Wildcard580

Hey guys I'm just getting into mountain biking and I need some help finding bikes for me and my girlfriend. I live in Florida so the riding isn't too extreme but I want to be able to go places and take it with me such as GA. and other places more north. Budget wise I'm looking to spend around $500 and I think she is looking around $300. I stand about 5'10" at around 155lbs and she is about 5'3" around 105lbs. Any help you guys can give would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

WannaGetGood

hardrock.

Wildcard580

Alright...

Care to maybe elaborate? How bout some pro's or con's. What I should look for, what to be careful of... I'm totally new to all this so I'm still learning things.

santiago

The $500 price point is your entry-level mountain bike. You are looking at hardtails from any of several manufacturers. In essence you should go to your local bike shop (LBS) and try the various bikes at your pricepoint from Specialized, Kona, Trek, Gary Fischer, etc.

The concensus by many is that the Specialized Hard Rock is a good buy. The fact is that at that price point you're not looking at much difference between any of the above. You should really go to try any of those but you won't go wrong by choosing any of the $500 hardtails you come across in a real bike shop.

Wildcard580

I'm going to try and hit up the LBS here in the next few days. There is not far from my place that a few local guys told me about. I have heard specialized mentioned several times so i'll check them out. When you say the hardrock, are you talking about the XC or the other one? Thanks.

junkyard

I'd suggest spending $700 on yours and $100 on hers. That way you get a better bike. And when she gets frustrated from her crappy bike, you'll also get some time away from her when you go mountain biking without her. Sweet deal.

cyccommute 

For around $500 look at the Rockhopper instead. The Hardrock is a good bike but it's built for punishment of the jumping/urban assualt kind so it's kind of heavy for flat XC riding. A Rockhopper will be a little more enjoyable and a bit faster. It can take some punishment...it's a mountain bike after all...just maybe not as extreme as the Hardrock.

Now, for her: I've fought the battle of bikes for small people. Fit can be an issue. But there is a more important issue in terms of weight. For you, a 40 lb bike is about 1/3 of your body weight. For her, a 40lb bike is about half That's a lot of weight for someone who doesn't have your muscle mass to be hucking around all day. It's not enjoyable and if something isn't enjoyable, most people will stop doing it. Be a good boyfriend and help her step up to the next level, i.e. give her the extra $200! Get the tank for you and something nicer for you. You'll score points for being sweet and it'll pay dividends later

There are lots of pretty good bikes in the $500 range that aren't pigs. Look for one that fits (I'd probably start with the Rockhopper but look at others) her well. If theyre are any fit issues with the bike, look at another brand.

Good luck!

born2bahick

santiago

Have the pygmies migrated to the U.S.?

zoeglassjd

I wish 40 lbs was 1/3 of my body weight!! Then again, maybe 120's a bit light for a 5'11" 31 year old man.

sherpaPeak

I think the Rockhopper would be a good option for you, as cyccommute suggested. Hardrock is a crappy bike anyway.

For your girlfriend, go with something lighter and possibly women specific.......Gary Fisher would be a good option. but I dont know what the specific model that would fit your budget. Trek 4300 or 4500 and Kona Fire Mountain would be some other good options for her.

good luck........

sherpaPeak

let me guess......you are in your 30s and still live with your parents....still collect boxed action figures.....and your dad buy you a new bike every X-mas......and the mean girl next door still gives you hard time.....

dont worry....not all girls are mean....you will know when you grow up and learn to share.....

santiago

Close. He's in his late 20s.

cyccommute 

No but his girlfriend is only 5'3" and 105 lbs. Bike weight makes a much larger difference for women then it does for guys and it's even worse when when the women are small. They don't have the muscle mass (even if they are the same size) as a man either. It's something to consider.

If Wildcard580 wants the same experience, let him go out and try to mountain bike on a 58 lb machine. That's what he'd need for a similar weight proportion. Other then downhilling, I don't know many people who'd willingly ride a 58 lb bike off-road.

junkyard

Wrong, wrong and wrong. I'm in my 20s, own my own place (have done so for a few years), am gainfully employed, do not own any action figures, bought all of my bikes and have a girl. In the future, please refrain from projecting your own insecurities onto others. It is quite transparent and awfully unbecoming.

santiago

Just one girl? Damn. Have to find someone else to live vicariously through.

junkyard

How many would it come out to in metric?

santiago

Alas, it is the same. Sort of like how -40C = -40F.

sherpaPeak

hi,
you can appreciate a joke....or am I wrong......If my miss directed joke offends you...I apologize....

I have no reason to doubt that you are an accomplished person......

sherpaPeak

also, how could I be condescending to a 2005 Kona Cinder Cone rider.......I religiously ride one myself.....and, I usually dont go against my own tribe.........

junkyard

No sweat. We're cool.
And I am sad to say, that one girl is one girl, metric or not.

santiago

I have the 2005 Kona Blast. I didn't want to spend too much on my first mountain bike.

sherpaPeak

To me, Frame is what matters the most....and Blast and Cinder Cone have the same frame.....I was also heading for the Blast because of my budget....then I got a deal on the Cinder Cone....Brand new for $500....could not pass it.....

to the original poster......sorry for hijacking your thread.....I will stop....If I have nothing to add to your question...

mlh122

Specialized Sucks...

Just kidding.

I'd second the motion of getting a Rockhopper over a Hardrock, if you're not going to be doing any jumping the Rockhopper should be a fine frame, I think they are lighter too. At at that price point though, fit will be more of an issue than brand or goodies. if you try bikes that fit, they won't feel that much different. Specialized, Kona, Trek, Giant, (GT and Schwinn LBS versions too) should be really similar.

I also second the motion of getting a better bike for your girlfriend. My wife found the rougher ride of a hardtail to be too rough and wouldn't go on more aggressive rides with me. I went on a few rides by myself and enjoyed the solitude. But I ended up getting her a full suspension ride to the tune of $1400, whilst I'm still rockin the V-brakes but now she rides every ride i do and she enjoys it. If I still want to ride in solitude I can ride when she's at work or get her a gift certificate to a beauty spa or something

Wildcard580

Well I went to one of the LBS today in my area and they are mainly a TREK dealer so we were looking at those. The guy working there showed us a few and I liked the TREK 4300 DISC while my g/f liked the 4300 WSD. There is a demo this weekend at 2 of the local parks so I think we're going to go and test ride them.