sheepdog

I was going to come on here asking a bunch of questions, but it is amazing what the search function turns up. Instead of asking if this is the right bike, I found some great info. So instead I will present this as the bike I plan on purchasing.

I am about 71" tall, 200 lbs, with a 32" inseam. Apparently that means I have a longer trunk. Not something I thought about before, but something the local shop pointed out to me.

He showed me a 19" Trek and the GF Piranha (I liked the feel of the 19" vs. the 21"). Both had similar features (hardtail, disk brakes, ...). He even set the up on the trainer so I could ride them in store. I found that I was much more comfortable on the Piranha compared to the Trek. Same seat, but apparently the geometry does make a difference. I won't bother you with listing further specs since I believe it was a stock bike. The bike was $700. I do not mind paying a bit more to get service after the sale, but does this price seem about right? Seemed like the frame was good enough to be worth upgrading parts over time (better front fork, front and rear derailier, etc...).

I will be riding the trails here in Alabama (Oak Mountain and Cheaha if you know the area). I don't want to do any jumping or serious downhill riding. I would hate to soil my new bike seat.

Thanks for the forum!

santiago

Welcome.

And post pics of the bike and your trails once you have the chance.

No Mojo

Welcome

MSRP for a 2007 Piranha is $659.00 so $700.00 is high.

zoeglassjd

Welcome and may the good lord (or whoever you would choose) bless your soul (or whatever is your animating force) for using the search function!

It sounds like you got really nice service at the LBS. This can be priceless for the future. Mention the MSRP listed on the Fisher site and ask why the discrepancy. You can probably get them to come down a bit or throw in some extras!

vortec135

Welcome, and congratz on finding the bike for you And damn, you are one big mofo

As for the price, keep cutting it down as it shouldn't be OVER MRSP, I bought mine over MSRP and then regret it cuz I could've bought more parts with the money Lol. Don't take any crap from them until you get it for the price that you want it for (not ridiculously low)

Bike Lover

Perhaps the cost actually includes some extras. Look at the specs on the web site (GF) and see if there are any additions that may not be taken into consideration on the spec side. Also, is the LBS "throwing" something else in that may cause a price increase?

Just something to consider. Oh, BTW, welcome!

junkyard

Welcome and thank you for doing some research before posting here. I would inquire about the price. I suppose there is the chance that something was upgraded on it rather than it being completely stock. Worth mentioning to them. Aside from that, it sounds like they took good care of you. Sounds to me like it is worth building a relationship with them... it can only help in the future when you are looking to upgrade.

WannaGetGood

Welcome to the forums. Have fun!

sheepdog

just to clarify, that was 71" (5 foot 11") NOT 7'1"




I will ask them what was upgraded on the bike. I figured that might sound better than "why are you charging more than msrp?"

for my own information, does the msrp usually include setup on a bike or do they assume the purchaser does the setup?

santiago

Set up and a quick tune-up after a fixed amount of time is included when dealing with a LBS as the cables will slacken. Many LBS also offer free tune-ups for a year.

sheepdog

I spoke with them. He was apparently looking at the wrong price. Their price is $639. That sounds alot better.

willtsmith_nwi

It's a good thing he "corrected" himself.

sheepdog

there is another place in town I might look, but I don't want to automatically assume that he was trying to overcharge me.

and fwiw, it is an 07 model. I saw that that was an issue with a similar purchase by another forumite

born2bahick

Welcome to the forum sheepdog!

mx_599

welcome to the forums and don't be afraid to ask some "searchable" questions. people can choose to reply or not. sometimes things change or you will get info from others that might not be in old threads.

good luck

sheepdog

checked with another store and they had it for $539 also. Free 90 days flat tire, adjustment, etc...

fwiw, if anyone here plays bass guitar, the guys at www.ebassist.com referred me to this forum. Don't worry that isn't spam. It is a free forum.

sheepdog

I notice differences in parts between the Fisher Piranha and Mullet, but the same price. I don't know enough about the parts to say which bike has better parts. What is the difference in the two? I was making sure I looked around and bought something that fit my needs.

mtnbiker66

Welcome, it's always good to have a sheepdog around the forum. You'll find a lot of good info on here,you'll find a lot of goofballs on here as well. It's a cool place to hang out.

Bass giutar is for sissys,a Sheepdog like you should play a doghouse.

santiago

List the major components between the two:
- fork
- brakes
- rear derailleur
- wheelset

sheepdog

link to comparison

Brakes: Piranha: Avid BB5 mechanical disc Mullet: Hayes MX-2 mechanical disc
Rear Derailier: Piranha: Shimano Deore Mullet: Shimano Alivio
Wheelset: same

the tires are 2.4 on the mullet vs. 2.2 and 2.25 front and rear on the Piranha

santiago

I prefer the Piranha. Better bits for the most part.

zoeglassjd

+1. As mentioned above, ride them both as much as possible. I don't know about the Mullet, but when I was playing around at the lbs the Pirhana had a very different "feel" than the hardrock. Fit and feel will probably be your clincher. I have used neither, but I have heard many around here say they like the BB5 better than the MX-2. Can someone confirm or deny this allegation?

taylor p

vespa hands down

sheepdog

apparently Gary Fisher has a sense of humor. I didn't see a way to get rid of that option

santiago

I got a wheelbarrel instead of a vespa.