resiak

Hello,

My girlfriend and I are trying to get into mountain biking but am having a hard time finding her a bike. I want to get her a fairly decent full suspension bike but also don't want to spend more then $800ish. So I've been hunting craigslist religiously since the end of last summer.

The problem, she is short! She's 5.2' to be exact. I've finally come across a bike I think will fit her. It's a size small 2003 Tumac Revolver Comp. The guy is asking $450, which from my research is a fair price.

The only thing wrong with it he said is that it needs to be tuned, no petals, and the seals on the rear suspension needs to be replaced.

Do you guys think this would be a decent bike for her or should I hold of for something better? The reviews I've read were positive but they were posted 10 years ago lol.

Thanks in advance!

Resiak

Juha

Cheers and welcome. I'm moving this to Mountain Biking forum (from Introductions).

--J

tjax

What about this?

Diamondback Recoil 29 - Bicycle Village

Zephyr11

If she's 5'2, I wouldn't recommend a 29er for her. I mean yeah, there are some short girls who like big wheels (one of my friends is my height and rides one), but I just think that proportionately, she's better off with 26". I read an article a while ago how ideally, wheel size would match up with frame size. I think that'd be great. Put 24/26" on XS, 24/26/27.5" on S, 26/27.5" on M, 26/27.5/29" on L, and 27.5/29" on XL, taking intended riding style into account when deciding where in that range to make it (the more aggressive the riding style, the smaller the hoops).

The Tomac is an older bike with outdated suspension, and the fact that the rear seals are blown is a little worrying. If you're handy and know your way around a bike enough to do the bulk of the repairs yourself, go and look at it to check its condition, make sure it fits her well, and if it passes inspection, it's worth considering for that price. If you'd need to enlist a mechanic, and don't think you can determine condition based on looking at it, particularly whether the rear suspension needs to be rebuilt, I'd probably pass.

I love Craigslist, but let's face it, a lot of stuff is overpriced, a lot of people aren't willing to bargain with you, and finding stuff for short people is tough...as it sounds like you've found out, based on how long you've been searching. Honestly, if you're set on full-suspension, I'd raise your budget a little and try to find a Giant Yukon FX or something like that. (Actually, I don't see the Yukon on the Giant site anymore, so look for a 2013 closeout...call around to some shops, might find one on sale). One of the cheapest full-suspension bikes that's nice enough to be worth buying. Assuming it fits her, obviously.

And before someone comes on here and suggests BikesDirect...NOOO. Do you know how many small bikes I've sat on that were too big? I can usually look at geometry now and take a good guess as to whether it'll fit me, but I sure as hell couldn't a few years ago. Had I not test ridden the bikes and just gone off what looked like a good deal on paper, I'd have ended up with this Specialized women's specific thing that was on closeout that fit and rode like trash for me. She's 5'2 and this is her first mountain bike, right? Go to a retail store and play with the bikes.

tjax

I overlooked the height aspect to this situation.

Wo show

I agree with the above post, you might want to take a trip to the local bike shop just to test things out. I am short and my wife is also at 5'2", so I have been through it, fit is crucial. If she isn't comfortable, she wont ride. You might even want to just start with a hard tail first, you'll probably have more options.

JayGK927

I would agree with the hardtail idea. You can get a lot more bike for your money. That will let you buy a quality bike from a LBS and get the service and know how that comes along with it opposed to a craigslist special.

atallen223

Why do you want a full suspension? What sort of riding will you be doing out there in Mass.? If you are totally new to the sport a heavier full suspension might take away from the fun, and from personal experience you won't be taking any big jumps any time soon, but you might be different. My first bike was a hard tail Gary Fisher that I bought brand new for about 700. Worked perfectly for me, but everyone is different.