Beginner "What bike should I get?" Thread

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Beginner "What bike should I get?" Thread
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flag arphia
O+
Posted: Dec 28, 2017 at 10:23 Quote
Ryans87 wrote:
Making to switch to FS this coming year need help making a decision. Narrowed my choices to.

Scott spark 720

Santa cruz 5010

Giant trance 2

Giant stance 1 (although cheaper I feel it would need at least a brake upgrade) and not very fond of th color

Of those I would go with the Trance or the Santa Cruz because I prefer the maestro/vpp instead of single pivot on the rear. If you like a single pivot then go with the Scott, the Stance looks like it could use a handful of upgrades right out of the store.
flag chickenrunz
Posted: Dec 28, 2017 at 11:44 Quote
Ryans87 wrote:
Making to switch to FS this coming year need help making a decision. Narrowed my choices to.

Scott spark 720

Santa cruz 5010

Giant trance 2

Giant stance 1 (although cheaper I feel it would need at least a brake upgrade) and not very fond of th color

Other than stance they are all good bikes Big Grin

From what you are writing i suspect you should include the SC Bronson, Trek Fuel, Trek Remedy
flag Ryans87
Posted: Dec 31, 2017 at 7:00 Quote
Had a chance to sit on a trek fuel, spark and 5010. Still need to find a trance locally.. lbs wouldn't even recommend the stance for my riding and even steered me away from the scott which he sells the most of..I think when the time comes a 5010 with a fox rhythem 34 will be the choice
flag C1Sweeney
Posted: Dec 31, 2017 at 16:18 Quote
At the moment I have my Raleigh Tokul 3 (120mm, Hardtail) and I've been researching and saving to upgrade to a full-sus rig. I live in the Bay Area so most of my riding is local trails, but I also ride at places like joaquin Miller and the UC trails in Santa cruz regularly. I am debating going with a shorter travel bike (likely 2017 Transition Scout) that would be more poppy and agile while still holding up to the bigger stuff, and maybe looking to add a dh/freeride bike in the future. Another Idea was to go for a mid travel trail/AM bike like the YT Jeffsey that could handle more than the scout while still not being a gun at a knife fight on mellow trails/ singletrack. The last idea I had was to go for a big mountain/enduro bike like the YT Capra which would likely be overkill on some mellower trails/ singletrack (like China Camp) but easily hold its own oh rowdier stuff like Mailboxes or General Ed. Most of the people I ride with have enduro bikes, but coming from a 120mm hardtail I'm not really sure what would be best for me.

Thanks in advance
flag Ryans87
Posted: Jan 22, 2018 at 17:24 Quote
Santa Cruz 5010 alum R build or save the $1k and get a yt jeffsy. So uncertain without seeing in person
flag Loki87
Posted: Jan 24, 2018 at 17:18 Quote
Ryans87 wrote:
Santa Cruz 5010 alum R build or save the $1k and get a yt jeffsy. So uncertain without seeing in person

Do you have any very specific requirements?
What i mean by that is, are you an experienced rider that is looking for something very specific in the bike like for example incredibly good high speed stability?
If the answer is no, go for the cheaper bike and invest the saved money into some nice bike vacation. I guarantee you the bike won´t be the limiting factor and some nice riding time is worth more than a boutique frame.
Also, spare cash for spare parts or other fun toys is always nice to have.
Bikes have become so incredibly good, there´s really no reason for a boutique brand other than image, which is fine for some people, but since you seem to care about the price i would not invest money just for that.
Also 1k leaves A LOT of room for upgrades down the line once you figured out what specific components you like/dislike. You can easily change the brakes for that kind of budget left. On a more expensive bike you´re more or less stuck with what you have unless you spend even more.
flag Ryans87
Posted: Jan 25, 2018 at 7:12 Quote
well I came from a dirt jump background and I live in the flatland so I don't want something that isn't going to pedal very well, most any bike will be enough for my riding ability. there is just to many options out there and a lot of them I cant test ride,

transition scout is looking good now too
flag mtbikeaddict
Posted: Jan 26, 2018 at 21:46 Quote
Hey. I have an XC (100mm) 29er HT. I'm looking at getting a beefier FS for the trails. I would also like to hit the local bike parks/harder trails, so need something that can stand up to abuse (more towards all-mountain/enduro), but a pedal-able bike would be nice. As a general estimate, what suspension range would that put me in? I was thinking 140-160mm. In specific, something like a 2010 Giant Reign X0 (170/160), 2014 Ghost Cagua 6550 (155/160), 2008 Knolly Delirium-T, or 2013 Rocky Mountain Altitude 750 (150/150). More in the front, more in the back, or evenly split? Thanks!
flag Mountainfrog
O+
Posted: Jan 27, 2018 at 10:37 Quote
More in the front and your range is about correct for what you are looking to do.
flag mtbikeaddict
Posted: Jan 27, 2018 at 16:18 Quote
Thanks. Would someone mind explaining characteristics of forward-biased, rear-biased, or evenly split, in regards to suspension and tires? I've tried searching it online, but answers are all over the board... typical Internet lol . More in front seems to be the prevailing opinion nowadays, with both tire grippiness and suspension travel. Just would like an explanation of how each setup affects performance and why more in front is better. I am assuming because it improves handling/ability to hold line/control?
flag chickenrunz
Posted: Jan 28, 2018 at 17:31 Quote
i would advise you to get something 2015 and above. in 2015 everything had revolutionary updates (from frame geometry to drive train to suspension tech [rockshox]).

basically anything 2015 or above with rockshox pike or anything 2017 and above with fox, you will not need to worry about brand, fron/rear, or anything.

on the other hand, if you get the above bikes you mentioned, a med end cross country bike from 2017 will be superior to those.
flag arphia
O+
Posted: Jan 28, 2018 at 18:37 Quote
mtbikeaddict wrote:
Thanks. Would someone mind explaining characteristics of forward-biased, rear-biased, or evenly split, in regards to suspension and tires? I've tried searching it online, but answers are all over the board... typical Internet lol . More in front seems to be the prevailing opinion nowadays, with both tire grippiness and suspension travel. Just would like an explanation of how each setup affects performance and why more in front is better. I am assuming because it improves handling/ability to hold line/control?

If your rear tire slides, youre drifting. If your front tire slides, you get a mouthful of rocks on the ground. Obviously you need traction on both ends, but you have less room for error on the front.
flag mtbikeaddict
Posted: Jan 29, 2018 at 8:02 Quote
chickenrunz wrote:
i would advise you to get something 2015 and above. in 2015 everything had revolutionary updates (from frame geometry to drive train to suspension tech [rockshox]).

basically anything 2015 or above with rockshox pike or anything 2017 and above with fox, you will not need to worry about brand, fron/rear, or anything.

on the other hand, if you get the above bikes you mentioned, a med end cross country bike from 2017 will be superior to those.
Ideally, I would like a newer bike, but I was just listing bikes in the classifieds near me. Oddly enough, no one near me is seeming eager to sell their nearly new high(ish) end bike for a huge discount... Wink Being size XL/XXL also makes things difficult. I found an ideal bike (2017 Trance 2) but it was a M/L
flag mtbikeaddict
Posted: Jan 29, 2018 at 8:03 Quote
Anyway, thanks everyone for the advice... I'll see what I can do. If you see a killer deal on an XL/XXL am/enduro full susser, let me know! Big Grin
Wait a second... who just swiped the Ghost I was looking at? It better not have been someone who's seen my post... Wink That was the only good deal I've seen... Frown Back to the drawing board...
flag Christiancrowley
Posted: Jan 29, 2018 at 9:22 Quote
Greetings, I'm looking for advice on finding a used bike. I'm currently riding a Specialized hardtail with 26" wheels, and my LBS estimates that an overhaul will cost more than a new bike. Most of my riding is commuting on paved trails and city streets (many potholes) with some hills. I'm 6'5" and weigh 180 lbs, so I'm looking for a bike that's a good fit for tall guy, and that can take fenders and a rack.

I live in Washington, DC, and I'd like to stay under $600 with shipping. Do you folks see anything on PB or eBay I should check out? Thanks for any advice!

 


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