EmmyW1984

Me again

My wonderful mum is putting some money in to me buying a bike. After a visit to a LBS this morning I liked the fit of these 3 mountain bikes in my price range and decided to make a new thread as my old one was getting bogged down with me copying and pasting specs. And I'm totally clueless about which one provides the better specs overall as I want the bike to last me quite a while and then once the weight comes off, then look into upgrading to something better. The LBS was brilliant for me trying out the bikes but did seem to be pushing the slightly more expensive Cannondale Tango 5 (2015), so as I'd had brilliant advice already, thought it would be a good idea to ask and see which one was the better bargain

Cannondale Tango 5 (2015 27.5" wheels)

Buy Cannondale Tango 5 Womens Mountain Bike 2015 - Hardtail MTB at Tredz Bikes. £549.99 with free UK delivery

Liv Giant Tempt 3 (2015 27.5" wheels)

Buy Giant Tempt 3 Womens Mountain Bike 2015 - Hardtail MTB at Tredz Bikes. £525.00 with free UK delivery

And Cannondale Tango 5 (2014 29" wheels)

CANNONDALE TANGO 29 5 2014 :: £359.99 :: Mountain Bikes :: Mountain Bikes - Front Suspension 29ers - Women's :: Pauls Cycles

Thanks for putting up with me so far, I really appreciate it

MRT2

Hi, EmmyW1984. I saw your other thread. Why are you looking at mountain bikes?

EmmyW1984

We live in rural Wales and there's some trails that I would (eventually) like to work towards riding so thought it would be an idea to start off on a mountain bike as that would be what I eventually rode.

I was also under the impression that a mountain bike with a locked out fork would be sturdier for my weight (though that may be a misconception because of my inexperience).

ColaJacket

What I'm about to say is assuming that you've ridden all 3 bikes, and the fit and comfort level is the same between the 3 bikes. They're all good MTB's, so I don't think that there is a clunker in the bunch.

That being said, I don't see too much different between the 1st bike and the 3rd bike other than the 3rd bike is a year old, has 29" wheels (instead of 27.5" wheels), is white, and is cheaper. So I would eliminate the first bike on this alone, if the shop has the 3rd bike that will fit you (I noticed in the link that they only had tall bikes left).

The second bike has a slightly better group set. Is it worth £165.00? Probably not. But I do think that it is slightly nicer than the first bike. So I would rank them in this order.

1. Cannondale Tango 5 (2014 29" wheels)
2. Liv Giant Tempt 3 (2015 27.5" wheels)
3. Cannondale Tango 5 (2015 27.5" wheels)

There shouldn't be an issue with 29" wheels vs. 27.5" wheels. Also, the two cannondales say that they have lockouts for the front suspension. Does the Giant have that? If it doesn't, then I would eliminate it completely. If it does have a lockout, then keep it in 2nd place.

Which color do you like better? And would seeing yourself on that color bike make you want to ride it more?

A MTB would be fine for you. If you're comfortable with the geometry. A lot of Clydes/Athenas like the geometry on the Hybrids better. Some are more comfortable with the cruisers to start off with. There's a difference between riding the bike a few hundred yards in the store parking lot, and riding it for a few miles. Before you buy one, ride it as far as your legs will take you before you make the final decision, even if that is just in the parking lot. Hopefully, the LBS has a quiet residential neighborhood close by that you can ride it in for a mile or more. It's interesting that when I did my test rides about 6 weeks ago, almost all of the shops were on a busy street, but their parking lot emptied onto a less busy side street that went to a residential neighborhood, so people could road test in the residential neighborhood, and not just in the parking lot or the busy street.

GH

EmmyW1984

Thank you SO much for the reply ColaJacket

What concerned me with regards to a hybrid was that the wheels seem thinner and I was worried that as soon as I sat on the bike they would flatten. I'm probably totally wrong in this assumption though.

in all honesty I do prefer the look of the Giant Tempt 3, but given how much I would save (which I could then spend on a helmet etc) the colour isn't really that much to justify the extra money. And I guess I can always go on bike colour once I know more and am lighter.

The lbs has a small car park round the back but nothing overly big for riding on. They have a medium in the tango 2014 in store which is more my fit and a similar price, the links were just for spec comparison

ColaJacket

The Cannondale Tango 5 (2014 29" wheels) are 2.0" wide. Which is the same width as the other Cannondale. The Giant's tires are 2.1" wide. That's about 2.5mm. If the difference was .5" or more then it might make a difference, but for .1", I don't think you'd notice any difference.

That's interesting, a lot of women like the lighter colors, but you like the black bike. If it's not a big deal, then don't let the color worry you. If you do like the black bike, and you think you'd like riding a black bike more than a white bike, then you could justify by the fact that the Giant does have a slightly better groupset.

Ask the LBS if that's the only place that you can test ride the bike. They may know of a place close by (e.g. a park, a MUP/MUT, etc.) where you can put in a mile or more on the bike. If not, then ride the bike in the parking lot for 10-15 minutes. It may be boring, but it will give you a better idea of whether or not you like the geometry than a once around.

I thought the links might just be for comparison, but I wanted to be sure.

Good luck with your purchase. The goal is to find a bike that fits you and your riding style well, so that you will get out there and ride it.

Does your hubby or mum ride? If you could get more people in your family to ride, it might help motivate everyone to ride and get/stay in shape.

While I'm a clyde, my wife definitely is not. But, I'm actually probably in better shape, in that I can walk further, bike further, and do thing at a decent pace for longer than her. But since I've been riding my new bike (Fuji Sportif 1.3C - 2014), she's been wanting to ride her older bike (Schwinn Voyageur). So some days, I get double duty on riding, especially when I ride in the morning (you can see my mileage in the May Goal thread), and a more casual ride with her in the evening. We did a pretty good ride togetehr yesterday, to the point that she said her rear was a little sore. She thinks she needs a softer saddle, but I told her to tell the people at the LBS what she is feeling, as I think she just needs a saddle that fits her better with possibly firmer padding. Her saddle is pretty soft, especially compared to mine. Of course, if I could talk her into padded shorts that might be even better.

GH

EmmyW1984

There isn't really anywhere else to try the bikes out so it would have to be a case of riding them for 10-15 minutes like you suggest

Final links, I promise These two were also a possibility, though I would obviously go back and check these out if they were to become a potential choice.

Jynx Sport 650b

Buy Specialized Jynx Sport 650b Womens Mountain Bike 2015 - Hardtail MTB at Tredz Bikes. £400.00 with free UK delivery

Jynx Comp 650b

Buy Specialized Jynx Comp 650b Womens Mountain Bike 2015 - Hardtail MTB at Tredz Bikes. £440.00 with free UK delivery

Given the discount this site are running at the moment I could even get all of my accessories for next to nothing. So that would be an added incentive

It would actually just be myself riding most of the time. My husband is looking into a cheaper bike so that he can come with me at times, but he'd be happy with a cheap one for occasional use and my mum is disabled, but understands my desperation to really knuckle down with the weight loss and wants to help and support in anyway that she can.

There's a particular cycle path that I want a go on in a few weeks time. It follows the North Wales coast line and is right next to my husband's parent's caravan, so would fit in perfectly while we're there in a few weeks time and later this summer

JReade

My GF has the Tango 29er and loves it. Haven't had a problem with it on the ~350 miles ridden on it.

ColaJacket

Get as much riding in before the trip as possible. When I first started back in April, I could only go 1.2mi before I was too winded to go further. Now, I'm up to 9mi. But it was with incremental improvements (mostly .6 mi at a time, because that is the distance around my apartment complex).

Also sounds like you'll need some type of bike rack. Unless the husband's parents are coming by your place to pick up you two and your bike.

Hopefully your husband will catch the bug, and he may have to start asking you about n+1.

GH

obed7

I don't really see any difference in any of them that would warrant more money...
so go with the one you like the feel of the best...
a simple truth is you will ride what you enjoy more than something you do not like as much...
get the one that will motivate you, then ride the crap out of it.
I think all of us who have lost weight riding bikes, feel where you are coming from and are excited for you.

EmmyW1984

We're lucky in the sense that we have a fairly large car so plenty of room to store a bike or 2, but a bike rack is going to be on the list of things to go for fairly soon

Just up the road from where we live is a nice little circle that I'd like to try and do once a day while I build things up, where I can park the car and get my bearings on (I think that's 1.5 miles at the most), plus the added bonus that it's a very quiet road so no one to laugh at me

ColaJacket

I'm going to recommend the Sheldon Brown for Beginners site again.

There are 2 articles that both of you should read.

The one on Saddles, especially the adjustment part further down.

And The Starting and Stopping article.

Basically, when you get ready to Stop/Start, you really shouldn't be sitting down. The article gives specific directions (and a video) on how to stop and start while on a bike. But one foot should always be on a pedal.

GH

EmmyW1984

Ah that's brilliant, thank you so much I'll get reading them tonight

Wilfred Laurier

All three are very nice bikes. If they fit identically well then the 2014 Tango 5 is a bit better deal, but honestly, get the one that seems most comfortable and you will never regret it.

MRT2

I am not going to lie. Wheels are the biggest issue with someone your weight. That said, there is no guarantee the stock wheels on a mountain bike will hold you any better than stock wheels on a hybrid. Mountain bikes are built for single track, and not so much paved roads, or even groomed trails. Moreover, mountain bikes are not especially built for comfort, as more often than not, mountain bikers are riding out of the saddle. Put another way, modern mountain bikes are built for an extremely aggressive style of riding. (Unlike, say, mountain bikes of 20 or 25 years ago) My suggestion would be to look more towards hybrids, then work with the bike shop to build or source a touring wheel with 36 or 40 spokes.

Judi

The tires are not going to flatten out when you get on the bike. Before every ride, check your tire pressure and add air if needed. Possibly get some thicker tubes so that they don't lose much air on longer rides. As long as you keep the tires inflated and you don't ride off of curbs or on dirt paths, the wheels should be fine on a MTB or a hybrid. Everyone said I would have problems with the spokes on my wheels, but I haven't on any of the bikes I've had. I did break the axle on one of the bikes when I was around 400lbs.

The riding posture on the hybrid might be a little more comfortable. Generally you can ride anything around the block but a mile or two will tell you if it's comfortable. Try some different styles before you settle on the MTB.

The reason for a rack for the bikes even if they'll fit in the car is that they can get a bit banged up when you're shoving a couple of them in the car. I can fit four bikes and four people in my van (if we take the front wheels off the bikes) but sometimes the derailleurs will get smacked or the cables will get tangled up on the different bikes, and the paint can get scraped a bit. So a rack is better if possible.

EmmyW1984

After an early start this morning we actually headed to the store that most of the links have come from and I much, much preferred them to our lbs as they had plenty of space for me to test the bikes and didn't seem to be pushing the more expensive bike, but wanted to find something that would fit me properly and that I would want to ride. And that seems to be this -

Buy Specialized Jynx Sport 650b Womens Mountain Bike 2015 - Hardtail MTB at Tredz Bikes. £400.00 with free UK delivery

I couldn't shake the feeling of squashing the tyres on a hybrid and that just made me that nervous on them that I couldn't settle properly (I had a go of the Giant Rove 2 and Specialized Ariel Disc), so I was holding myself tense and that made me uncomfortable.

When I got on the Jynx Sport, I just seemed to relax and didn't want to get off at all. We're going to get a wider gel saddle for me for now until the weight comes off a bit more, then I'll switch back to the stock saddle when I start using it on the trails round here. And biggest bonus is the price, which means I can pretty much get a helmet etc for nothing as it takes me up to the price required to get the discount.

Quite excited now to get it ordered now

Bill Kapaun

I'd strongly suggest getting the spokes properly tensioned before you start riding it.
Having even tension in the spokes will go a long way toward preventing or at least delaying wheel problems.
356 lbs. & 32 spokes is pushing it.

Willbird

I'm not a fan of gel saddles, with a lot of weight on them, which I had starting out the gel squishes too much. Unless there are some specifically designed for a given weight person. If you have a musical ear you can pluck your spokes like a stringed instrument and watch for any getting slack, then have the bike shop fix that. Each spoke needs to do it's fair share , loose ones are slacking and this overloads the ones working :-)

EmmyW1984

Thanks for all of the advice everyone

After consideration, I've decided to wait for a few more months (to increase my budget) and then buy something better built for my size. I'd feel mortified if anything broke on it because of my weight and that's not a risk that I'm particularly willing to take. I'm on a roll with weight loss at the moment and don't want to do anything that is going to knock my confidence and set me back

Sorry for wasting everyone's time

EmmyW1984

Ok, so I've got the husband going on at me to still go ahead with my plan to get a bike He says that he's not seen me this excited for such a long time and if it helps the weight to come off then that's even better.

I keep chopping and changing my mind because I really want to go for this, but I know that budget (at the moment) won't allow for extra cost on the wheels, which is when I lose my confidence and decide not to go for it.

All of the bikes that I seem to like have 32 spokes and everywhere I look (and in both lbs we've been to) the 36 spoke models are cheaper, but with worse components, so I just feel like I'm coming up against a brick wall.

Will 32 spoke wheels hold me on flat paths with me just doing light riding, or are the 36 spokes a must have?

Like I said in my last post I don't want to run the risk of knocking my confidence as I'm just starting on a decent weight loss plan (6lbs down so far this week) and turning me back to old habits and putting weight on. So if the best thing is to wait for a few more months and increase our budget then that's what I'll have to do (albeit reluctantly)

Edit** Also, if I choose a bike from further afield, will our lbs tension spokes etc, or do I need to travel back to the original lbs that I purchased from? That will also go a way in helping to decide as I've found a new lbs that deals in Specialized and Trek so may pay them a visit.

Black wallnut 

More spokes would be better but having a bike now vs waiting is best. I think others were just trying to be helpful in making you aware that spokes may be an issue. Now that you know that and watch for problems you should be able to mitigate any issues with spokes by first being proactive and second checking them often. 32 spokes should be fine. Have the shop where you buy your bike tension them with your situation in mind. You are not likely to break your new bike but if you like riding it you will be likely in wearing parts of it out. Wheels, tires, chains and more are all parts of a bike that have a finite life expectancy. Make wearing them out a badge of honor rather than a discouragement.

EmmyW1984

I'm one of those people that like to be as prepared as I possibly can and get as much information as possible, whether that's good or bad. I do it with everything, from buying stuff for the home, to booking holidays to buying cars. So although some information wasn't what I wanted to hear, I do take it all on board - resulting in the hesitancy to go ahead and make the initial purchase

I'm going to get in touch with the new lbs that I've spotted and see if they have any advice. Hopefully they'll be of assistance rather than just trying to push the more expensive bike (like the other shop did)

ColaJacket

I used to overanalyze everything I was going to buy.

Then I realized, I just have to get a good deal. I don't have to get the best deal. Trying to get the best deal could paralyze you into doing nothing.

As BW said, if you have the LBS where you buy the bike make sure that the spoke tension is consitent before you leave, that will be a big step. The closer LBS will do the work for you, but they will probably charge you for it, where if you bought the bike from them, they would probably tension spokes for free. Most LBS will charge for replacing a spoke.

Get your bike and start riding.

GH

MRT2

But what would be better still for your weight is a bike with a solid fork. (no suspension) It isn't that suspension forks are bad, but cheap suspension forks are not great, particularly for folks carrying more weight because they will bottom out, rendering them worthless. Hence the recommendation to get a fork with a lockout. But if your plan is to lock out the fork, why go with a suspension fork at all?