Captain Crash

Yes, It is I! Captain Crash! Before I say anything, I would like to apologize to everyone who I bashed why they were trying to help me. I was in the wrong, and I'm sorry I didn't listen. Now, down to business...
Some of you may remember me defending my Walmart Mongoose Blackcomb as a good bike. Well, after riding it for a while, experiencing various breakages, then riding other bikes, I realized that department store mountain bikes just don't cut it. As a matter of fact, Department store bikes are crap.

Henceforth, now that I am 16 and old enough to work, I can afford to get another bike.

So, I'm looking for a decent bike. Under $650 if at all possible. Just for riding aggressive XC and sometimes bunny hopping stair sets. I ride hard, not sure if i will need rear suspension anymore. Whatever i get needs a solid frame and a good fork. Disc brakes are nice, but not necessary.

I don't know if this helps, but I'm 5'8" and 130 pounds.

Thanks in advance.

EDIT: After looking, I have decided to expand my price range to $1000. Doesn't seem to be much decent under that.

kramnnim

Jensen had '07 Jamis Dragon Comps for just under $1k...

cryptid01

aha, the non-prodigal son returns

Zan

Jamis Dragon Comp

or...

Trek 6500

if you're going for something under 1000$, i wouldn't recommend full suspension.

mtnbiker66

Who are you?

ca7erham

C'dale F4 or if you can find it cheap, the F3, or you could save some money and do like me and upgrade components (in the off season, using end of year stuff) with the money you saved by going with an F5.

junkyard

C'mon, you remember him, he's... um, uh... yeah, why should I remember you?

santiago

At a budget from $650 to $1000 you'll find some decent hard tails from any number of manufacturers. If I was in the market right now I'd look at Specialized, Kona, Trek and whatever the LBSes in my area had to offer.

At that price point you won't find much difference between them other than how they feel to you. Get the one that feels good. Everything will be a vast improvement over your last bike. Don't even bother with full suspension at this price and then go out and enjoy your bike.

ca7erham

I've just been thinking; wait 3 months, and build up a bike from scratch. When I was looking for a bike I priced a build using almost all XT components (during the off season at the end of last year when componants were cheaperish) for $700-900, depending on the brakes (complete hard tail build, minus fork and headset)

theextremist04

Gary Fisher Cobia, if you can find a local shop that has one. If not, the 6500.

DirtPedalerB

noone remembers you, but I'll put you on my conceded jerk list. somewhere below Cypress

ed 

Don't forget people...he also said THAT

...I'd say get a tougher bike. Definately not a Dragon, F4, or 6500.

An XC equipped bike would get a little grumpy at an urban assault.


Old Pisser-off'er: I'd say that if you truly are riding aggressive XC and jumping staircases...

Jamis Komodo II
Gary Fisher Mullet
Kona 5.0 (if you can stretch your 1k budget a bit or find a killer deal)
Kona Hoss


Or whatever other companies offer with trail bike geometry that can handle a whoopin'.




edit: I decided that a Clyde'tail was the right bike for me. I dumped my dually b/c it was sucking my will to live because of the smattering of little KS climbs. One fellow from that "other place" described Kansas trails quite well:

You're moving to the flatest part of the United States. The closest real downhill is a 10 hour drive to Colorado and our climbs are about 50'. We have a lot of them, but on any given ride you'll climb (and descend) 1,000 feet in 50' increments.


There is no real extended DH or even extended flat sections...it's just up/down/up/down/up/down/up/down/up/down...all the time where I ride.

I ended up building on a 2004 Jamis Komodo frame which resembles the Kona Hoss a great deal. It's gusseted in a few spots and there's decent sized tubing. I'm on a Fox Vanilla with AM wheelset and some Hone cranks with EA70/Thomson cockpit. I dunno what all that means to ya, but it sounds like a good type of bike for your description.

I'd say that a good bike for you won't be super-light, but light enough to ride all day and still take a beat-down.

DirtPedalerB

Marin b17 is a nice urban assault bike for cheap, not good for xc though ..

ed 

Not offered anymore?

Captain Crash

Wow, nobody remembers me?

I must have been gone longer than i remember...

I have looked at a cannondale prophet 4, I found a good deal on it for $950. Not a bad bike, and it seems to suit my purposes. I'm not looking for something i can do a 10 stair on or anything, really just like 2-5 stairs.

junkyard

No. Just unmemorable.

Zan

junkyard is so warm.

ed 

I'm personally not a fan of C-dale but the Prophet would be a decent choice for ya. Get it. Ride it.

ca7erham

Whats wrong with C'dale?!



Edit: I've just read in adventure cycling that they might be bought out by the same company that ruined Schwinn

ed 

Cannondale just doesn't fill my needs. Easy on the "!" I'm not attacking Cannndale. I had one. It was a good bike.

I'd prefer a similarly built Jamis over a Cannondale.

rankin116

Old news man, they were bought. By Dorel though, not Pacific. Dorel is Pacific's parent company though.

https://www.velonews.com/article/71784

ca7erham

I guess I should have read the article insted of scanning it. The artical says something to the extent of "ever sense". I didnt mean that you were attaking it (My last bike was a rigid with all STX parts built on a Jamis frame that I loved)

Captain Crash

After looking, I think I may just buy a frame or bike in good condition off of craigslist and build on that. It doesn't seem to be a point to buy a shiny new bike, it will just be caked with mud and scratched to heck in two weeks... I may buy a new frame if i see the need to. I guess now I'm looking at some good reccomendations for frames.

Zan

that's a really expensive path you're about to embark upon.

unless you get lucky.

---

when i was in the market for a AM bike, some people recommended the Brodie Bruzza to me. Check it out?

Captain Crash

I did some more looking today and turned up these. Remember, its for some xc and a small amount of dirt jumping, as well as some occasional not too hardcore urban assault.

Iron Horse G-OUT
Gary Fisher Wahoo
Diamondback Coil SS (the one I'm looking at has replaced wheels and pedals)

I can replace a bikes weak points, as long as the frame and fork are strong. It has to be lighter than this junk mongoose I've been riding around. (43 pounds!)

Yeah... Someone slap me if the bikes I listed are total junk.

Edit: After looking, I think I may just go with either the Gary Fisher Wahoo, or the Gary Fisher Piranha.