Should I get this bike
08-16-07, 10:38 PM
#1
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Should I get this bike
I am a road biker and am looking for a way to still be able to ride in the cold Minnesota weather this winter. Therefore I have decided to buy a mountain bike, since I have done a little of it before and like the thrill of trail riding. From the really nice post about buying a Mountain bike in this forum I have narrowed it down to these three hard tail bikes. They are from bikesdirect and I do think they would be best for a college student's budget.
Motobecane 700 HT
I like this one because of the XT RD and the Deore components.
Motobecane 600 HT
$50 less than the 700 HT, due to the drop in components.
Windsor Cliff 4700
A better FD than the 600 HT
My choice right now is the 700 HT. Should I pull the trigger?
Motobecane 700 HT
I like this one because of the XT RD and the Deore components.
Motobecane 600 HT
$50 less than the 700 HT, due to the drop in components.
Windsor Cliff 4700
A better FD than the 600 HT
My choice right now is the 700 HT. Should I pull the trigger?
08-17-07, 05:57 AM
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I am a road biker and am looking for a way to still be able to ride in the cold Minnesota weather this winter. Therefore I have decided to buy a mountain bike, since I have done a little of it before and like the thrill of trail riding. From the really nice post about buying a Mountain bike in this forum I have narrowed it down to these three hard tail bikes. They are from bikesdirect and I do think they would be best for a college student's budget.
Motobecane 700 HT
I like this one because of the XT RD and the Deore components.
Motobecane 600 HT
$50 less than the 700 HT, due to the drop in components.
Windsor Cliff 4700
A better FD than the 600 HT
My choice right now is the 700 HT. Should I pull the trigger?
Motobecane 700 HT
I like this one because of the XT RD and the Deore components.
Motobecane 600 HT
$50 less than the 700 HT, due to the drop in components.
Windsor Cliff 4700
A better FD than the 600 HT
My choice right now is the 700 HT. Should I pull the trigger?
08-17-07, 04:58 PM
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Is there a decent used bike market in your area? At that price point (~$400-450), you might be a little better off with an older hardtail, assuming you can do a little wrenching yourself. Last winter I picked up a cosmetically rough but very sweet 1999 XTR/XT Voodoo Bizango (fully rigid) with nice Mavic wheels for $380 or so....
Weak points with all the bikes bikes are the Dart fork, Tektro brakes, and off-brand wheels. Good V-brakes will probably be less of a pain to keep adjusted than low-end mechanical discs. Drivetrain isn't bad at all (anything Deore or LX or higher will be fine, generally). I don't think they're bad deals at all -- it's just difficult to find a really off-road worthy bike at that price point. You'll probably go through a bit of a cycle of breaking and replacing some of the components, although there's nothing wrong with upgrading as you go. Good luck!
Weak points with all the bikes bikes are the Dart fork, Tektro brakes, and off-brand wheels. Good V-brakes will probably be less of a pain to keep adjusted than low-end mechanical discs. Drivetrain isn't bad at all (anything Deore or LX or higher will be fine, generally). I don't think they're bad deals at all -- it's just difficult to find a really off-road worthy bike at that price point. You'll probably go through a bit of a cycle of breaking and replacing some of the components, although there's nothing wrong with upgrading as you go. Good luck!
