Originally Posted by Kapusta

IMO, you are still better off with the $250 used bike.

Let's clear a few things up here..., nearly all decent hardtails from the past 10 years will already be 29". Nearly any frame and fork since 2000 will have disc tabs, and nearly any decent frame from the late 90s on will accept a thread-less headset.

The only thing you are likely to be dealing with fork-wise in terms of old standards are 26" wheels and straight steerer.

If the used bike had a decent fork to start with, it is likely rebuildable. As long as the bushings are still good, any half decent Rockshox fork can be rebuild to a like new state for about $60 in rebuild parts, plus fluids. I can still get everything I need to completely overhaul my 2005 Pike, 2007 Reba, and 2013 Lyrik. I am less familiar with rebuilding Fox and Manitou stuff.

If you rather go new, there are still acceptable new straight steerer, 26" forks for sale (e.g.,Manitou Markor, Rockshox Recon) and even one high end option I know of (Rockshox Reba).

Of course, many of these options (save the Reba) are at the lower end, but are real forks meant for real use and are leagues better than what come on a BSO. And regardless of the headset standards, these are really as good as you should be putting on a $250 bike.

There is also the issue of axle and dropout standards, but I seriously doubt that a $250 BSO is sporting the very latest axle standard, anyway. With axle standards changing every years, chasing the latest on a cheap bike is a bit of a fool's errand, IMO.

Regarding drive-train upgrades, you can easily upgrade any frame and wheelset from the past 20+ years to 1x11.

Big picture: If the first thing you end up doing to a brand new $250 bike is slapping on a $250 fork, you should have just bought a $500 bike to start with. Factor in drivetrain upgrades you speak of, and you have wasted a LOT of money. The idea of using a Walmart bike as a platform for upgrades is a phenomenally expensive way to get to a decent bike. If you want a bike with a modern fork and modern drivetrain, just spend the money up front and get it.

Originally Posted by prj71

Well said!!!!

Originally Posted by Kapusta

IMO, you are still better off with the $250 used bike.

Let's clear a few things up here..., nearly all decent hardtails from the past 10 years will already be 29". Nearly any frame and fork since 2000 will have disc tabs, and nearly any decent frame from the late 90s on will accept a thread-less headset.

The only thing you are likely to be dealing with fork-wise in terms of old standards are 26" wheels and straight steerer.

If the used bike had a decent fork to start with, it is likely rebuildable. As long as the bushings are still good, any half decent Rockshox fork can be rebuild to a like new state for about $60 in rebuild parts, plus fluids. I can still get everything I need to completely overhaul my 2005 Pike, 2007 Reba, and 2013 Lyrik. I am less familiar with rebuilding Fox and Manitou stuff.

If you rather go new, there are still acceptable new straight steerer, 26" forks for sale (e.g.,Manitou Markor, Rockshox Recon) and even one high end option I know of (Rockshox Reba).

Of course, many of these options (save the Reba) are at the lower end, but are real forks meant for real use and are leagues better than what come on a BSO. And regardless of the headset standards, these are really as good as you should be putting on a $250 bike.

There is also the issue of axle and dropout standards, but I seriously doubt that a $250 BSO is sporting the very latest axle standard, anyway. With axle standards changing every years, chasing the latest on a cheap bike is a bit of a fool's errand, IMO.

Regarding drive-train upgrades, you can easily upgrade any frame and wheelset from the past 20+ years to 1x11.

Big picture: If the first thing you end up doing to a brand new $250 bike is slapping on a $250 fork, you should have just bought a $500 bike to start with. Factor in drivetrain upgrades you speak of, and you have wasted a LOT of money. The idea of using a Walmart bike as a platform for upgrades is a phenomenally expensive way to get to a decent bike. If you want a bike with a modern fork and modern drivetrain, just spend the money up front and get it.

Originally Posted by Kapusta

IMO, you are still better off with the $250 used bike.

Let's clear a few things up here..., nearly all decent hardtails from the past 10 years will already be 29". Nearly any frame and fork since 2000 will have disc tabs, and nearly any decent frame from the late 90s on will accept a thread-less headset.

The only thing you are likely to be dealing with fork-wise in terms of old standards are 26" wheels and straight steerer.

If the used bike had a decent fork to start with, it is likely rebuildable. As long as the bushings are still good, any half decent Rockshox fork can be rebuild to a like new state for about $60 in rebuild parts, plus fluids. I can still get everything I need to completely overhaul my 2005 Pike, 2007 Reba, and 2013 Lyrik. I am less familiar with rebuilding Fox and Manitou stuff.

If you rather go new, there are still acceptable new straight steerer, 26" forks for sale (e.g.,Manitou Markor, Rockshox Recon) and even one high end option I know of (Rockshox Reba).

Of course, many of these options (save the Reba) are at the lower end, but are real forks meant for real use and are leagues better than what come on a BSO. And regardless of the headset standards, these are really as good as you should be putting on a $250 bike.

There is also the issue of axle and dropout standards, but I seriously doubt that a $250 BSO is sporting the very latest axle standard, anyway. With axle standards changing every years, chasing the latest on a cheap bike is a bit of a fool's errand, IMO.

Regarding drive-train upgrades, you can easily upgrade any frame and wheelset from the past 20+ years to 1x11.

Big picture: If the first thing you end up doing to a brand new $250 bike is slapping on a $250 fork, you should have just bought a $500 bike to start with. Factor in drivetrain upgrades you speak of, and you have wasted a LOT of money. The idea of using a Walmart bike as a platform for upgrades is a phenomenally expensive way to get to a decent bike. If you want a bike with a modern fork and modern drivetrain, just spend the money up front and get it.

Originally Posted by grizzly907la

I know that this a bit off topic, but what is a tapered fork and why is it advantageous to mounting biking? Thanks!