A Begginer’s Question – Would REALLY appreciate Feedback!

[oiler89]

I am 47 and an ex-Marine and if I would have known that mountain biking was so much fun, I would have done this a lot earlier in my life. A couple quick questions to you guys have a lot of experience.

1. I bought a bike around $375 as a starter bike and it has done wonders. What is the difference between one of these starters and the really high end bikes? What should I be looking for when I upgrade without being taken to the cleaners. I am in pretty good shape and have a lot of leg strength but I am also 210 lbs and I wonder sometimes if my bike is actually too light for me?

2. What are the best tires for roots and difficult trails? I try to do Caesar’s Creek in Ohio as much as possible but I still lack in some confidence when I go downhill because I believe my bike is taking way too much of a beating. ( Is that normal?) At times, I feel my pedals hit the tree branch and I get stuck.

3. Any suggestions of the type of bike I should try and upgrade to and size? I have a 26 inch but at times it still feels a tad small. I would really appreciate any feedback. You can also email me at: [email protected]

[pinkmtb]

Welcome to the sport!! You asked some loaded questions, and you will get so many different answers depending on the individuals preference.

Here is mine. i started last year with a decent $1000 bike. It was great, it got me going but i out grew it really fast. The components were so-so. Like anything else. the more expensive higher end you go the better, better components and they last longer and are just better. I build up that bike with better hubs, shifters, well, everything but the frame. Made a world of difference, the fork could handle more and I could do bigger stuff, shifting was better etc. This year i built a new bike and i cant even compare this bike from the other one. its more efficient, and just much better over all. So it really depends on what you can spend, get the best parts for your money, dont go cheap, they will just break or you wont like them and you will just end up spending more money in the long run. For tires, i use kenda nevegals and they are great.

get some mtb magazines, do alot of research, go to some shops and try some bikes, try some expensive bikes to see how they feel compared to the less expensive bikes.

[oiler89]

Thank you. I am going to look into some of those tires. Any magazines you would recommend?

[pinkmtb]

any mtb magazine you can get your hands on, the more you read the better. Each one will have different articles and reviews on different bikes, components etc. You will be able to weed out what mags dont help you and find ones that interest you and lead you where you want to go.

[Funrover]

Barnes and Noble – Just thumb through all the mags and narrow down what mag helps before spending the money.

Yes there is a difference in bikes, test the higher end ones (within a comfortable budget) and find out what you like/dislike. Go from there

I am 270 pounds and have both heavy/non heavy bikes. What it really comes down to is components. Sometimes the lighter is better sometimes not.

[brianW]

You could instead of up grading save the $$$$$ to purchase a better bike sooner. Check out your LBS for end of the year deals.

[pinkmtb]

in the spring my LBS has a swap meet, check to see if there are any around you?

[Gronckle]

I recently stepped up to my first full suspension bike But i rode for years on a $350 Hardtail. Great bike bike for everything I threw at it- I think it would certainly be better to save for a new bike than upgrade the older one slowly – if its a possibility. End of year deals are the way to go as mentioned above.

[dprz]

You didn’t mention the brand of the bike. All bikes can be upgraded with components. You will be pleasantly surprised with a quality upgrade. I went from SLX to XT shifters, front D and rear D, and I can tell the difference. Sometimes you find good deals on the net for full bikes or maybe you can build a frame up. To keep your pedals from hitting keep your crank parallel when you ride. This will give you clearance over obstacles once your tires have gone over. I use Nobby Nics on my ride they are good tires with some awesome grip to them. As far as a bikes goes: it really depends how much you want to spend. An Orbea 29er would fit you good, or a Cannondale Scalpel is also a good bike. I am 43, I ride a full suspension German made Bergamont, I chose full suspension because of my back, but it’s really all about personal preference. Ride hard.

[kyroush]

I realize the last post on this was Sep. of 2010, but I’m sure other beginners will read this…

I purchased a 29er and was told big wheels cover more ground, carry good mo, and roll over stuff better. And I wasn’t totally convinced until I went on my first ride with someone on a 26er. They had to work very hard on the smaller obstacles that I just bowled over, and I pedaled less to stay with him on the downhills… and we’re both pretty fit dudes. So, although you’ve probably changed your rig by now, other newbs reading this might consider the 29er. I’m lovin it!

Update: I’ve found out now though that it is a little tougher to cut tight corners and handle air with big wheels like that… but I still roll over junk real easy 😀

[Author]

Posts