so, after not getting a mtb last fall, i'm in the market to buy one again...

for the most part, i doubt it'll be used for much more than tooling around town...going down dirt roads...riding down some relatively tame trails and paths...maybe do some riding in the sleet, snow, and salt during winter. last time i asked, people suggested i get a hardtail...or they suggusted bikes like the titus racer-x, titus motolite, santa cruz superlight, santa cruz blur, specialized epic line, gary fisher hifi line, and the yeti 575.

any other advice? what specific bikes would be a good fit for my needs? are those bikes listed above the best bikes for my needs?

thanks!

Budget?

i haven't set one...but the lower the better. because i'd also like to guy myself a cyclocross bike, touring bike, and get some cycling related gear this summer/fall. i have considered the complete build titus racer-x...which is expensive as all heck...but certainly no higher than that!

A CX bike would be able to do everything you listed above.

Motolite, Superlite and 575 would all definitely fall in the 'do-it-all' category. If those are in your budget, you'd be hard-pressed to go wrong with any of the three. They may be a notch or two above what you'll be asking a bike to do, though, and there are definitely capable bikes at a lower price-point.

what would be a good bike at a lower pricepoint?

comfortably? i'm not convinced that i could ride an aluminum cx bike on a bumpy/rocky trail for 1-2 hours and not feel it in my hands and butt. my hands get unhappy when i just go down the streets on my roadbike for a few hours (mostly because michigan roads suck, but still).

I wouldn't waste the money using those bikes for:

Just get an old steel MTB, fix it up and it'll be fine for the riding you described.

i was thinking about getting a gunnar rockhound used that was pretty cheap....but he measured the standover height for me...i'd only have 1" if clearance with my shoes on. is that pretty much unacceptable?

What is pretty cheap? The Gunnar Rockhound is a great frame, probably not the best for longer road rides. I really have enjoyed mine.

$450 complete...frame is in good shape...almost new condition. only thing is, i think it looks HORRIFIC! the frame color and fork color offends all five senses. however, it's a good deal. only problem is...it's $450 paper weight if it doesn't fit me. is the once 1" clearance too small? that's as low as my roadbike standover height.

What year? Disc brake tabs? Components? I bought my frame (2006) for $325 off eBay and it came with a Thomson seatpost. For $125 more I stripped and powder coated it candy blue. I would say $450 is a great price for the entire bike.

You'd be surprised. Don't be too concerned with the frame material. CX bikes take bigger tires which will absorb a lot of the bumps. I ride my CX bike a lot on Paint Creek & Clinton River Trail without problems or discomfort.

not sure on compoents...mix of xt and lx, if i remember right. doesn't matter though. i waited too long...he just sold it.

Agreed.

what would you guys suggest? i want to bike around town...bike on singletracks...dirt roads...unpaved paths (dirt, rock, wooded, whatever)...take it out in the winter...stuff like that. no extreme jumping...no flying down sheef cliff like hills at breakneck speeds...no stunts. maybe small jumps...modest downhill speeds, on modest grades...some climbing for sure...and just rough terrain.

can anyone suggest models?

i really liked that gunnar rockhound...even if it was ugly and might have been a tiny bit too big...should have snatched it up. should i go hardtail or full suspension?

right now i'm looking at a 2004 santa cruz blur...a salsa el santo...a deal on a 2008 santa cruz blur lt...a titus racer-x...and a 2007 specialized epic.

but maybe all those bikes are too much bike for my needs? help please!

Thise first three would be good for what your looking for, the Salsa you would have to build up. I think new those frames are around $1,000 + parts and stuff.

From what you are describing a HT would fit your needs at half the price as an equivilant FS. I own a Superlight and love it, but my Steel HT is all I'd need if my worst riding was on tame trails and dirt roads. You can get a very nice HT for $1200-$1500 a midlevel SL for $2500 to $3000.

Furthur, I'd never ride either bike in salt. Get a beater $300 bike if you must ride on salted roads.

hardtail? any suggestions?

In reality, for the use your describing, all the mentioned bikes above are way overkill and for more serious riding. Not to mention the price. For what your gonna use it, I would just get a $350-$400 hardtail, any of the big brand names Trek, Giant, Specialized, etc. They can take more punishment then you can dish out provided you are not a super heavy person. Before I got my $4K Blur, I once raced a $350 hardtail, 45 miles, with 8,000 feet of climbing and some semi-technical descents, a 6+ hour ride, and it lived through it. And I still own it. Now it serves as my winter training bike. Save your money for when you really get serious and you know what you want.

Depends what you want to spend. While the $400 Trek 4300 might do, you might really enjoy a $1000+ HT.

The mantra in the ski world is: Demo, demo, demo. This mantra is also true for the bike world.

Start with the big boys: Trek, Specialized, Giant, Kona. Then see what else is out there. Want something sweet, go for a steel HT. Salsa makes one. Google is your friend. For additional advice follow the link in my sig or try Mtbr.com forums.

Ride and then decided.

i tried out a specialized hardtail (can't remember the model) and a specialized epic comp from my LBS on some trails and hills. call me wussy, but man...that full suspension was a much nicer ride! so plush! it's like i was riding in a rolls royce or something.

but everything i have read on the internet would suggest a hardtail is the better option. LBS rep says hardtail is obsolete...

Dual suspension for what you intend to use the bike for could be overkill. If you do get a dual suspension stay along more of the cross country lines and not a freeride bike. Have you tried a top end steel(jamis dragon pro, kona kula deluxe) or Ti bike yet? The LBS guy might get paid on his sales selling a epic for 2200 is alot better the a stumpjumper for 1400.

absolutley a full suspension would be plusher ride. But you describe mostly smooth terrain and light riding. So you could end up with a 4" travel up front and back and you'll only end up using about 1" of it. On a hardtail you can run a larger tire with a lower pressue tire and get plush ride on the same smooth terrain.

Bad idea, dude! I tried out some $2000 bikes and thought they were nice...until I demoed a Yeti, and now I'm eating ramen and mac n' cheese! Now you can't go back!

Haha, kidding of course. If you have the money to burn and think you'll get more into mountain biking, go for it. Blurs and Racer-X's and the other bikes you named are fantastic bikes. BUT...and there's a huge but...that's a lot of bike to be riding on what you mentioned (says the girl who isn't really a good enough rider to justify buying a Yeti, but loves it anyway). I would never take my nice bike tooling around town...especially if I was using it as transportation. Even with a lock, a Racer-X sitting outside a store (even for 5 minutes) is screaming "STEAL ME!" I use an old $300 hardtail for that. I also would never ride a bike that nice in salt. That's looking to ruin a nice bike...and not ruining it by accidentally breaking it on a ride, but ruining it to ride on the road.

Also keep in mind an FS is less efficient. Even those with the intelligent suspension (Specialized's is the Brain...and all the other companies have one too, but I can't remember their names) bob when pedaling hard. If you're not going to use the suspension, don't waste your money on it. Even if you choose to lock it out...if it's locked out 99% of the time...why have it? For the 1%?