legalize

Out of all of those I still like the one that I have my eyes set on as of now.

The last one is too small for me. (https://boston.craigslist.org/bik/154446498.html)

The others do not have a rear shock and to tell you the truth I just do not like the looks of any of them, either. I know thats a small part of this all but it does matter in the end.

You said the one I like is too much $ - how much do you recommend it should be sold for? Should I try to barter with the woman? If so, what price should I ask for? No less than $400, I would think?

Thanks so much I appreciate your help

I know I'm deciding really quick on this but so far the one I want is the one off craigslist for $500 (or less, if I can talk her down). I'm getting excited. oooooo

Fuse2man

I work at a giant/specialized dealer. Ive road both, and I like the giant Yukon the best. It has a solid front suspension, A reliable deore rear derailleur, that can take abuse, and very easy to ride. It also comes with tires that are great for the trail, and dont wear much on the street. It goes for $499 at the shop I work at.

legalize

Cool.

How much would you say this one should cost? I just asked if she'd do it for $400, not sure if that was reasonable or not.

https://boston.craigslist.org/bik/155983619.html

2wheeled

I guess the point I'm trying make about Craigs is that there is always bikes for sale and it's better to know what type of riding you're going to do, the budget you have and then the type of model, components etc. It's better to do the research and KNOW what you're getting into with a used bike as opposed to being disappointed in the long run.

I can sympathize with your enthusiasm as we all can here
The bike you're interested in is overpriced IMO (in my opinion). I have a 2001 rockhopper with Manitou Magnum forks and the Fox Vanilla shock. MSRP was $1000, I paid $700 on sale and have a buyer setup to buy it for $300. I would not pay more than $400 for that bike.

legalize

What are possible ways that I could be dissapointed by that bike in the long run? Should I look for anything in particular to be worn?

legalize

this was the response I got when I said will you do $400:
"last year i tried to get 750 for it, didn't really want to sell it ,sweet
bike, this year i started at 600, you haven't seen it or even riden it. if
youv'e ever riden a highend mountain bike you'll know that the generic
mongoses and front only suspension bikes that cost 300-700 are pices of crap
in comparison. so no i will not take 400, do more than research and ride
some of the bikes your interested in, then you'll see the difference in
value. if you want to look at or ride you can call me "

legalize

I'm asking now for $450....but if he will only do $500 I think I'm going to take this. On ebay I see specialized rockhoppers with only front shocks from 2001 going for 700! This for $500 seems like a pretty good damnn deal considering the bike is supposedly in excellent condition....

legalize

well (if anyone cares LOL) i'm getting the bike for 500 tomorrow after i check it out

it comes with a helmet and a "computer" too I guess so that's good at least

i went to the bikestores and everything for 500 was absolute LAME-NESS so assuming this bike on craigslist is in good shape i think 500 for the craiglist bike is definitly my best option. i cant wait to try it out, hope everything works fine. the guy wouldnt cut me a deal under 500 which kinda sucks but whatever, it's either this bike or some really crappy one as of now so im goin for this!

thanks for all the help ill let you know how it turns out

nav

I sold an absolutely brand new (I literally never rode it, I just bought it due to a can't-pass-up deal; when I realized I'd never ride it, I sold it) 2004 Specialized FSR XC Pro Disc last year for $600 even (I was asking $700 on Craigslist, someone offered me $600 cash on the spot and he seemed pretty reasonable and a nice guy, so I took it). So, I too think that $500 is a bit much for a lower end model that's two years older.

But, none-the-less, it's a decent bike. The fork and rear shock have a decent chance of being pretty used-up unless he's been extremely good about maintenance. The bearings (wheels, headset, pedals, and crank) and such should be checked out too. Good luck, and I hope you like it.

legalize

thanks for your input - how do shocks get 'used up?' and how do you fix them when that happens? just buy new ones? eek
how can i tell if the bearings/bushing are broken on the rear shock of the specialized comp fsr?

what about this is this a good price/deal, assuming it is my size?

thanks - https://boston.craigslist.org/bik/156572630.html

just realized the msrp of that bike is $600...so that bike isn't really as good as the specialized i have in mind, is it? hmm..i still like the specialized but any input on the iron horse above would be great

2wheeled

Read what others have said
https://www.mtbr.com/reviews/xc_full_...t_123097.shtml

You know, you could do a lot worse than that Rockhopper. Check it out, try it on the rough and inspect it closely for wear and tear, frame damage etc.

legalize

K What should I be looking for in a used bike in terms of damage?

So far this is what I have in mind:

1) Sharp cogs on the drivetrain which means lots of use
2) Gears must shift well
3) Obvious things like loose pedals and loose other things
4) Shocks I'm just going to have to wing and see if they feel ok even though I don't know what they should feel like
5) Bushings on the rear shock I don't know how to check this but I'll take a look and try to feel it out

Anything else?

nm+

With that rockhopper, I'm gonna suggest that you do a rebuild on the shock (airsleve maintence). Luckly, its really easy, you just need a simple kit. Fox has instructions soemplace. Otherwise, there's little else that needs to be done to a fox shock, so unless it has a big leak, it should be fine.
Expect the fork to be usable, but not perfect, esp if its an airshock.
Also, expect to replace the chain and cassette and the cables/housing.
Look at the hubs, headset, and bottom braket. If they're loose, run away. It may just need tightening, but it can indicate a lack of matinece. Esp a loose headset -- it can indicate an oavlized headtube.
Check for play in the brushings/suspention joints.

lllllllll

Are there any Kona dealers in your area?

Blast

Fire Mountain

The components on these bikes aren't the greatest, but probably more than enough for what you're looking to do. I also got a really good deal on a 2005 Cinder Cone from my LBS, about $200 below MSRP just because they were looking to clear out some room for the incoming 2006 models. If you can find a 2005 Kona for a good price, buy it. The components are better than the 2006 models, and you might be able to find one at a discount.

I don't know if you've already committed to buy the craigslist bike, but these two Konas might be worth a look.

blue_neon

Well if i were him i would definatley go above 19" . or at least make the 19" longer with a difference seatpost/longer stem/flat bars.

nm+

Yeah, i'm 6'4" and need a 23" and my proportions require a smaller bike.
My dad's 6'3" and needs a 25"
Bike shopping's interesting when you're tall.

dhutch

Im 6'2" and ride a 19" Hardrock.

legalize

So I got the bike today, along with a helmet (too small for me) and a computer (nice little doo-hicky)

I have 2 nooby questions now:

I wiped off the rim where the brakes touch because there was a little sand on it - I ended up wiping a lot of grease off, too - is this ok? Or is there supposed to be some "grease" on the rim?

And - I don't know how to adjust the front shocks on this bike. There are plastic caps at the top of the front shocks, and they twist, but they dont seem to do anything when they twist. Do I just pop off the cap and adjust it from there?

Thanks!

JagdNeun

Mountain Bike Maintenance: The Illustrated Manual, by Mel Allwood, probably at your local library.

Bye the way, what bike did you end up getting. For example:

https://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCDownloads.jsp?a=b

If you surf around the internet, you will probably find the information your looking for. Hope you enjoy your bike.

2wheeled

Well, now that you've got the bike congrats and enjoy . I used my Rockhopper for many years until I recently upgraded. The black plastic caps (at least on the 2001) were not adjustable. It's a fixed 3" travel bike. You can adjust the rear for stiffness by turning the flange that sits above the spring.

The things that I enjoyed about mine is that the whole bike seemed very balanced and so the lack of tune-ability wasn't such an issue. At 32Ibs, it climbed in the saddle comfortable but standing was a mistake. And for V-brakes, they were very sharp and could stop on a dime. Anyway that was my 2001 which I sold to a friend today.

Grease on the rim, hmmm, wipe it off, it shouldn't be there. I would suggest as others have to check out two valuable site for bike repair and start getting familiar on how to take care of your ride.

Parktools.com
https://sheldonbrown.com/harris/bikes.html

legalize

JagdNeun I got a Specialized hardrock comp fsr xc 2002, the one that's in the craigslist link (black/red/white) on page 1 of this thread

My rear shock is air filled, there's no spring. it has a nozzle so you can adjust/pump it, which is cool
He told me the front ones adjust so I'll try to pop off the plastic tomorrow (hopefully I won't end up breaking them?)

The "grease" seems like it's just the brake pads or something. Weird. I'll keep rubbing it off though.

The chain looks like the grease is kinda solidified (it's been sitting for a long time in a garage) and somewhat dirty (but not very dirty).

I think I need to clean it off somehow and then relube it. I wanna baby this bike as much as possible!!

The tires were flat after a year or more of sitting in the garage - is this normal? THey seem to be holding air so all is well right now

pvfjr

Low tires aren't that surprising, especially if it's been a year. Just fill them back up and see how long they hold air. If you find that you're filling them up so often that it gets annoying, then I'd do something about it. Congrats on the bike, that's pretty much what I was looking for. The ones I was finding on CL were going so fast I didn't have a chance. Ended up with a used Giant Warp DS1 last friday, but I'm really liking the rockhoppers.

legalize

Aw man I just let the air out of my air piston/rear suspension and found out you need a special pump to pump it back up!? damnit! hahaha now I need to go get one of those things. anyone know where I can get a cheap one? do they make 'em under 40 bucks?

yater

Check out the rockhopper. The frame is solid and upgradable if you decide to dress it up in the future. I think the base model goes right around $500. I have an older ('02) rockhopper frame with some bells and whistles and it's a sweet bike.

edit: oops...didn't read the whole thread.