diabx0r

I've been a long time jogger, so I love being outside, but it's time to mix things up a bit.

Hopefully I can do a decent job with this post giving you an idea of what I want and need.

Basically, I spend a lot of time jogging in the state parks around my house, so there are a lot of off road trails.

Up hill, down hill, you name it.

I want to get a bike that can handle fairly rough trails in a park environment. I don't plan on doing huge jumps or anything like that. I simply enjoy off road jogging and would like to venture into off road riding.

I was looking at the Specialized Rockhopper... are these decent for a beginner?

Obviously I don't want to spend 1000s of dollars since I am new to this, and am not 100% sure I'll dig it, although I think I will.

Anyway, lets try to keep it below 1000 if at all possible.

And of course, buying used is fine with me.

Sorry for the long winded post, but I want to make sure I get what I want across clearly.

-Alex

Thanks!!

troie

I would say so and I think many others would agree (check reviews on mtbr.com). The stumpjumper is the next best thing, if its not too pricey for you Id give it a gander. Welcome to the last fun thing you will ever do in your life.

diabx0r

Awesome.

Thanks for the quick reply, dude!

I'll definitely check them both out.

I can't wait to start doing this. It sounds SO fun.

Here are a couple of pics of the state park right by my house:





It's not extremely hardcore, but there are some pretty steep areas with a lot of turns and rocks.

I'm so excited.

kill.cactus

Could you try reposting the first image? The second one's trail is tame enough for a cyclocross bike to handle (a heavy duty road frame with tires that are usually about an inch wide - very fun for light off road racing (if not a little painful)).

If you have bumps, tree ruts, and rocks, though, you'll need a heftier frame (I avoid saying front suspension since there are a lot of bikers who insist on going without suspension at all to increase handling skills). I have a Trek 6 Series and find it to be a great bicycle for the money - I got it for 550 USD and it came with an entry level front suspension fork, quality disk breaks, and acceptable (fine for everyday use - not for competition) drivetrain components (chain, crankset, dérailleurs).

I'd recommend the 6 Series to anyone who is looking for an entry level bike.