Picking out my first MTB

[jpwebster]

 Hello there, I am a beginner rider who has ridden a couple times at local trails. I’m now looking into buying my own bike to start getting more into MTB as I am already falling in love with the sport. I am going to be riding this bike on single track trails in Central New York and also will be riding it downhill at our local ski slope which opens up MTB trails in the summer through their woods (Greek Peak). I was looking at mainly hardtail bikes as my budget is under $1000. I was looking at a DB Overdrive Comp or DB Hook. I’am looking at this bike to last me the next 2-3 years before I either upgrade parts or a new bike. I am just looking for a great quality bike for nice downhill trails for under $1000.

[Alvin Mullen]

Those bikes would be okay for regular trail riding, but for actual downhill they both have fairly steep head angle (68 degrees) and coil spring forks. You really should have around 65 degrees or even slacker for actual down hill and a full air fork.

[Worman86]

I ride the Overdrive Comp for my hardtail and it is a great bike for the money. Especially considering it’s on sale for 749.99 on DB website right now. I liked the 1×11 setup better on the Overdrive compared to the Hook 1×8 or 1×9 depending on what year Hook you were looking to purchase. These bikes are definitely more XC type bikes and would do great for the Singletrack but less than ideal for the downhill. The only thing I have changed on my Comp is converting to tubeless and everything else still works great after a year of riding. Hope this helps and good luck with the new bike.

[jmozer]

I would definitely start with a full suspension bike I recommend the one you can lock the rear suspension specially because upgrade the same bike later wouldn’t be a smart move, Spend a little bit more get a better bike with better components.  You can put the $1000 down and finance the rest with a specialize card 12 months no interest  that’s how I got my bike. Good luck.

[blundar]

Your best bet at your budget in my humble opinion is to go to your local bike shops and test ride different hardtails from different shops. The most important part on these bikes would be the forks. A good fork makes a huge difference. Try not to get a spring fork, air fork will be much better.

I am not crazy about direct sales order bikes. I had a good experience with mine because I have decent bike maintenance skills. I have seen some bad experiences too. Good customer service, the initial tune-up, and break-in re-tune will make your first MTB riding experience much more enjoyable and trouble free. In addition to that, if you have any problems at all later on, having a good local bike shop is invaluable.

 

[BBelfield]

Get the best hardtail your 1g will afford and rent a bike at the lift access park. You’d be better off finding a more trail- all mountian oriented hardtail if you want to progress your riding on the same bike for a while. The diamondback may seem like a good deal but it’s not any better quality then a fuji or bike direct model

[kay oh]

Just a few words of advice:

(1) LOCAL. BIKE. SHOP.

They know what they’re doing, you don’t (yet), and bike fit is important.

(2) BUY ONCE, CRY ONCE.

This is not a cheap activity, but the incremental approach can lead to spending more on a series of bad bikes than you would on one decent bike. I know this because I’m guilty of it. Turns out I don’t miss the money I spent on the bike I wanted all along.

(3) GEOMETRY.

Make sure your equipment is designed for the terrain. You might not like how a CC bike handles at a ski park.

Have fun!

 

 

[lawmanfl]

Definitely used or new/old year model is your best bet…….by far.  Hard tail is good for trails, but not for Down hill.  Look on Craig’s List, E-bay, or go to a shop and ask if they have old models still around.  A lot of people buy great bikes, and never use them.

I found a used $3,000 BMC Speed Fox on Craig’s List for $900.00, and a $6,000 Cannondale Jekyll for $2,000.  The Jekyll or Trigger are great because you can change the suspension and geometry with one button.  I found the Jekyll on E-bay from a deal in New York City that was brand new but 2 years old.  Many dealer have to stock all the models, but in certain locations they don’t sale.  The BMC owner broke his collar bone after 3 rides, and never road it again.

For down hill you need a slacker bike with 140-160 inch of travel that can take the beating.  Good to have a chain guide as well.

I hope it helps.

 

[cubebike]

Check craigslist, ebay and pinkbike. You can find all kinds of hardtails and full suspension bikes for under $1000

[swffjvl]

I just bought my first MTB. I bought just a DB Overdrive 27.5 due to the fact it’s going to be gental trails, easy riding. I’m at the 60 yr mark, so not looking for hard riding, to make the story short, I like it allot. Price was right for the use it will be put to.

[Author]

Posts