Confusion- help me figure which bike i need
 

Hi All,
Have been researching bikes now for a few months, as I'm looking to buy a bike and get into it. Problem is that I dont know which bike is going to suit me best.
At first I was looking at hardtails, cheaper and lighter. Then I started thinking a FS would be better, makes the rides alot smoother.
What I want to do is ride it to work on the weekdays, only a few ks, take it out on the weekends onto trails etc but I also want it to be able to handle a few drops and jumps. I'm not sure if a XC bike is built to handle say 3 foot drops. Think I need something with 5-6 inches of travel, but with a more freeride style to it.
I would get a street/trail/park bike, but the smallness of the frames unappeals to me, I assume they wouldnt be great at all for going on a ride for a few hours.
I looked at a Kona Kikapu deluxe, would that handle what I would be throwing at it? What sort of drops could say a 2007 trance 2 handle?

I'm pretty new to moutain biking myself but I do work at a bike shop. To me it sounds like you want two different kinds of bikes. The moutain bike would be fine to ride to work on, but when you ride it on pavement, you're going to wear out your tires very quickly. If I we you and could afford it, get a cheap comfort biek to ride to work on, like a Trek 7000. It runs under $300. Then get the moutain bike you want.

Since you mentioned Kona, check out the Dawg series if you're looking for a full suspension. They're 5" travel bikes with solid frames that can handle the kind of riding you like. You also might dig up the "freeride hardtail" thread that's around here somewhere.

With a little experimenting, you may be able to find some decent tires with low rolling resistance that will work for both of your purposes. How long is your commute? If it's very long, you'd probably be well-served by getting a bike that has a locking rear shock if you go the FS route. A nice 5 inch hardtail may do the trick, though. That's something you have to decide.

An XC bike can be taken off 3 foot drops, but if you're not very smooth, or do a lot of 3 foot drops, you're better off with something with a little more travel, and more durable components. This category that's in between XC and Freeride is sometimes referred to a "trail" bike.

I was going to suggest the Kona Dawg series as well. What is your budget? That may also help to indicate if you should be on a hardtail or full suspension.

Much cheaper to replace tires than to buy another bike.

Just learn how to swap tires, start to finish should be about 5 mins. Or buy some semi-slicks. Bit of a compromise. They roll decent on the pavement and they have fair amount of traction for the trails. (if dry)

The ride to work is only a few ks to get there and back, so its not long at all.
I dont like the prospect on swapping tyres every weekend, so i rather find a multipurpose tyre.
Budget is about $1400 for a HT and for a FS about $2k (AUD). Quick google says the Dawg sells here in Oz for about 3K so its a bit out of my league (site I was just at was clearing 06 models for $2k, but they are sold out). Whats everyones take on the general situiation with brands? Over here, it seems Giant have really unbeatable value bikes, but they dont seem to make a bike that I want other than maybe the 07 XTC2 or possible the Talon. FS though, their cheapest bike is 2.5K and it still seems that its more of a XC bike to me, the trance 2. I think im really after something along the lines of the 06 AC. Seems great value, looks as if it would be able to do what I need it to. Problem is, they aren't making them for 07. And they are well priced, here they sell for around 1.5K, so they are well withing my budget.
Thanks all
Schmo

Get maxxis holy rollers their great for everything except loose pack and mud.

Stay away from the Talon schmo!

If you only ride 2km's to work, then you can ride that on any bike at all, you could ride that on a monster DH bike and it wouldn't puff you out.
I say, buy the bike on what and where you will be riding it OFFROAD in your spare time? Do you want to ride km's of sexy singletrack, or are you more into the jumps and drops?

Take a look at an XC Dual Suspension - however for $2000AU, i dont think you will get one. You could possibly look at a HT dirt jumping bike or something that will take drops and jumps. Trance is more XC Dual Suspension, but to be blunt, i take my XtC off jumps and drops and it handles fine, just not as smooth ;), so the trance will do the same. If you plan on riding a bit of everything, then the lower end Kona FS would be for you...just reading what you have wrote.

:)

yeah, its better to own A bike and change the tyres when it wears out ^^, I dont see any disadvantage in running mountain tyres on pavement unless you always skid your bike that is ^^

1. Most MTB Tyres are much louder on ashfelt.
2. They do wear even if you dont skid (obviuosly depending on what tyre it is).
3. But most importantly...they are SLOW!

Buy another set of tyres definatley, some 2.0 or 1.90 slicks. Its so easy to change tyres, doing it every Friday night will take no more then 10minutes, problaby more like 7-8min.!

:)

I dunno if im more into jumps and drops, but I plan on riding in reserves and national patrks etc, and if there is say a 3 foot drop, i dont want to be apprehensive about my bike being able to take that drop.

Any reasonable xc bike can handle 3 foot drops. Much more if the landing is right and your a smooth rider. You most definetely do not *need* 5-6" of travel front and back to handle something like that.

The problem with riding knobbies on the road is.
-slow
-poor cornering traction
-wear fast.

You can get a seperate wheelset for cheap if you want or a used cheapo road bike then you won't have to worry about theft as much either.

Or you could buy a mountain bike and two sets of rims like I did and run two sets of tires ;)