No1mad says:
Tohtruck- Though I was the one who initially suggested the Buzz One, I did so
because it looked good on paper for the purposes that you initially stated. It
might not be appealing to your eye, but you did admit that after riding it, it
felt better than the Felt that did catch your eye. Enough said on that subject.
Checkmate!
You mention that your sister's boyfriend used to be into mtbs and suggested you consider that route. You know something? If you trust him, then his advice is going to be worth a TON more than that from strangers on these boards. He'll be able to go with you to shops, help judge the fit, possibly even give you tips on basic maintenance. Keep the knobbies for snow or any trails in the area, put slicks on for the streets and sidewalks
.
I was thinking along those lines, too. However, at the current pricepoint, Craigslist will be the only viable and most likely resource, due to the fact that decent MTB suspension forks on brand new bikes are a rarity. I think it's most probably best not to even delved into MTN bikes, if you can't get a really good suspended fork with at least 80mm of travel with lockout capability.
I like the idea of switching the tires about seasonally, that sounds cool. Like you say, if his friend is really knowledgeable and trustworthy, that could be the best bet yet! That is, unless TohTruck has settled on the Buzz One concept.
Hey No1mad, I think that in general, we strangers do pretty good on these boards. I mean, even the so-called "experts" make mistakes sometimes, because we're all human. However, overall, I think we do pretty well.
I know for certain, that most of your advice is spot on. Of course, sometimes I think you'll hit a miss, but usually, I think you give great advice. Just like this MTB idea and the Buzz One idea. Both ideas rank highly in my book!
Hey! Guess what! You're just one of the strangers on these boards...
With your height, stick to models with 26" wheels. Hardtail with lock out on the front fork is what you should concentrate on. He'll know (or should know) what those terms are. Maybe he will help you check out the local CL offerings and look over them for you, but I'm assuming he knows a thing or two about
wrenching...
This is excellent advice, too!
No1mad, you've got major skills!
