Originally Posted by fireworks
Actually, I'm having a hard time finding weights for bikes. Any place I can check?
You probably won't find published weights for those bikes. Cannondale has a policy of not publishing any bike weights and most other companies aren't going to publish the weight of low dollar bikes. If you do this bike stuff long enough you can get a pretty good feel for what a bike weighs by the components. For the Cannondale and Trek, the weight is going to be in the 30 lb range...probably a little over. The more you spend on a bike, generally, the less it weighs. The Rockhopper and Stumpy I suggested are going to be in the 25 to 27 lb range.
Originally Posted by fireworks
Well I don't really want to do any off roading and I prefer to keep my blood under my skin!
I'm not looking for any off roading ability at all. Maybe just enough to handle the dirt paths and gravel I come across. Would the Rockhopper or Stumpjumper be able to do what I want with no modifications?
Come on, let the 10 year old trapped inside out to play
You make more blood all the time. Scars are way cooler than tattoos.
In all honesty, the Rockhopper or the Stumpy would do well for what you want with only a tire change. They might be overkill but most people buy entry level bikes and then end up buying another bike in a very short time because they outgrow the entry level quickly. Or else they give up on bicycling all together because they get tired of hauling the boat anchor around all the time. If you want to keep bicycling, do something that makes it enjoyable rather than a chore. I accomplish that by having multiple bikes for different things and I change my routine all the time. Road bikes are great for fast thrilling rides but if I had to ride one all the time, I would have given up long ago. Touring bikes are great for going on adventures but I'm not sure I'd want to adventure all the time...once every couple of years makes the event very special.
Mountain bikes make for a different kind of thrill because they are much more kinetic than any of the other bike rides. You are constantly in motion and have to pay attention to what is going on far more then other kinds of rides. Mountain bikes are also great for a different kind of adventure then touring. It's more intense and of shorter duration. Also, don't get hung up on the extreme side of mountain biking. I enjoy mountain bike rides that take me to new places and new sights then ones where I fear for my life and health. Drops, jumps, falling off cliffs...no thanks! Riding an old rail bed through the Colorado mountains and enjoying the scenery and the history? Far better. Leave the BMX stuff to people with far less calcium and far more rubber in their bones
