Mountain Biking - Roadie looking for some MTB advice

Hey guys. So i bought this bike for my wife a couple months ago and she never rides the thing (id be suprized if there was 10 miles on it). So my question, seing as i know nothing about MTB (im a road guy), is is this bike worth keeping or should i just sell it and try to recoup my losses. If it is worth keeping ill start riding it because i always wanted a mtb. Maybe do some upgrades?

What do you think?

http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/SBCProduct.jsp?spid=52709&scid=1000&scname=Mountain

Use it for yourself if it fits you.

Doesn't seem like a bad bike. I would keep it if it fits. Definitely not a great bike, but more than enough for somebody starting.

Its not worth anything really. Ill cover shipping if you send it to me to take off your hands.

Used bikes sell for crap. Def. keep it if it fits.

Well seems pretty unanimous. Looks like I've got a Mtb. One more question. I have a spare set of clipless laying around, should I thow them in the bike or wait untill I'm more comfortable riding it first?

Things can happen pretty quickly on the trails. Lots of time you won't want to be clipped in. But a long ride on roads to get to the TH and you'll want to be clipped. So on both my MTBs I have these:


http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&safe=off&q=shimano+pedals+spd&wrapid=tlif129805424553110&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=11448227510591606751&ei=cbxeTYaQLsL6lwe_pLD6Cw&sa=X&oi=product_catalog_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCkQ8wIwAA#

Platforms on one side and clipless the other.

Congrats on expanding your riding world. I hope you enjoy the trails. Post your observations on the differences if you would?

If you are a roadie and used to clipless pedals and understand how they work, no sense not adding them to the MTBike. Just know that generally on a MTBike you want some sort of platform. I use TIME pedals - a platform model on the MTBike and and a smaller style on
the road bike(s) but same cleat system. I can't imagine your first few MTB rides will be gnarly and dangerous so using and getting use to using clipless pedals should not be a problem.

Many riders start out on a Hardrock. It's a good "everything" bike. Just know that it's a minimal travel bike so don't expect to be doing any freeriding with the bike. It would be a good idea just to educate and understand what it means to ride with a suspension folk (versus a full suspension or rigid bike) and read up on some skills like how to climb, descend and go over obstacles. Mountain bikling is not like road riding. I do both and find them way different. MTBing is all about slow, control, steady pedal strokes, positioning to and back on the saddle, light touch on the handlebar. On a road bike you basically get into a position and stay there. With a mountain bike you will be using every inch of the saddle and then some.

I am a roadie that got into mountain biking. I now think I am a mountain biker that still like to do road. You may get hooked and then that little ole Hardrock will hardly do ya and you'll want a Full Stump FSR.

Have fun; good luck!

http://www.bikeforums.net/image.php?u=57577&type=sigpic&dateline=1262697688

Excellent picture

If you are a roadie and used to clipless pedals and understand how they work, no sense not adding them to the MTBike. Just know that generally on a MTBike you want some sort of platform. I use TIME pedals - a platform model on the MTBike and and a smaller style on
the road bike(s) but same cleat system. I can't imagine your first few MTB rides will be gnarly and dangerous so using and getting use to using clipless pedals should not be a problem.

Many riders start out on a Hardrock. It's a good "everything" bike. Just know that it's a minimal travel bike so don't expect to be doing any freeriding with the bike. It would be a good idea just to educate and understand what it means to ride with a suspension folk (versus a full suspension or rigid bike) and read up on some skills like how to climb, descend and go over obstacles. Mountain bikling is not like road riding. I do both and find them way different. MTBing is all about slow, control, steady pedal strokes, positioning to and back on the saddle, light touch on the handlebar. On a road bike you basically get into a position and stay there. With a mountain bike you will be using every inch of the saddle and then some.

I am a roadie that got into mountain biking. I now think I am a mountain biker that still like to do road. You may get hooked and then that little ole Hardrock will hardly do ya and you'll want a Full Stump FSR.

Have fun; good luck!

Thanks for all the advice. I just swiced over to Look pedals on my road bike (from the shimano xt mtn), so im pretty comfortable with them. But i totally get what your saying. Just take it slow and ride.