Mountain Biking - I'm a n00b...

Ok... I get it. Everyone hates n00bs. I am a n00b. I've been getting more and more into biking (nothing more that a 5/10 mile ride a day). Usualy, I just ride around in the neighborhood and on some bike paths in the woods. We've been making jumps and stuff to go off of just for fun in the woods and stuff like that. The bike that I have now is some peice of crap that I picked up from Walmart for like $75 or something. I did some reaserch and figured that a good bike for me would be a Trek Hardtail 4100. I can't spend more that $400, so I looked there first. I found some other good stuff for more money, but I'm not pro, and I don't ride all that much. I just want you're opinions on the Trek 4100 and some other bikes that are good/better for no more that $400. If this should be in a different section, please feel free to flame me...

Just don't call yourself a n00b. Newbie is the term, friend.

Welcome to the forums! Enjoy your stays here.

Anyways, what exactly are you doing? 4100 is a great starter bike and could probably handle a bit of abuse.

I tend to be more attracted to Norco, Kona...
Also last years models get price cut!

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=56148 The official $500 newbie thread.

Should give you ideas. Do some searches and find some bikes to compare, guys on the forums have a good idea what's hot, not.

Also you need to figure the size of frame you need, and type of frame suited to your biking needs.

Ride your friends bikes and fiqure what you might like? I don't think you can get a normal mtb, that would I guess be called an XC (cross country) bike nowadays.

Go simple, you don't have a big budget, so look @ hardtails, front suspension only.

I tend to be more attracted to Norco, Kona...
Also last years models get price cut!

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=56148 The official $500 newbie thread.

Should give you ideas. Do some searches and find some bikes to compare, guys on the forums have a good idea what's hot, not.

Also you need to figure the size of frame you need, and type of frame suited to your biking needs.

Ride your friends bikes and fiqure what you might like? I don't think you can get a normal mtb, that would I guess be called an XC (cross country) bike nowadays.

Go simple, you don't have a big budget, so look @ hardtails, front suspension only.
I've ridden my friends 4100 on an 18inch frame. I liked it a lot. I think that's a good size for me. I have one question though, how long will this bike last me? I'm looking for a bike that'll stand up to a good 3-4 years of riding. I don't ride in the winter, so it won't get to much abuse...

I don't ride in the winter, so it won't get to much abuse...

you can put a bike through plenty of abuse without riding in the winter. But it is a good bike for what you say you do. I have an old trek 4900 that i use when im not trail riding just to get from point a to point b but i always end up dirt jumping on it with friends and it even holds up to that. But the jumps arent that big.

I've ridden my friends 4100 on an 18inch frame. I liked it a lot. I think that's a good size for me. I have one question though, how long will this bike last me? I'm looking for a bike that'll stand up to a good 3-4 years of riding. I don't ride in the winter, so it won't get to much abuse...

It's not winter, it's hucking, dropping on the drive side, never cleaning, oiling, repairing the small bits that wear.....Ya you can get 3-4 years out of it, just a bit of care, you will have to do a few repairs.

You need simple, solid, not full suspension. How much advanced metalurgy or advanced technology do you get for $400? not much.

How tall are you?, most offroad stuff you tend to drop the frame size a little if you can, helps muscle the bike.
On the other hand, if you are still growing (?) and comfortably ride 18, go for that.

It's not winter, it's hucking, dropping on the drive side, never cleaning, oiling, repairing the small bits that wear.....Ya you can get 3-4 years out of it, just a bit of care, you will have to do a few repairs.

You need simple, solid, not full suspension. How much advanced metalurgy or advanced technology do you get for $400? not much.

How tall are you?, most offroad stuff you tend to drop the frame size a little if you can, helps muscle the bike.
On the other hand, if you are still growing (?) and comfortably ride 18, go for that.
I'm still growing. I'm 5'5" now and I figure I'll be like 5'8"/5'9" when I'm done in a few years... I was really comfortable on the 18, so I think I'll go with that. I was definitly going hardtail and not full suspension. The only good full suspention bikes that I found were over 1K and I really don't have that... I'm going to go to a bike shop this weekend and see if they can order whatever you guys recomend for me...

I think i'm 5'9 :rolleyes: around that, I ride a frame 16 inch seattube, 20 inch toptube.
I also have a 17.5 but the smaller one is my fave.

I'm probably not the best guy for new bikes really..oldschool.

heres a kona link:

http://www.konaworld.com/2k4bikes/2k5bikes/2k5_lanai.cfm

I really have no clue what I'm looking at. Could you post a link to a place where I can just learn the basics? I don't know any big brands, what the parts do, how to maintain anything... I should have learned this stuff a long time ago, but I just never did...

Trogdor2,
Not sure how you define "comfortable." But if you are with that 18", you should be able to stand flat foot over the bike and have ~3"-4" of clearance from the top tube below your crotch. I am 5'7 and riding a 17". I wished I chose the 15" (my model doesn't have 16") though.

Treks hardtails are crazy tough. Throw anything at it and it asks for more

Trogdor2,

The 18" may be a bit too big for a person your height. I could be wrong, but for your height, I'd consider a 16". It's less dependent on your overall height, but more on your leg length/torsoe length ratio. If you have long legs, the 18" may be the right bike.

For e.g.: I'm 6'0", but I've got short legs. My height would dictate an 18" bike. I prefer a smaller bike. Also, due to my style of riding, (aggressive - no road riding on my mtn bike), a shorter frame is more practical. Throw in the fact I'm an Old BMXer, and used to small bikes, A small bike is the "Right" bike for me.

If you have long legs, do a lot of commuting, like a more streched out feel, the 18" might be too small.

The trick????

Go TEST RIDE AS MANY DIFFERENT BRANDS AND SIZES AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN!!!!!!!

Spend time going through the mtb forum, use the search function.
Gigs of stuff all written and waiting.

http://www.mtbr.com/

And if you find bikes in LBS that are looking good, and your price...re-post with the bike types for evaluation I guess.

^^^Thanks a lot man. I think I'm gonna go with a Kona...