Mountain Biking - Best XC Bike for around $700

The first person that refers me to the $500 MTB sticky gets a cyber-beating.

I am wondering if someone can recommend a good mountain bike for me based on my riding. I am particulary interested in hearing from people that are exposed to a lot of bikes, like bike shop employees etc. Please don't just recommend a bike solely because you own it. ;)

I do not ride single track, nor do I do jumps, downhill or any of that jazz. I just get on my bike and head out on the roads. I ride about 150 miles per week. I ride on a lot of rock/dirt roads and some pavement. Many of the rock roads are very rough. I am looking for a bike that is a bit less heavy than my Trek 4300. So I am primarily looking for a good frame. Frame recommendations would be OK too since i have a lot of upgraded components on my Trek 4300's. (i own two of them)

I would also like the bike to be suitable for long rides. I might even be using it some for century rides. (using slicks) I guess my primary requirements are that:

1. It is considerably lighter than my Trek 4300. (at least the frame)

2. It costs around $700.

3. The bike is comfortable for longer rides.

4. Hard tail.

5. It would be nice if it had a 30.9 seatpost, to fit my thudbuster.

Lastly, I am in a city with one bike shop that offers mainly Trek, Gary Fisher. Riding other bikes will mean that i head to other cities greater than 90 miles away. So it would be nice to have references before I head out bike shopping. Thanks.

well since you said they only got gary fisher, I would try the tassajara. The biggest difference between it and other bikes is going to be the geometry. I'd check out rocky mountain too. Also, I have an old 27.2 thudbuster I don't really want if you want it, pm me.

The first person that refers me to the $500 MTB sticky gets a cyber-beating.

I do not ride single track, nor do I do jumps, downhill or any of that jazz. I just get on my bike and head out on the roads. I ride about 150 miles per week. I ride on a lot of rock/dirt roads and some pavement. Many of the rock roads are very rough. I am looking for a bike that is a bit less heavy than my Trek 4300. So I am primarily looking for a good frame. Frame recommendations would be OK too since i have a lot of upgraded components on my Trek 4300's. (i own two of them)

I would also like the bike to be suitable for long rides. I might even be using it some for century rides. (using slicks) I guess my primary requirements are that:

1. It is considerably lighter than my Trek 4300. (at least the frame)

2. It costs around $700.

3. The bike is comfortable for longer rides.

4. Hard tail.

5. It would be nice if it had a 30.9 seatpost, to fit my thudbuster.

Lastly, I am in a city with one bike shop that offers mainly Trek, Gary Fisher. Riding other bikes will mean that i head to other cities greater than 90 miles away. So it would be nice to have references before I head out bike shopping. Thanks.

From what you are describing as cyclo cross type bike would be right up your alley. A touring bike would work well too.

Surly Cross Check would be my reccomendation. I have never owned one, just other surly products. Once you got 700cc wheels you could move alot of parts over from your 4300. And steel would be a perfect frame material for those long rides on dirt and gravel roads. It would eat up the rough stuff and you could throw away your thudbuster.

Smell you later

You might also look at some of Gary Fisher's 29er bikes. Bigger wheels, but still a mountain bike. Although, I have to agree that a cyclocross bike sounds like the ticket......

Dean

We have a sticky that will cover all of this...its at the top ad called the "around 500$" :D...

Sorry had to do it. I really don't know anything about xc bikes so I can't contribute beyond a small derailment and making fun of you...sorry :D Isn't 30.9 specialized, you might have to stick with them to get that size seatpost :)

We have a sticky that will cover all of this...its at the top ad called the "around 500$" :D...

Sorry had to do it. I really don't know anything about xc bikes so I can't contribute beyond a small derailment and making fun of you...sorry :D Isn't 30.9 specialized, you might have to stick with them to get that size seatpost :)

Actually one of my 4300's (Trek) has that post. I am unsure about me liking a cyclocross bike. I have test ridden one and remember that it was basically a road bike with wider tires. The places where i ride are often VERY rough. Sometimes i ride for miles on unmaintained byroads that have massive ruts in them from cars etc. I can't see a cyclocross bike handling that very well, but maybe i am wrong?

My major area of interest with riding right now, is still to ride in the boonies. I like to go where they aren't. If you know what i mean. I basically do a couple different rides on a normal daily basis.

Country/City

About 7 miles of rock roads, 4 miles of gravel bike path, 1 miles of grass path, 10 miles of pavement. I normally end up riding this route on weekdays because it is a faster ride and gets me to home, showered and to work on time. (sort of :D )

Country/Country

4 miles pavement. 6 miles unmaintained dirt/mud, 16 miles of rock.

Country/Country 2

30 miles of dirt and gravel with virtually no pavement.


These are all general guidelines for how i ride. Obviously it varies, but i wanted to describe my riding to see if a cyclocross bike really fits my needs. Maybe the more i look into this, the more i need two different types of bikes?

Actually one of my 4300's (Trek) has that post. I am unsure about me liking a cyclocross bike. I have test ridden one and remember that it was basically a road bike with wider tires. The places where i ride are often VERY rough. Sometimes i ride for miles on unmaintained byroads that have massive ruts in them from cars etc. I can't see a cyclocross bike handling that very well, but maybe i am wrong?

My major area of interest with riding right now, is still to ride in the boonies. I like to go where they aren't. If you know what i mean. I basically do a couple different rides on a normal daily basis.

Country/City

About 7 miles of rock roads, 4 miles of gravel bike path, 1 miles of grass path, 10 miles of pavement. I normally end up riding this route on weekdays because it is a faster ride and gets me to home, showered and to work on time. (sort of :D )

Country/Country

4 miles pavement. 6 miles unmaintained dirt/mud, 16 miles of rock.

Country/Country 2

30 miles of dirt and gravel with virtually no pavement.


These are all general guidelines for how i ride. Obviously it varies, but i wanted to describe my riding to see if a cyclocross bike really fits my needs. Maybe the more i look into this, the more i need two different types of bikes?

The more you descride your type of riding, the more I would recomend you checking out a steel cyclocross frame ( surly, kona makes one, and there are plenty of others but I am spacing). The frames are tough as hell. But, it all depends on what size tires you like to run. Surly cross checks can handle 45mm tires, or so their site says

Just another option to check out. Maybe it will give you an excuse to visit a few other bike shops and test ride a few more bikes. That is always a good idea.