mustangblue01

Anyone know of a good Rigid "all purpose" bike for under $1000

PWRDbyTRD

Rigid? No front suspension at all? Are you looking for a single speed or a geared bike or what? What's it going to be used for?

-Stretch-

you could probably get a custom build for 1000 or under...go look at parts, and wat you want to build it into....then coem back and tell us wat you decided on. its hard to help you when no one knows what your using it for

jeff williams

For a frame?

Dirtbike

all purpose as in
Dj, xc, freeride, downhill, all mountain?!

jeff williams

Rigid you may be assembling the entire. Get a sick steel frame and go nutz.
Bet you go over $1.
No suspension? = good frame = 600 - 800 new for something 'nice'.
Go retro, very few rigid frames built now, different headtube angle.

find a :

Ritchey
Fat Chance
Klien
Brodie
Kona
Etc frame @ an lbs and build up, nice old frames go aroun 300$, 700 might get the components, steal some wheels.
..kidding..

scrublover

your options kinda suck there right now. either spend more and get a nice custom rigid, or you get a low end crap bike. it would *really* help if you told us what you want to do with the bike. urban/trials/jumping? straight up XC? commuting/town cruiser?

OR.....

spend 1000 on a nice hardtail at the shop of your choice. then have them trade out the sussy fork right there for a surly karate monkey, 1x1, or instigator fork. whichever would be the right size to get you the same axle to crown height as the removed sussy fork, so that your steering geometry doesn't go all to hell. all three forks can take disc brakes, or v-brakes. the v-brake mounts are removable.

or get a slightly cheaper bike, and pony up for a nice kelly cycles or vicious cycles rigid fork. disc or v-brake?

i've got a karate monkey fork (meant for 29" wheels) that lives on my singlespeed. tall enough to get my crown to axle where i like it; the same height as when i run my 100mm travel sussy fork on it.

scrublover

pffft. i like your LBS more than mine, if you can get a classic fat chance or brodie frame there for 300.......
or any of those frames for that, unless they are fairly old, or beat down used.

i'm getting the impression this guy is wanting to just get something off the rack. not a frame/fork for build up.

jeff williams

....well.....I mean source out the frame.
I'm around the northshore, lots of hq old mtb frames around.
But it's a subtropic rainforest, steel gets rusty, old alu frame...even less a chance.

Just missed a Balfa Minuteman $350 local Can. On Craigslist..3 would have had it over my shoulder.

scrublover

i know you meant the frame. but still, finding one of those frames in decent shape, for that low of a price is not the norm.

and we still fon't know what the poster wants to do with the bike, or if he even cares about the steel vs. aluminum thing. whoever it is needs to post up about where they ride, and what they want to do with the bike. (hint hint)

not paying for a shock, 1000 can get you a nice bike off the rack, or a really nice build if you shop around and build it yourself.

hmmm. 1000 budget to do a complete rigid bike off ebay, of decent stuff..... you could do a nice build up.

KrisA

If you're into the whole singlespeed thing... https://www.konaworld.com/shopping_ca...2&parentid=182

Original 6

If you want to change gears... Here is a KONA Dr. Dew. The Dew line runs from $399.00 - $999.00.

mustangblue01

Sorry I was vague in the initial post.
I intend to ride trails with some occasional paved road usage. I want a bike that is going to be light and durable enough to get through some rougher areas without having to get off to carry it or listen to the cracked frame creak as I limp home. I will not be doing any hardcore stuff - no big drops, jumps, etc.

It was interesting reading the replies so far. I was just thinking a steel frame/fork might be the way to go myself. I'm not really all that familiar with the names and component levels of all the manufacturers. Any help in that area, as far as what brand/level to look for and which to avoid, would be a great help.

thanks
John

mustangblue01

Oh yeah! almost forgot. I do not want a single speed. I think a single would be too limiting for what I'm looking to use the bike for.

Thanks again,
John

scrublover

https://konaworld.com/shopping_cart/F...1&parentid=182

have the shop swap out the fork for a kona or surly rigid disc model, and you're good to go. likely get a little amount in trade for the old fork from them, but not much.

are you trying to shop local to you, or internet?

what do the bike shops near you carry? that'll give us a better idea of brands/models to suggest.

these are just a few of the largest/most sold/probably easiest to find for you.

1000 pricepoint is kinda tough. you mostly will find alu frames. steel in that pricepoint is much harder to come by, at least for a decent full bike, with good parts spec.

or this, and sell the fork on your own, or see what the shop would give you in trade for a rigid, to lower the cost to your budget. https://www.specialized.com/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=9709

more of the same options: check out the Giant bikes XTC hardtail line as well, if you can. great bang for buck.

https://www2.trekbikes.com/Bikes/Moun...6700/index.php

mustangblue01

The couple shops i've been to so far carry Giant, Felt, and Specialized. I'm going to stop at another shop tomorrow and see what they have.

The Giant XTC looks like a decent bike and is right at the edge of my price point. The Kona Cinder Cone and Caldera look like good choices too. I've kind of been searching the boards on here looking for good recommendations. I'm not too particular on any brand name as long as they have a good reputation for building a good bike. Also, I will not accept a "Cheena" frame. Tiawan, USA, Canada, or anywhere else for that matter, LOL, would be ok; but, not China.

Swapping out the fork may be an option, but will the frame handle the added abuse? Most of the frames out there seem to be designed with a suspension fork in mind.

Do any of the brands I mentioned, or any other brand for that matter, offer a rigid fork as an option? I've searched quite a few manufacturers websites and haven't found any that do.

Also, it seems all of the rigids I have found come in fixed gear only. I have been looking to see if there are any models that offer at least a rear deraileur as an option, but no luck there either.

JOHN

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trekkie820

Cannondale Bad Boy. All you need to do to ride some trails is swap out the tires for some cyclocross knobbies.

https://www.cannondale.com/bikes/05/c...del-5MRBB.html

seely

I don't think you will have to worry about added stress from a rigid fork... many forks have "lockouts" now which enable you to lock out all the travel from the fork, essentially making it rigid. In fact, I have a rigid fork on my 2004 Specialized Stumpjumper that I like quite a bit.

I would recommend finding a nice hardtail that fits your needs, buying a nice steel Surly 1x1 disc fork for around $80 (its what I use), and then having the shop install it. Keep your old fork--you can either keep it to throw on should you sell the bike, or sell it on eBay and get a few bucks back for it.

a2psyklnut

I'd buy any bike you like, swap the fork for a suspension corrected chromoly one (like the Kona) and sell the fork on eBay.

Swapping out a fork isn't very complicated and can be done by a beginner in no more than an hour.

mustangblue01

ok. I'll look for the Surly fork. Any other fork recommendations?

koan

Kona Project 2. I chose it over the Surly. Cheaper, lighter, your choice of disc or V.

mustangblue01

do you know what the weight is on the Kona Project two? I'm thinking a Cindercone or Caldera with that fork How does that sound?

john

mustangblue01

I just found this bike, a Marin Steel HT, while surfing.

https://www.marinbikes.com/bicycles_2...r_steelht.html

Looks like the price should be close to what I'm looking for and swapping in a good steel fork shouldn't be too bad.

john

jim-bob

The project two's a great fork. I've had no problems with any of mine.

irishmcmorgan

bianchi sass, i rode one and they are sooooooooooo sweet..............