Wanna ride bikes?
//sad story
Some time around the age of 11, I outgrew my rad Huffy BMX bike and sold it at a garage sale. When I turned 12, my parents gave me a birthday card promising to buy me a new bicycle. We were in the process of moving to Oklahoma at the time, so bike shopping had to wait until we got here.
When we got here, I lived in a neighborhood where riding bikes wasn't a safe thing to do. We had a rental house, so the promise became "once we get a real house" and I had to wait. Then we moved to the country and had a gravel road with crappy ditches on either side, and the only traffic was wheat trucks driving 80mph down the street. This too was deemed unsafe, and my bicycle owning dream was left to rot in the wheat fields.
I'm 25 now. Still have the card, and damnit, I'm gonna get my bike. After all these years, my folks are still tired of me pulling the "oh, like that bike you promised and I never got" comment. They've offered to get me one, finally.
//end sad story
I need to get out of the house and <s>lose some weight</s>, do something physical. I'm looking for suggestions on a mountain bike or similar that can take the abuse of potholed roads and gravel. Any suggestions on something durable and strong? It seems that 10-speeds barely exist these days, and all the bike makers I used to know are the pits. Also, it needs to be below $300, as I understand the offer.
Some time around the age of 11, I outgrew my rad Huffy BMX bike and sold it at a garage sale. When I turned 12, my parents gave me a birthday card promising to buy me a new bicycle. We were in the process of moving to Oklahoma at the time, so bike shopping had to wait until we got here.
When we got here, I lived in a neighborhood where riding bikes wasn't a safe thing to do. We had a rental house, so the promise became "once we get a real house" and I had to wait. Then we moved to the country and had a gravel road with crappy ditches on either side, and the only traffic was wheat trucks driving 80mph down the street. This too was deemed unsafe, and my bicycle owning dream was left to rot in the wheat fields.
I'm 25 now. Still have the card, and damnit, I'm gonna get my bike. After all these years, my folks are still tired of me pulling the "oh, like that bike you promised and I never got" comment. They've offered to get me one, finally.
//end sad story
I need to get out of the house and <s>lose some weight</s>, do something physical. I'm looking for suggestions on a mountain bike or similar that can take the abuse of potholed roads and gravel. Any suggestions on something durable and strong? It seems that 10-speeds barely exist these days, and all the bike makers I used to know are the pits. Also, it needs to be below $300, as I understand the offer.
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Comments
I believe) It's a nice ride. It is rigid suspension i.e. none. But I've given the bike hell and it is still working fine to this day. What can I say. I've had it from the time I was twelve or so. Has a tad bit of rust, but that is to be expected I guess.
Also, Bikes Direct has some decent prices. Only problem is that their frames are all knockoff "Made in China" versions of the professional counterparts. Even some brands you'll find in bike shops, like Giant, are made in China though.
I checked out an Orbea at a local bike shop recently. It was really nice, but it's $1500. Ouch.
No more Huffy. Schwinn went overseas, too.
I'm not as knowledgeable on MTBs because I've done my research on road bikes and hybrids, but Bikes Direct does sell some MTBs.
The bike I've got now is a "mountain style" bike from "Vertical" at Target. It's made in China and has a sticker on it that says "not for off-road use."
In other words, I'd advise sticking to the higher end of that budget from your parents.
Also, here is a good write-up from one of our local bike shops about buying an MTB.
Here's a review of it.
I have a nice BMX bike with spinners
That guy selling the Hardrock on Craigslist wants too much money for it. You can get it new for $20-$40 more. The Hardrock is a good bike, though. If I were you, I'd narrow your search down to that model and see what you can find used. Or convince your folks to just buy it new for $370 or $390 (check the reviews at the second link). Inflation over the last 10 years has been cruel, you know
I have a GT mountain bike, and it's been great in the city. I just replaced the front tire with one that was still knobby, but had much less rolling resistance. Feels like a whole new bike
I'll keep checking craigslist, and I'll swing by our local bike store, Al's Bicycles, and see what they have to offer. They have a great reputation locally for outstanding customer service.
Honestly I don't like suspension, I prefer a rigid frame. Unless you are planing on riding down mountains you don't need them, just more stuff to break.
My family has bought three bikes in the last year so I have been keeping up with stuff.
Speeds, you will mostly see 18 and 21. It doesn't really matter.
Brakes, discs front and rear are nice. They will stop when they are wet. If you don't plan on ever being out in crappy weather then conventional cantilevers are fine.
I'll look up a few options for you.
Honestly you want to go with a name brand Mountain Bike if you want something decent. If you spend a little extra money you can get a real nice ride that will last you a lifetime and have room for upgrades if and when you deem it necessary.
I think Specialized gives you the best bang for buck. There's also Gary Fisher, Cannondale is making a comeback, Trek, and a slew of others. I'd throw a little money of your own in and spring for something nice over something cheap but thats just my opinion.
Within your pricerange...
http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?sid=07HardrockXC
Little more money but better components...
http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=22177
http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=22091
The main thing that changes as you go up in price are frame materials and component weight. I would sacrifice component quality intially for a better frame as that will make the largest difference in weight and overall durability of the bike. You can upgrade the components fairly cheaply here and there as you go down the line as needed. I would avoid the idea of buying a 'cross bike' as its really the worst of both worlds between a cruiser and mtn bike. Get yourself a mountain bike, go for an aluminum frame from a reputable company, have somebody that knows what they're doing size you on the bike.
Alternatively, I'm a big fan of buying used things to conserve on spending money. To be honest if I was buying a bike now, I'd go to a specialty place like Cylce and Fitness to see what they have. I'd then check the newspapers and Craig's list to see if there was something similar for cheaper.
Don't buy from Target or Wal-Mart, or any of that jazz. It's all extremely heavy crap and hard to fix yourself if something does go wrong. Trek's and Gary Fisher's are lightweight so you don't have to expend all your energy just getting the things to move, and most of them have pedals designed to put the chain back onto the gear if it pops off in motion (very useful).
Personally, I'd go with the recommendation Lawn made of kicking in some of your own money and buying the quality.
Spokey Dokes.
//edit: Closest modern equivalent I could find (top/main one)
No worries about buying a drug store bike... Mom worked in a bike shop back in the day and has seen a lifetime's worth of bent rims, twisted forks and cheap derailers. I figure bikes are like buying tools. Buy a good one and it'll last you a looooong time.
http://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/bik/440369398.html
It's down to $300. I wonder if I could get it for $250? I'd tolerate yellow for that.
QFT
Also, I think it needs to be noted that Keebler's bike has not only survived 6+ years of use, but 4 years of constant theft. :-D
Thanks!
With a sissy bar!
Schwinn sold their name to either Huffy or Magna or some other cheap brand, I believe they are only sold at Walmart, possibly at Target, but I don't think so. This happened around 2002 or 2003. So, in other words, Schwinn is no more, but the cheap brand gets to defile the Schwinn name with $100 bikes, pathetic.
I had got a Schwinn in 2001, a Mesa GSX, top mountain bike of the Mesa line without disc brakes (which was sort of a mid line bike in the line anyway). 27 speeds, red walls, cushy front suspension, uberly low gear. I love that bike. But now, ahem I see you got one already? ahem, Trek (also Gary Fischer), Specialized, and Releigh are all good companies. Releigh I believe makes a lot of crossover mountain-city, with nice suspension, comfort, taller and skinnier tires than standard 26" mountain bike tires. I must admit I haven't looked into bikes in quite sometime, although I was interested in a crossover just to have a tougher road bike for an occasional ride.