by doing drops and riding hard. I am pretty sure that I am a fairly fast rider so I would say that I need something able to handle my weight trail riding at 20+ miles per hour. If you guys have some suggestions please help me. I really want to stay around the price of 1200 bucks. I don't know if I need a full suspension but you guys can decide that, please help. Thank you

I'd go to a LBS(local bike shop) and see what they have in that range and ask their advice, only they can fit you properly. 20 mph? maybe down a 50 ft hill :D

Wal-Mart has a good selection of bikes. You can post a new thread here when you are ready to ask more questions about anything regarding bikes.

oh yeah, "steel is real".

they range from: will fall apart in a day, to it will fall apart in a week.

you can get a very nice hardtail for about 1200 bucks. If i was 240 pounds this is what i would do.
http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=32573
plus a marzocchi dirt jumper 3. Not sure how much that would be. Then i would have a wheelset built on some bolt on hubs with a decent rim.

If i were you i would go with the specialized P.2 or P.2 Chromo, i have the P.2 which was 1100 and is now 1200. The P.2 chromo is 910 but is gonna be heavier. The chromo has bb5 mechanical disc brakes, while the P.2 has hayes sole hydraulics. Your are probably better off with the BB5's. the soles are not very good.

I think I will go to my LBS and ask them what they think.

Wal-Mart has a good selection of bikes. You can post a new thread here when you are ready to ask more questions about anything regarding bikes.

oh yeah, "steel is real".

Wall Mart, you're kidding right?

I think I will go to my LBS and ask them what they think.

Ding-ding, we have a WINNER! Bob, tell him what he's won!

Id say go with a Hard Tail, If you really going to issueing punishment, the less that can break the beeter. Alos you'll get more rocket from your pocket by not paying for costly rear suspension.
Local dealer should be good help but make sure they dont just sell you something for your price range. Dont tell them how much u wnat to spend.

[QUOTE=robbiemcgilla;5344727]Id say go with a Hard Tail, If you really going to issueing punishment, the less that can break the beeter. Alos you'll get more rocket from your pocket by not paying for costly rear suspension.
Local dealer should be good help but make sure they dont just sell you something for your price range. Dont tell them how much u wnat to spend.[/QUOTe
Awe inspiring.

you can get a very nice hardtail for about 1200 bucks. If i was 240 pounds this is what i would do.
http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=32573
plus a marzocchi dirt jumper 3. Not sure how much that would be. Then i would have a wheelset built on some bolt on hubs with a decent rim.

If i were you i would go with the specialized P.2 or P.2 Chromo, i have the P.2 which was 1100 and is now 1200. The P.2 chromo is 910 but is gonna be heavier. The chromo has bb5 mechanical disc brakes, while the P.2 has hayes sole hydraulics. Your are probably better off with the BB5's. the soles are not very good.

I would agree if you looking for a bike thats gonna hold up under speed, and also dropin off big stuff, the specialized P.2 or P.2 Chromo are proven to be kick ass!

So hardtails are more durable than full suspension bikes if you're going to be "issuing punishment"?

When did that happen?

I read: "...the less that can break the better."
I never read: "hardtails are more durable..."

Which is a sound opinion.
How much does it cost to replace a busted rear suspension?

This thread is awesome......

I think I will go to my LBS and ask them what they think.

Mountain bike (and road bikes for that matter) aren't nearly as delicate as some people would have you believe. I'm in your range and have ridden good mountain bikes without problems for years. I don't treat them with kid gloves either. I'm not a jumper but I don't ride them around the park either. They'll hold up.

For $1200, something in the class of a Stumpjumper hardtail (look at all of the other brands too) would be tough to beat. Something like the FSRxc rim or the FSRxc Comp (slightly higher) would work too. However, tuning the suspension for your weight can be tricky. They're optimized for someone in the 140 to 150 lb range on the show room floor which makes them mushy as hell for guys like us.

Best idea is to ride lots;)

However, tuning the suspension for your weight can be tricky. They're optimized for someone in the 140 to 150 lb range on the show room floor which makes them mushy as hell for guys like us.

Yeah, cycco...pretty tricky.
http://www.performancebike.com/product_images/500/40-3715-NCL-TOP.jpg
About 30 seconds could optimize it to any rider, dingdong.

Yeah, cycco...pretty tricky.

About 30 seconds could optimize it to any rider, dingdong.

Tricky as in trying to find the right pressure so that the bike will actually work like its supposed to and not be an inch worm. The shock may not even take the pressure that is needed for us larger guys. My higher end bike with a much better suspension system took me a year and a half and a trip to Push to get it right. Now it works like it should. Push doesn't do the shocks on the FSRxc.

or turn it into a HT. I agree about front forks, some of the front forks just don't take our weight and their over pressured for our body weight to get the right SAG or the springs aren't rated for our weight.

+1 on Push. Two trips to push got my RP3 working right. The first time was blamed on bad seals from Fox. The 2nd time has been totally awesome. Push has been awesome and their customer service is tremendous.


Tricky as in trying to find the right pressure so that the bike will actually work like its supposed to and not be an inch worm. The shock may not even take the pressure that is needed for us larger guys. My higher end bike with a much better suspension system took me a year and a half and a trip to Push to get it right. Now it works like it should. Push doesn't do the shocks on the FSRxc.

I've been nothing but happy with my 32 Vanilla from PUSH, but it didn't take 2 times to get it right.

I talked to my local Mech. and he said that PUSH jacked up a Trek Fuel rear shock. They instructed the owner to set it at a certain pressure to begin a setup, but the customer and Mech. said that the Fuel is supposed to be 3/4 the rider weight.

I don't know how it all turned out but why all the formula crap? Just add air until proper sag is reached.

I'm still waiting for the follow-up on that one.

Either way, I'm not a huge fan of air suspension. My Float would bottom out on medoicre dips and obstacles when set with proper sag. My Vanilla doesn't.

I've been nothing but happy with my 32 Vanilla from PUSH, but it didn't take 2 times to get it right.

I talked to my local Mech. and he said that PUSH jacked up a Trek Fuel rear shock. They instructed the owner to set it at a certain pressure to begin a setup, but the customer and Mech. said that the Fuel is supposed to be 3/4 the rider weight.

I don't know how it all turned out but why all the formula crap? Just add air until proper sag is reached.

I'm still waiting for the follow-up on that one.

Either way, I'm not a huge fan of air suspension. My Float would bottom out on medoicre dips and obstacles when set with proper sag. My Vanilla doesn't.

It only took one time on my shock too but that's my point. Set up of the stock shock did the same as your Float. Even minor bumps or simply pedaling would bottom the shock...and that was with the shock pumped up way past what was recommended for my weight.

After I sent the shock in I talked to my LBS guys and they said it was standard procedure to send the shock to Push following sale of the bike. There seems to be something wrong with that picture.

You need someone to help you with your reading.

Maybe you are correct. Perhaps you could help me out in that area and point to me the phrase in the following quote that states hardtail bikes are more durable than full suspension bikes. I
will admit that I'm not the most perceptive person in the world, and I could benefit by brushing up on my reading comprehension (can't we all?), but with all my experience in solving word find puzzles in the local paper over the years, I'm unable to pull that phrase or anything that resembles it out of his quote.
So please good sir, can you educate me and show me how you were able to comprehend what you did from what he said?


Id say go with a Hard Tail, If you really going to issueing punishment, the less that can break the beeter. Alos you'll get more rocket from your pocket by not paying for costly rear suspension.
Local dealer should be good help but make sure they dont just sell you something for your price range. Dont tell them how much u wnat to spend.

No problem, here you go:

"Id say go with a Hard Tail, If you really going to issueing(sic) punishment, ..."

Note these two phrases and their relationship.

Perhaps your reading comprehension issues would be helped if we moved the phrases, since that doesn't change their meaning.

"If you really going to issueing(sic) punishment, Id say go with a Hard Tail..."

Good luck in your search for understanding!

Thank you for your help, but you did not address the rest of that sentence.
"...If you really going to issueing punishment, the less that can break the beeter."

Note these two phrases and their relationship.

Perhaps my reading comprehension issues would be helped if we moved the phrases, since that doesn't change their meaning.
"The less that can break the beeter, If you really going to issueing punishment"

Perhaps you can adress that.
I'm not saying that you necessary are doing this, but there are a few people in the A&S forum that tend to ignore every other aspect of a quote other than what they can manipulate to suit their own desires.

So looking at the phrase as a whole, and not just picking out half of it and ignoring the other half, can you please show me where he said that a hardtail is more durable?

OK, we all get what you are driviing at — i.e.- If your riding is going to be heaping a lot of punishment on a bike then you should think about a hardtail, because there are fewer moving parts to break (implying that, on the average, a hardtail is more robust).

However, as Pete is trying to point out, the whole statement, whether written in English or in ESL English, is bunk.

OK, we all get what you are driviing at — i.e.- If your riding is going to be heaping a lot of punishment on a bike then you should think about a hardtail, because there are fewer moving parts to break (implying that, on the average, a hardtail is more robust).

However, as Pete is trying to point out, the whole statement, whether written in English or in ESL English, is bunk.

See, I don't think that he is implying a hardtail is more robust, but rather that if you beat the hell out of something that sooner or later every part is going to break and or need to be replaced due to wear, so why not get one that has less parts to replace over time.
Like you I don't agree with his opinion on that, but never the less that is his opinion, and if a person who is considering a new bike is not the type of person who will be able to set aside funds in the future for costly reairs then maybe they should consider the total cost of ownership, then his opinion is sound.

And that right there highlights your lack of context or experience.

What you aren't understanding is that if you beat the hell out of a hardtail and a FS DH bike the FS DH bike will be more durable, many parts will last longer, etc.

Perhaps you should do more than a "little" mountain biking. That might, just might, help you understand how little you understand at this point.

But that doesn't change the fact that a full suspension bike has more parts to break now does it.

I'm getting out of this thread before it gets any worse, I've seen how Petes threads turn corners and become what they become. So you can have the the last word if you wish.
I *do* have better things to do than argue with privilaged rich kids who have nothing better to do than make a profession out of arguing on the internet.

Enjoy Pete

Pete, how come just about every thread you post in becomes something like this?
At least this guy had the courtesey to get out before it got any worse?

BTW, I thought you lived in a half million dollar plus home (read that in a different post a ways back).
And I don't recall this guy even saying he did have mountain biking experience at all. I read the fixed gear forum, and have posted in there, but there is no way in hell you'd catch me riding a bike with only one gear.

Tom Said: But that doesn't change the fact that a full suspension bike has more parts to break now does it.
Pete Said: That just serves to illustrate your lack of experience and your cluelessness.

So Pete, are you saying that a full suspension bike generally has less parts susceptible to breaking? :rolleyes:

That's a silly exaggeration. Many folks make idiotic comments. Sometimes I reply, sometimes I don't. Invariably, people get upset when their idiocy is pointed out to them. As in this case.

So less than 50% of the threads you post in do not have some sort of symantic and/or idiotic argument between you and at least one other? I do find that hard to believe.



Courtesy? He ran away when confronted by the silliness of his claims. He obviously has little (self-acknowledged) to no real mountain bike experience if he thinks that a hardtail is a better choice than a FS bike if one is going to be "issueing(sic) punishment."

I don't see him saying that. I only see him saying that a full suspension bike generally *does* have more parts on it to break. Are you saying he is wrong?




Yet he argues that a hardtail is a better choice.

Where di he say that at again?



How bizarre. I don't recall that being posted and I'm having trouble figuring out what the value of my home has to do with the relative durability of a hardtail vs. a FS bike.
Please fill me in. Thanks.

Maybe it was on another site, or maybe you weren't even in the discusion at all, but it was about you, and talking about how you grew up as some spoiled rich kid out in Cali and have no real life experiences other than what your parents paid for. I'm not saying this, I'm just saying what I recall reading on one of the various message boards I am a member of.
And I bring this up because he called you a rich kid and you said he was wrong (in not so little words), was he wrong?



According to him, he has "little" experience.

I don't see where he calimed to have ANY experience really.




That's lovely. Do you comment on riding fixies even though you don't have any experience with them? If you don't, why don't you?
Sure, just the other day I was talking to a guy about saddles, and he rides a fixed gear bike. I don't see how the gearing or lack there of matters when it comes to saddle comfort. It's just a bicycle.

Read the rest of that post.

If you're still confused, ask for some help and I'll exlain your confusion in very, very simple terms that you will hopefully be able to understand.

I did read the rest of the post and you never did state clearly, you just asked another question, which seems to be your M.O. You keep changing thigs around in a discussion until it becomes an argument, then you twist the original around until it becomes some moot argument that you can win. Then you thump your chest like you are some winner of a grand prize.
The fact is Pete, you're just another dick on the internet that can't argue face to face bcause you're afraid you'll get the **** beat out of you.

And like Tom, I'm leaving before I get any deeper into your garbage. So you go ahead and say what you want in order to save face. I've lived a long long life and don't need approval from the likes of you.

You know, I'm gone too.
Congrads Pete.

wow...a half a million dollar home on the west coast?! half a million dollars??!! 1/2 a million!

man, I didn't know you lived in the ghetto. What is that 1200 feet?





Ok, I get it. You just can't read for comprehension.

Here's the part that you missed:

"Those moving parts are designed to protect a numder(sic) of parts from trail shock."





I'm sorry that it's your time of the month. Hopefully you'll be more stable in a few days.

Happy trails.

p.s.




Hey, Captain Courage, where would you like to meet so we can discuss this face-to-face? If you're on the West coast maybe we can hook up for your littel argument and then go for a ride...

This place has become full of clueless people giving clueless advice. When said cluelessness is called out all hell breaks loose. I love it here!

#1. Do you really believe that what pj7 "thought he read somewhere" is true?


I believe everything I read.

Pete, how come just about every thread you post in becomes something like this?
At least this guy had the courtesey to get out before it got any worse?

Because people routinely and foolishly confuse being direct with being rude, especially when they are being told they're wrong.

sorry...I was out riding...something u must not do much of anymore.

Interbike week is over. I guess you will have to shape up starting next week.

here....let me review every post you make...

someone says something....

you make some snide comment.

or...pete's daily planner:

wake up early
spend the rest of the day making snide comments on a forum
go to bed feeling good.



#1. Do you really believe that what pj7 "thought he read somewhere" is true?

#2. Even if it was true (which it isn't BTW) why is it important to you?

#3. How long will it take you to get over your hurt feelings?

when you want to respond to me...just refer to post #47.



none of it is important to me other than it is sad the way you act on this forum. Just figured I would make some comment, go to bed...get up...go ride and see the mouse hit the bell which you did. You are too predictable.

I just think you are well....#47. The part where you get up....make snide comments and then go to bed feeling good about yourself.

I've scanned several threads you just took over and #47 IS the theme.

Now, before you go blow a gasket and HAVE to respond. I'm going to go change. Go see my GF who lives in another town. She and I are going to have a great day together. On Sunday, my friends and I are going to go MTB riding, come back and we are all going to go have lunch together. I'll probably wash my car in the afternoon. Might do some bike maint on the MTB. GF and I might go hit the gym and then get ready for the new week.

You'll post something that you think is witty and wait around for a comment that won't happen. I've already said go see #47. I've said it 3 times so you might want to buy a clue. What would be even more shocking is if you actually posted a comment that is useful beyond inflating your ego. Like actually trying to help someone.







Sweet! The ole "you pointed out my idiocy so you must not ride much" fallacy. It's just as dumb as when you've used it in the past. Funny, but nevertheless dumb.



What does Interbike have to do with anything?



That's just a lame lie that you're telling to make yourself feel better. It's also quite hypocritical to be whining about snide comments, when your recent contribution to this thread was snide (in a funny, hopelessly clueless kind of way).

p.s. You forgot to answer the questions fruiloop, here they are again:

#1. Do you really believe that what pj7 "thought he read somewhere" is true?

#2. Even if it was true (which it isn't BTW) why is it important to you?

#3. How long will it take you to get over your hurt feelings?

I'm happy that these fantasies seem to give you some comfort.

They also make me laugh, which is a good thing as well.

+1. Pete- Nice to see people happy, laughing and feeling good!

Okay, hopefully this puts the thread back on track. I really would just like to know what the better bike for me is. I have 1200 dollars to spend and I would like something that will be very durable. Like I said before I use to ride dirt BMX, I would just like to began biking again for fun. I enjoy drops and fast trail speeds, I am a very powerful rider and I don't want to break my bike because I decided to buy something a little cheaper than I should have. I am not competitive and I could really care less about having the best bike or being the best "biker", I just want something that will perform well for me. I just bent the crank on my walmart Pacifica thing that I got from my grandfather a while ago for like 100 bucks. Thank you. P.S. if FS bikes are really expensive then we may as well leave them out of the thread because 1200 is about my max.

What would be even more shocking is if you actually posted a comment that is useful beyond inflating your ego. Like actually trying to help someone.


Well, it's only been a year but I'm liking the Pike so far.

I find this information helpful to me.

Okay, hopefully this puts the thread back on track. I really would just like to know what the better bike for me is. I have 1200 dollars to spend and I would like something that will be very durable. Like I said before I use to ride dirt BMX, I would just like to began biking again for fun. I enjoy drops and fast trail speeds, I am a very powerful rider and I don't want to break my bike because I decided to buy something a little cheaper than I should have. I am not competitive and I could really care less about having the best bike or being the best "biker", I just want something that will perform well for me. I just bent the crank on my walmart Pacifica thing that I got from my grandfather a while ago for like 100 bucks. Thank you. P.S. if FS bikes are really expensive then we may as well leave them out of the thread because 1200 is about my max.

Here ya go. It's a little more that you wanted to spend but you could score a deal somewhere.

http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=22157

I kinda like the P.2 what is wrong with it?

If I were to simply buy the bike with different wheels (hubs?) would this be a good bike for me?

What do you guys think of the Cannondale F7? What other brand/model would you recommend within that price range (~$500)?

So hardtails are more durable than full suspension bikes if you're going to be "issuing punishment"?

When did that happen?


Fagerlin you are a nobody!!! Forums are for people to help each other and/or be funny.

You are neither Funny or Helpfull, and I can safely guess (judging by the amount of comments u leave on these forums) that u spend more time on the net then u do riding.

On those grounds I would ask you "Who are you to second guess me?, " you paper pushin, nobody, back to work for your multi national firm where nobody even knows your name u complete loser.!!!

I was simply stating if a guy is spending € 1200 he's best off keeping to a hard tail bike as the quality of hard tail for that price will be alot higher than any full susp bike he gets;

THEREFORE IT WILL BE MORE DEURABLE THAN A FULL SUSP. BIKE IN THAT PRICE RANGE, I NEVER ONCE IMPLIED ALL HARD TAIL BIKES ARE MORE DURABLE THAN FULL SUSP. BIKES.