Mountain Biking - I love mountain biking, but my bikes broke!

Hey guys, so a few years back I was really into mountain biking. Being a student, I was able to go mountain biking literally everyday over the summer. Anywho, two years of serious abuse put some toll on the bike, and it got to the point last summer that I decided to stop biking until I had money to fix it up. Basically over a year of not biking you guys will not believe how unfit I have become! I've gained over 30 lbs and even though im 20 I feel like I'm going to have a heart attack any day.. but honestly the most important thing for me is that I'm not out there cycling.

Anywho, I have a job now and I can pay for the repairs! I'm actually in a tight situation with my truck right now. I'm rebuilding the engine and thats costing me a bit. I bring this up because I want to make sure that you guys understand that I do have tight budget here and it's for a reason. I've cheaped out on a bike before, and trust me I learned my lesson. If you're wondering I originally bought a "mountain bike" for 200 bucks, took it out and came home with bent wheels. lol.. But fortunately the store was kind enough to take it back and sell me my current bike.

So my bike currently is a GT Avalanche 3.0 with disk brakes. I cant remember what year it is.. I think it maybe a 2008. I'm not completely sure.

Anywho the problems are the following:

chain is bent
crank gears are bent
front fork is shot beyond repair! -wont even move


My biggest concern here is fork really, and it's the main reason I came here. The chain that's nothing. Easily replaceable. Crank gears I can figure out, and the local shop can help me out. It's the front fork that they cant help me out. Their inventory is limited, and expensive mainly due to them over pricing. So anywho, what I'd like to know is what's a good fork? I'd like to spend around 200 bucks on a fork. What kind of fork can I expect to get for that kind of budget? I know good forks cost several times what my budget is, but I'm mainly after a reasonable fork rather than something amazing and bullet proof. Basically what I expect is a decent/good fork that'll last me about 2 years with good maintenance.

Chainrings, dunno how you bent those!! Ummm fork can be rebuilt... try spraying some Triflow onto the stancions and cycle the fork... Might just be dry....

Chainrings, dunno how you bent those!! Ummm fork can be rebuilt... try spraying some Triflow onto the stancions and cycle the fork... Might just be dry....
Avalanche wasn't known for having a terribly competent fork.



If you got 200 bucks for a fork...you're golden.

http://jensonusa.com/store/product/FK276A00-Rockshox+Tora+Sl+Solo+Air+Fork+Oe.aspx

Install it yourself.

Chain rings can be brought back by straigtening in a vise followed by light hammering on a smooth, flat surface. I use a heavy rubber mallet instead of a hammer. Bent or damaged chain, replace. OK now you're down to the fork. If it's a cheap entry level fork, replace it with one off of ebay. Lots of guys upgrade and sell their entry level forks cheap or buy a better one off ebay. Be sure to get one that has the same stear tube size or longer than yours. You should be able to do all of the above for under $100.

Just find a replacement fork by the same make & model, this bike:

http://www.bikepedia.com/quickbike/BikeSpecs.aspx?Year=2008&Brand=GT&Model=Avalanche+3.0&Type=bike

SR Suntour XCM, 100mm travel

http://www.srsuntour-cycling.com/index.php?screen=sh.detail&tnid=138

So I recommend a Tora...a proven fork for pennies...and you come back with SR Suntour.

fuji86 has now killed any credibility that he never had.



Mr. fuji, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having [read] it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

:lol:

I gotta agree with Ed on this one. He rode the bike for two seasons & his fork is already shot to hell. So you recommend he get the same one? I guess not everybody has the same golden rule of broken parts: When it breaks, don't replace it--upgrade it.

so are airshocks better than spring shocks? I have more experience with spring shocks since I took mine appart several times for maintenance. For an air shock is it a sealed unit, or do you pump air in it to get the so called "spring rate" you desire? Are they easy to maintain?

I'm really interested in the tore fork to be honest. And hopefully this doesnt seem childish, but do they come in black? :D

^Ed will better answer your questions on spring vs. air. I've asked about it before & he came up with a knowledgeable response. As for the color, they did--up until about two weeks ago. Now it looks like they only have white.

Just because he has $ 200 to spend doesn't mean he has to spend every penny of it ? If he's looking for a fork that'll last him about 2 years the OEM fork did just that 2008-2010, almost 2011.


Basically what I expect is a decent/good fork that'll last me about 2 years with good maintenance.

I don't care which one he gets, so long as he's happy with it. OP indicates he "seriously abused" that one. They all break when they are "seriously abused". Basically looking at ebay for a quick & dirty price out, the V2 or V3 of the SR Suntour XCM is attractively economical. Perhaps they might have improved it ?

http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trksid=m570&_nkw=SR+Suntour+XCM&_sacat=See-All-Categories

Just because he has $ 200 to spend doesn't mean he has to spend every penny of it ? If he's looking for a fork that'll last him about 2 years the OEM fork did just that 2008-2010, almost 2011.
No, he doesn't *need* to spend every penny of it, but he'll be happier with a fork that actually works. You can't possibly understand the difference between a good fork vs a bad fork until you've used both. It's impossible to describe and really needs to be experienced. It's the #1 thing you can upgrade on your bike, other than the frame, to improve your ride.

An air fork is easily adjustable and fine tunable to be exactly how stiff you need by pumping it with a shock pump. Air forks are also lighter. A coil fork is harder to adjust since you have to change springs, and you're limited to whatever weight springs the manufacturer makes. However, coil forks usually have a better feel, being plusher and more linear. I like air, but I think I'm in the minority, and I also weigh 115 lbs. Additionally, the nicest air fork I've ridden was a higher quality fork than the nicest coil fork I've ridden, so I may not be a making a totally fair judgment.

Just because he has $ 200 to spend doesn't mean he has to spend every penny of it ? If he's looking for a fork that'll last him about 2 years the OEM fork did just that 2008-2010, almost 2011.



I don't care which one he gets, so long as he's happy with it. OP indicates he "seriously abused" that one. They all break when they are "seriously abused". Basically looking at ebay for a quick & dirty price out, the V2 or V3 of the SR Suntour XCM is attractively economical. Perhaps they might have improved it ?

http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trksid=m570&_nkw=SR+Suntour+XCM&_sacat=See-All-Categories

We're not forcing him to do anything. We're simply informing him how silly it would be to spend $80 on a poor quality fork that will feel like **** for the two years it works, rather than spending a bit more on a fork that will feel better & last longer. So many people (myself included) are buying/building up bikes that are beyond their abilities, & here's a guy who's doing just the opposite. Is it so wrong to suggest he buy something that's at least suits his needs?

fujis logic does make sense to me and I did consider it and thought about it.

My conclusion is that although the stock fork served me well I would like to try a better fork to see how a better fork will feel. I didnt particularly enjoy the OEM fork it was too stiff and felt like there was nothing there at times. There for I would like something better than stock that I can afford, if it lasts more than 2 years then great, but thats the minimum id expect.

By the way I ride in heavily forested trails where the shock is put through a lot of work due to roots, and rocks sticking out of the ground and the need to jump the front wheel over uneven terrain or man put obstacles like tree logs

By the way, will this work? I do not understand the specs at all! lol

I know it has to fit into the frame tube and it needs to be the same length as my shock. Is the tube diameter a standard amongs all mountain bike? I know the length probably isnt due to different size bikes existing.

http://cgi.ebay.com/22782-NIOB-RockShox-Tora-SL-Solo-Air-Fork-120mm-Maxle-/360326745726?pt=Cycling_Parts_Accessories&hash=item53e525ce7e#ht_500wt_922

As far as I know most forks have the same diameter steer tube these days. And the steer tube is generally longer than you need it to be, so that you can cut the excess off & have it custom fit your bike. That fork would be fine if you can get it for under $200, but if not, this website has some good deals on other Tora series forks: http://www.blueskycycling.com/cat-fork-accessories.htm

so around what psi I should run the shock at for a 190 lb guy?

Also for a crankset I was looking at this product.

http://www.blueskycycling.com/product5905_37_-TruVativ-Firex-3.3-Team-Crankset-w-Bottom-Bracket-2009.htm

What do you guys think? I know I said I'll do my crank shopping at the store, but I feel like just buying everything at one place will just be easier, plus this site has pretty good prices.

Besides being light, are aluminium cranks any good? I know they're pretty much like motorcycle sprockets. I know from personal experience aluminium anodized sprockets never last as long as their steel counter parts. I also understand the teeth on a bike crank go through totally different forces than a motorcycle sprocket teeth. But I just want to be sure so I know for a fact. I dont want to turn my guess into fact for my self.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/2305708/rock-shox-air-inflation

Looks like between 140-160.

You may need a new front hub. That's a cool fork, but in the picture, it looks like it has a 15mm Maxle (though the description mentions a 9mm QR, so figure out what it actually is). I'd be surprised if your current front wheel has something other than a 9mm QR.

Just to clarify your terminology, you're looking for a fork, not a shock. And you won't have to worry about the psi if you buy a coil fork. If you get an air fork, the user guide should have pressure recommendations.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/2305708/rock-shox-air-inflation

Looks like between 140-160.

You may need a new front hub. That's a cool fork, but in the picture, it looks like it has a 15mm Maxle (though the description mentions a 9mm QR, so figure out what it actually is). I'd be surprised if your current front wheel has something other than a 9mm QR.

thanks for letting me know! I wasnt even aware of this. I emailed the guy and waiting for his response.


Just to clarify your terminology, you're looking for a fork, not a shock. And you won't have to worry about the psi if you buy a coil fork. If you get an air fork, the user guide should have pressure recommendations.

I originally wrote my entire post using shock, I then went back and changed all of them from shock to fork. Hopefully I dont keep making that mistake.

I'd head on over to the manufacturer's website and download any instruction/owner's manuals. Some are a bit more complex for proper installation & adjustment. Also be sure to adhere to the maintenance schedule, otherwise the warranty is voided.

Here's an example, a pdf download:

http://www.srsuntour-cycling.com/dstore/products/Forks/2609/XCR/SF10-XCR+26%27.html

see the link box for "owner's manual" ?

Then there are additional downloads that could be available too:

http://preview.srsuntour-cycling.com/index.php?screen=mi.downloadarea

each manufacturer & product will be different, some may not even offer them ?