Help out a beginner with upgrades
06-09-09, 12:19 PM
#1
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Help out a beginner with upgrades
Hi all, I'm new to this forum and mtb as well. As a kid I had a pretty good bmx bike, a schwinn super stock 2 I think it was called, around $500 about 12 years ago. I did mostly jumps and dirt riding. I am getting back into biking and me and some buddies are wanting to take on trail riding at our local state parks. I did a lot of research and knew I wasn't going to get anything spectacular at our local walmart, but I wanted something that would hold up long enough to see if I was going to continue riding. I ended up getting the schwinn aluminum comp hardtail. It was about $200; my buddies got some full sus Next bikes for $100. I could see a big difference in the two and didn't even want to sit down on a Next. I noticed the Schwinn was a lot lighter, had a better seat, wider tires, rust proof alloy wheels, handle bars were on a whole diff level, the grips were much more comfotable, the brake handles were metal instead of plastic, the shfters were thumb click instead of handle rotating, cranks were alot thicker, front wheel quick release and the gears looked better. After our purchase we rode about 8 miles to test them out and I enjoyed it, it rode as well as I expected it to but eventually I'm wanting to give it a pounding on trails. I already ordered some redline alum pedals to replace the cheap plastics. I read a lot of reviews on the Aluminum Comp to see what more experienced riders were replacing. A lot changed the fork and wheels, I noticed the fork bottomed out fairly easy but I'm not really sure how a suspension is supposed to work since this is my first. If any of you are familiar with this bike or know the parts on it can you give me a recommendation on what parts I will need to upgrade with fairly cheap replacements from a good maker and possibly in what order to be trail ready. I'm looking at some rock shox front sus, but would it be worth putting that fork on a bike of equal price? Also, do you think this frame is worth putting money into building a better bike in the long run or after 6-12months should I upgrade to a new mtb, if so what is your suggestion for the $500-$1,000 price range. Thanks for any input guys!
06-11-09, 04:25 AM
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06-11-09, 07:05 AM
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FYI...Schwinn hit the toilet in the early 2000's. Sorry to break it to you so harshly, but it's a harsh world. The Schwinn is nicer than the "Next" brand toys, but start thinking bigger picture.
Take my advice...put your new pedals on and ride the crap out of your Schwinn. Don't upgrade anything else. Save your money as you ride it. Ask yourself after every ride: "Why did I like this ride today? Was it the jumping? The MADD descent? Was it the fitness and grinding that grueling hill?" When you decide what you like best about riding...buy a bike that suits that style. When you've beaten it to death, start looking at a new bike in your price range that will cater to your preferred style.
3 affordable bikes for 3 different styles of riding:
Specialized Hardrock - general trail riding
Rockhopper - leaning toward the cross country hill climbing pedal masher
Jamis Komodo - aggressive jumping dropping tree smacker
Welcome
Last edited by ed; 06-11-09 at 07:17 AM.
06-14-09, 08:42 PM
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Take my advice...put your new pedals on and ride the crap out of your Schwinn. Don't upgrade anything else. Save your money as you ride it. Ask yourself after every ride: "Why did I like this ride today? Was it the jumping? The MADD descent? Was it the fitness and grinding that grueling hill?" When you decide what you like best about riding...buy a bike that suits that style. When you've beaten it to death, start looking at a new bike in your price range that will cater to your preferred style.
happy riding!
06-14-09, 09:24 PM
#8
The Left Coast, USA
Couldn't agree more the posts suggesting you ride it to death, pay attention to its shortcomings and what's out there that's better and could be your next bike. Instead of burning $50 bills, put them in the bank.
