please help

Tagged: ,

Viewing 10 reply threads
  • Author
    Posts
    • #76276

      Same ole question what bike.. iam a 49 year old female 5’8" 185 and maybe a little more): I am a coach at a high school and i am pretty athletic and do not want a women’s bike…to small.

      I will not be flying down any hills or jumping off cliffs with the bike. Mostly single track and a few hills here in Georgia.

      I have want fs and I have up to 2600ish to spend. I want a bike that in 2 years if I need to sell that I want get killed… just mugged so resale value??

      I have looked and ridden the follow

      09 stumpjumper fsr comp
      09 Giant anthem 2 and 3
      Mongoose canaan elite
      08 demo specialized epic elite

      Again I will be glad to look at anything suggested.. the mongoose had gereat specs, but it is a mongoose?? i loved the anthem 2 but better than stumpy??? the bike shop was pushing me towards giant.. They sell both specialized and giant..

      the 08 epic is a demo they have??

      Well folks please help….

    • #76277

      Welcome upi!

      I don’t know much of the Mongoose bikes but Mongoose (the person) is a very reliable source. I’m not a huge fan of Specialized but i’m sure they’re both great Bikes now Anthems i have actually taken one for a ride and loved it. although, you should explore the less known brands out there. you could get a mind blowing bike for within that $2,600 and, its always cool to be pedaling something you won’t see anybody else on the trail riding.

      you’ve expressed that you don’t want a women’s bike but, i do suggest whatever bike you do end up with replacing the saddle (seat) with a women’s specific saddle designed to support you body better and make the ride more comfortable and with that the experience will more enjoyable overall. My girlfriend learned this the hard way. Just a suggestion but i think its a worthwhile investment especially if you plan to spend alot of time on that bike.

      good luck!

    • #76278

      From the list given Id go with either one of the Specialized, they seem to hold their value very well. The decision from there would be the components I guess, personally I wont buy any shocks or forks anymore that I cant adjust, ie; air, etc.

      Giant is a good brand but has always kind of been in the shadows of Specialized and Santa Cruz, etc.

    • #76279

      I see the Gary Fisher Hifi and the Trek EX8 listed – I own one of those and my buddy rides the other, so speaking from my experience, the hifi wins hands down. 😉

    • #76280

      Just my two cents . . .

      If you mention possibly selling in two years, I’d suggest dialing down the budget a little. If you put a ceiling of maybe $2,000 you can still get a really good ride with money left over for maintenance and incidentals / customization. That’s also $600 bucks less to worry about for recooping costs if you resell.

      If you put money into a good frame, with good core essentials (brakes and deraileurs) it will be with you for a LONG time. Most of the time when you pay more, you may be getting a lighter bike, but not necessarily a better bike in term of comfort or gear.

      I’ve posted it else where: the bottom line is buy a bike that feels right to you. If you can do this at a cost you feel is appropriate, you’ve got a winner!

    • #76281
      "Jason_B." wrote

      I see the Gary Fisher Hifi and the Trek EX8 listed – I own one of those and my buddy rides the other, so speaking from my experience, the hifi wins hands down. 😉

      I actually test rode both and liked the feel and handling of the trek better. 😃

      I hope you really aren’t expecting too much in resale in 2 yrs. Bikes do not really hold value that well – another good reason to buy used. What you can do is buy a bike with good components and then upgrade the frame only in a couple years and re-use as much of the old components as possible.

    • #76282

      I love my HiFi and recommend it for what you are describing. Ask mongoose, the thing is stupid light but will take a good beating. Its all about geometry though, what may feel good to me may be very uncomfortable for you.

      I wouldn’t recommend buy new if you plan on selling it in a few years. Alot of what you pay for is the warranty which does not pass on to the new owner. Bookoo value loss there. Not to mention wear and tear.

      Consider the discounts being given now for brand new 08 bikes. I picked up my hifi for 1800 that was 2400 msrp. Thats a 25% loss over a year with out a single mile. See what I am getting at? Buying a bike makes no fiscal sense at all 😀

      Buy what feels comfortable and makes you happy regardless of brand. Specially if you are spending that kind of money. Have fun shopping1!

    • #76283

      I have the HIFI too and I love it!! I would definitely recommend it. Also, have you considered a 29er? Its the future of XC riding, and will give you a big riding advantage on technical xc trails.

    • #76284
      "Beaker" wrote

      [quote="Jason_B.":ehjrt6dx]I see the Gary Fisher Hifi and the Trek EX8 listed – I own one of those and my buddy rides the other, so speaking from my experience, the hifi wins hands down. 😉

      I actually test rode both and liked the feel and handling of the trek better. 😃
      [/quote:ehjrt6dx]
      LOL!
      Well, to be honest, I have wider handlebars on my Hifi and I think the lack of them on my buddy’s EX8 was what was messing with the feel of the bike for me. In the end both are great bikes for sure.

    • #76285
      "upi44" wrote

      Same ole question what bike.. iam a 49 year old female 5’8" 185 and maybe a little more): I am a coach at a high school and i am pretty athletic and do not want a women’s bike…to small.

      I will not be flying down any hills or jumping off cliffs with the bike. Mostly single track and a few hills here in Georgia.

      I have want fs and I have up to 2600ish to spend. I want a bike that in 2 years if I need to sell that I want get killed… just mugged so resale value??

      I have looked and ridden the follow

      09 stumpjumper fsr comp
      09 Giant anthem 2 and 3
      Mongoose canaan elite
      08 demo specialized epic elite

      Again I will be glad to look at anything suggested.. the mongoose had gereat specs, but it is a mongoose?? i loved the anthem 2 but better than stumpy??? the bike shop was pushing me towards giant.. They sell both specialized and giant..

      the 08 epic is a demo they have??

      Well folks please help….

      UPI44
      I guess the first question I would ask is if you are certain you will ride the bike enough to justify the amount of $ you are talking about. If you are not sure, you may want to look at a lower end bike. My first bike was a Giant AC; FS bike for under a $1000. I believe that model has morphed into the Yukon nowadays. My AC was a good solid bikes, a tad heavy, with not quite the latest greatest components. Good bargain.

      My GF bought a Specialized woman specific FS bike a few years ago for around $1300 (sorry can’t remember the model).. Unfortunately, it looks brand new and collects a lot of dust.

      If you think you can justify a higher end bike, get the one that feels best when you are in the saddle.

    • #76286

      Resale value on bikes is pretty poor even in the good brands. I would not base a bike purchase decision on potential resale. If you get something you like the first time, chances are you will want to keep it – so the resale point is not valid. The bikes I really like I have had for 12 years, 10 years and 5 years. There are lots I have only had for a year or 2.

      My advice to anybody buying a bike in this price range is always:

      Pay an independent coach/bike fitter for a real fitting. It will cost 100 to 200 bucks but it is worth it. It will usually take an hour or 2 and they will take tons of measurements.

      Ride lots of bikes that your bike fitter says will be appropriate – buy the one you like the feel of. You will know — it will "click"

      If you can’t feel any difference between the bikes – spend less money and go down spec or used. Your riding skills have some growing room left. Your bike tastes will morph as your skills progress.

      A moot point – lots of mountain bikes in this middle-upper price range are made in the same factories, just in different production runs. Brand means less than most people think.

      I hope this helps and Good Luck

Viewing 10 reply threads

You must be logged in to reply to this topic.