1st bike – short list – need help

[clay2k]

I have checked out a few bike shops in the area and have gotten down to a few bikes that feel good to ride (at least in the parking lot). Want to make sure I get the best for my money and will last me a few years. I am new to this, so not sure what all is important for my needs. for example: I live in south florida, am I going to know the difference between 8 speed vs. 9 speed or mech disk vs. hydrolic?…I live in south florida not utah or north carolina.

I welcome any comments, suggestions, warnings:

Cannondale Trail SL3 $875
Giant Revel 0 $650
Trek 6000 $799
Trek 4300 disk $550

Thanks for any help you can give me!

[John Fisch]

If you’re equally comfortable on all these bikes, go with the shop you think is the best. Good service after the sale can be a big part of the MTB experience, especially if you’re new to the sport.

As for your specific models:
Trek 4300 disk–if you end up riding much and liking it, you’ll probably outgrow this one pretty quick.

Trek 6000–This is usually a very good entry-level choice that you can grow with.

Giant Revel 0 $650–Giant usually does a good job with providing the best bang for the buck, especially at this price point. If you’re concerned with getting the most for your money, this is probably your best bet.

Cannondale Trail SL3–Cannondale is kinda’ the opposite of Giant in that they will usually cost more for a similarly specced bike. What they give you, however, is a fantastic frame that will perform well and last a lifetime.

As for discs vs hydraulics, you probably won’t notice much difference in the relatively flat terrain of south Florida.

As for 8 vs. 9 speed, definitely spring for the 9 speed–smoother, faster and easier to find replacement parts for and upgrade down the line if you so choose.

Even though you live in south Fl, don’t sell yourself short; if you end up taking a liking to the sport, you’re going to want to take the bike elsewhere once in a while–you’ll want something you can really have fun on when you wander up to Georgia or Carolina.

[steve32300]

Hello clay2k,I want to welcome you to singletracks.com,I am Steve,one of several moderators here on singletracks.skibum has a good point,don’t sell yourself short because it won’t take too long before you find yourself at the trails thinking you can ride more and more.Its been my experience that hydraulic brakes are just the greatest even if it may be overkill in which case I don’t think that.Like I said,it won’t take long and you’ll be riding harder and looking for more adventure every time you ride.I think the biggest thing you want to make sure of is getting a bike with a frame that feels good and works for you that fits.You can always upgrade components as they breake,wearout or get outgrown by your riding skills.You deffinately will want to go 9 speed,10 speed is already going viral so you won’t want to be too far behind that band wagon.Keep us updated on situation,we just love to listen,learn and share here on singletracks…

P.S. buying mountain bikes is kinda like skydiving,you don’t want a cheap parachute once your about ready to pull the rip cord and open the chute,hahahahaha.

[clay2k]

Thanks guys…I’m sure you are right about getting out of Florida. My folks live in Greenville, SC so I am sure I’ll be hauling my bike up there.

Based on what you guys are telling me (9 speed)…I am leaning towards the Cannondale or Trek 6000. Each are at different shops, so any tips on what to look for in a shop?

Neither have been reviewed on Singletracks.com,
both have a service area covering a large part of the store,
both spent a good 15 minutes talking to me about what to look for in a first bike and offered test rides.
Both seemed knowledgable to me.

Thanks again for your help

Clay

[Dustin Gaddis]

Be sure you stop in the Augusta, GA area to ride sometime when going to visit your folks! http://www.sorbacsra.org for details (FATS!!!)

What to look for in a shop:
-Employees friendly?
-Do they host rides during the week?
-How long have they been around?

And very importantly:
-Are they involved in local advocacy? Are they IMBA members? Do they help sponsor local events, work parties, etc?

In other words, do they give back to the local scene, or are they just selling stuff?

[limetownjack]

Also I think it’s important to mention, since somebody else mentioned it and since you are new to MTB, that Florida does have a lot of really good mountain bike trails. I know that sounds crazy and when I first moved to the area I didn’t believe it either but you don’t HAVE to drive four hours to find good single track. There are two IMBA Epic trails in Florida ,Santos in Ocala and Alafia in Brandon, for example. I could name all the awesome trails in Florida (there’s a lot more then you’d think) but it would be easier to just search "Florida" here on singletracks and look at the reviews.

[Author]

Posts