0 points (view top contributors)
Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
Exactly like that. I’m picturing something made from thick, woven nylon or duck cloth. Maybe with velcro straps to secure it to the wheels.
I’m very curious to know the answer to this too! Having hauled my fat bike on a trailer hitch rack during winter, I hate the idea of snow, slush, and salt getting sprayed all over my wheels, brakes, and rear derailleur.
So, I thought I typed up and submitted a reply, but apparently something went wrong… Sorry if it double posts. Anyways, here are my thoughts:
I wouldn’t recommend the Hook or the Tokul 2. They both have a very limited range of gears (1×8 and 1×9 respectively). Since you said a good amount of riding will be long distance/commuting, you’ll find yourself running out of gears as you get up to higher speeds.
The Talon 3 and the Overdrive both have 3×8 drivetrains. These 3×8 drivetrains are a bit outdated and out of fashion, but they will give you a much wider range of gears for a variety of riding types.
If you can find a Raleigh Tekoa Comp for a good price (it’s currently $999 on Amazon, but I got mine for $600), I would highly recommend that bike. It is a XC oriented bike, but handled singletrack very well. It has a 1×11 drivetrain with good components, a decent fork, and good hydraulic brakes. The Tekoa Comp was the bike I purchased a year and a half ago as I got back into mountain biking. I sold it a few months later to get a full suspension trail bike, but I still stand by the Tekoa Comp as a very solid starter bike.
I own and ride a Diamondback Release 3. I definitely had the same concerns that you have about getting the right bike without trying it first. My only experience with mountain bikes before my Release 3 were a 1998 Schwinn Moab 3, and briefly a Raleigh Tekoa Comp, both hard tails. I figured since the components and geometry of the Release 3 were comparable to more expensive models from other brands, there wouldn’t be a huge difference in how the bike rides. Like others have said, the bike is heavier than other options (a problem that the 5C likely solves to some extent), but for the price and components, I feel it was a bargain. Since the 5C has similar geometry, and even higher quality components, I am confident you will really like how the bike handles on the trails. Just make sure you take lots of measurements to get the right size frame. I imagine you could also demo some similar bikes to get a feel for different frame sizes. Worse case scenario, since buying the bike direct at a lower price, you could always sell the bike without taking a huge loss if it doesn’t work out for you. I did this with the Raleigh Tekoa Comp. Purchased directly from Raleigh on sale, realized that I needed more of a trail oriented bike, and sold it for just slightly less than what I paid for it. Good luck to you and enjoy riding your new bike!
This time of year? Leaves.
You’re out enjoying the cool autumn weather, riding singletrack in a calm, quiet forest, when suddenly… BBBZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ. That frustrates me way more than it should, to the point where I’ll stop to fish out the leaves that are caught up in my frame, fork, chain ring, etc. And, of course, another 30-40 feet down the trail after taking off again… BBBBBZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.
I also use a bell for most rides. I’ve got a Timber! mountain bike bell, which has a fantastic switch feature. I love the quiet and solitude of mountain biking, so if the trails are empty, I’ll turn the bell off. And since I’m not the kind of person that likes to yell out or hoot-n-holler while out of the trail, so it’s nice having a bell to announce my presence for me.
Direct to consumer bike manufacturers can be a good way to go. You can avoid the mark up from the local bike shop (even though it goes against supporting your LBS unfortunately) and get more bike for the money. I’ve been very pleased with my two Diamondback bikes (one of which is a fat bike) purchased directly from their website. If you can find a corporate discount code online, you’ll save even more. It was hard to find a bike with equivalent components spec’ed at the same price point as Diamondback. Plus, they often have sales on their bikes too. Check out Raleigh’s fat bikes too for the same reason, although they are lower price/lower spec components.
