[irishwhite]

Hello all....I've noticed a lot of people on here ride a bicycle of some sort, so I thought I'd get some info from everyone and see where that takes me.

basically, my girlfriend and I are both interested in getting mountain bikes or something similar for some exercise. There are some decent trails around here that would be nice to ride around on, but understand we're talking paved/crushed gravel trails. Not the hardcore stuff you'd see on ESPN or anything like that.


So i stopped by a couple of local bike stores and I had in mind a $300 budget. Well, apparently that wasn't very realistic. The one store had a Specialized bike that they were selling for $380 (can't remember the model) and the other store had a Trek 3500 for a bit over $300. Trek 3500 - bikeline.com

I just don't know if these bikes are okay to go with or if there are any pitfalls to bikes in this range. The bikes are both front suspension, 21 speeds. I'd like something that will last a while under normal (light) use. my girlfriend on the other hand, seems content with going to walmart to get something cheap.

I'm sure there are simple questions you may have before suggesting a bike, and if that's the case please ask away!

[Ratmagiclady]

More a friendly bump than anything else, but not being up on current mountain bikes to begin with, and having just been poking around, well, it doesn't look like *crap,* depending what the money is to you, but I bet you can do a lot better for the same money on Craigslist. Get something, have it tuned up if necessary.


I'm suspecting you may be wanting a hybrid rather than a full-on-mountain bike for what you're proposing to do.

But maybe someone can help with that. So, bump.

[gramps50]

When I decided to do some biking last year I started looking at bikes for my wife and I. Had an old Wal-Mart mountain bike that I never did like. Went to a bike shop and had sticker shock as to what they get got the Giants, Treks & Specialized. her and I couldn't decide what to get so we decided to buy some used bikes. I bought 2 bikes for like $65. One was a Raligh and I don't remember what her little 20" bile was. Cleaned those up and started riding them. Still watching Craigslist to see what was going on and I found a Giant for $50, it needed a little work to get to shift right and had to replace the brake pads. Started riding it and did not take long to discover why the bike shop brands sold for more money. Long story short I kept buying low and selling a little higher until I finally came upon a couple of good deals and picked her and I up a couple of real nice Giants.

There are some good deals to be had on craigslist for bikes, people doing spring cleaning and just want to get the bikes out that they don't ride.

The bike shop bikes are lighter and better built, shift better and just a pleasure to ride. Remember one size does not fit all. Make sure you get a bike that fits. Here's a place to start http://www.bikewebsite.com/buyingabike.htm or do a Google search for bike fit.

[Parallax]

I own a bicycle shop. The two most important things to keep in mind are:

1. There is a HUGE difference in quality between any bike you buy in a bike shop and a bike you would get from Mal-Mart. (No, I didn't misspell anything )

2. There is virtually no difference in quality between brands of bike shop bikes assuming you compare bikes in the same price range. There are far more brands than there are manufacturers. That isn't to say they are all clones of one another. They will use different combinations of components and different frame geometries, so they will all have different ride characteristics.

The point is: Pick the one that YOU like the best. Any reputable shop will show you an assortment of bikes that are appropriate for the type of riding that you tell them you will do, explain the reasons for the price difference between the $300.00 bike and the $1,000.00 bike and the let you decide which is best for you. If you want to let an emotional tie to a particular brand be a tie breaker that is perfectly fine, but I wouldn't give brand consideration any more consideration than that.
I hope this helps some.

[seacapt]

I have 2 boys who actively try to destroy bikes . The Walmart crap is usually not well assembled and just doesn't hold up. They have some good name brands with crap component models made exclusively for Walmart.
The entry level Trek , Gary Fisher , K2 etc. at a bike shop is a better piece of gear than the top of the line Wally World special.
Quite frequently the only difference in model year is paint color . Look for a deal on a last years model.
Test rides will show the difference - oh wait you can't do that at WalMart.

[irishwhite]

Thanks for the replies guys. I'm not quite sure if I would get better use out of a "mountain" bike or "hybrid". When I said what type of riding I expect to be doing to the people at the shops, they've all steered me towards the mountain bike variety, so I was just going with that.

Not only is sticker shock and issue, but also just the generally lack of knowing what parts are good and what parts are not so good. I wish I would have started this research during the winter when I didn't feel like I'm wasting beautiful riding days!

As far as the craigslist route is concerned, I think I may give it a try. I'm actually using funds I earn from buying and selling pentax gear on craigslist towards the purchase of my bike, so we'll see.

Parallax, believe me, I'm not even going to consider walmart or the like for my bike. When I was in high school i did a lot of biking of the freestyle/flatland variety. that stopped three days after I bought my '96 Dyno Slammer for $519.36. yes, i remember the exact price. I saved up from working my minimum wage job, sold my playstation and all my games, and did extra chores around my house + asked my parents to chip in whatever amount they'd spend on my b-day for this bike instead. 3 days later, my bike was stolen. Got about $200 back from homeowners ins claim my parents filed and bought a skateboard. All i can say is, i was the coolest kid in the neighborhood for those 3 days.

Let's hope this time works out better than last. Also, anyone recommend a great lock for a bike? I don't want to go buy something that people can unlock with a Bic pen!

[Steinback]

For gravel trails and pavement a bike with hybrid tires (whether sold as a hybrid or a mountain bike with the trail tires replaced) will be more comfortable to ride.

I've been riding a 20 something year old Raleigh 21 speed with a steel frame and no suspension and just replacing components as they wear out. It's set up as a hybrid with fenders and some intentionally rough rustoleum touch ups to make it a bit ugly and I used it as my only means of transportation when I was living in the city. You still want a bike that fits you but something along those lines should be pretty cheap second hand.

[reeftool]

The higher priced bikes will generally be lighter in weight than dept. store bikes, something to think about if you are going to use it a lot. Dept. store bikes are much better and lighter than years ago when everything was welded steel pipe. I've seen some nice alloy or alumunium frames, alumunium wheels and components you only saw on high end bikes 20 years ago in Walmart for well under $300. My daughter has a Mongoose I got her for around $100 6 years ago and it has survived and still works fine, including 4 yrs of college life. The Trek listed in the review appears to be built to compete in price and performance with dept. store models. You would get better service buying a bike like this from a bike shop over a dept. store although you could probably find something comparable for $100 less at Target or Walmart.

[Sailor]

One other thought - I owned a hybrid for a while, a Specialized that cost about 400 bucks. It was nicely made, but as I improved my biking chops, I wanted to go faster and felt it was too heavy. I sold it, and since my wife and I ride only on paved surfaces, we bought a couple of fitness or commuter bikes, which - at least within the price range of $500-900 - feel significantly lighter than comparably priced hybrids.

We bought Treks (FX models) rather than Specialized or something else, simply because Bike Barn in Houston had all available sizes in stock, and we were able to fit ourselves exactly to the frame before ordering the model/colors we wanted - I'd be happy with any of the good brands. These, however, are strictly street bikes with smooth tires (700 x 32c), and we find them comfortable for the 12-15 mile rides we enjoy.

Jer

[B Grace]

I think the Trek 3500 looks like a good choice. I bought my daughter a similar Trek three years ago and found it to be of good quality construction with durable components. It's been very easy to keep in tune and running smooth.

The specs in the linked page list 26x2.0 tires which are pretty aggresive on the wide side but they should be very stable on gravel bike paths that can sometimes have deeper loose gravel in wash areas. The "granny-low" first cog looks like a stump puller. Overall, it's not a good choice for the tough downhill courses in the Rockies but should be good for everything else but the Tour.

It looks good to me and seems similar to what passed for an entry level mountain bike when I bought my simple Specialized Hardrock back in 1994 which is my favorite of my bikes.

[irishwhite]

Thanks guys, you all have been a big help so far. I was doing a little craigslist searching and came across a Marin bike selling for a little bit less than the trek (it's used) but has disc brakes. Don't know if that'll really be that important to me. Also, I don't know if it might be a bit small for me (think it was listed as 18.5"). but it sure looks like a beautiful bike to me. it's selling for $295.



I have no idea what model the bike is though, so can't really get any good reviews of it. :-(

[justDIY]

I have a Trek 3500, my first non-toy bicycle. I had been going through department store bikes about two per season. The Trek has held up very well, and needs to go for a checkup and adjustment before starting its second season. The only complaint I have is the front fork suspension is a joke. Only half the fork is shock tube, the other side is empty or has some sort of non-adjustable spring in it.

[Ratmagiclady]

The entry level Trek , Gary Fisher , K2 etc. at a bike shop is a better piece of gear than the top of the line Wally World special.
Quite frequently the only difference in model year is paint color . Look for a deal on a last years model.

That's how we got our Fuji, by the way, that was a really good deal. They knocked off something like a couple hundred from the price, ...a very significant fraction of the current model. And I liked the last year's (Two years' past, actually, now that I think of it) color better, anyway. (Perhaps a lot of others didn't, or something, I dunno. Maybe that's why. )

That yellow one does look like a cool little thing. The geometry looks a little unusual to me somehow, ...makes me wonder how it rides. I don't think I've noticed anything quite that shape around here, but maybe I just haven't paid enough attention. I'm assuredly behind the times, but I notice what's on the bike racks around town. Could be worth checking out in person, if the frame size isn't just too far off for you.

[seacapt]

The real difference shows up down the road or in severe use conditions. I still have an old Japanese built racer that I bought in 1981. Put a new chain and casette on it last Summer and ride it regularly. The "mountain bike " that I bought from Walmart a few years ago to ride with my kids is ready to go to recycle heaven already.

[jsherman999]

Thanks guys, you all have been a big help so far. I was doing a little craigslist searching and came across a Marin bike selling for a little bit less than the trek (it's used) but has disc brakes. Don't know if that'll really be that important to me. Also, I don't know if it might be a bit small for me (think it was listed as 18.5"). but it sure looks like a beautiful bike to me. it's selling for $295.



I have no idea what model the bike is though, so can't really get any good reviews of it. :-(

.

Of all the bikes I've owned, my favorite brand, at least for city/hybrid, is Marin. Pretty light frames, stiff, responsive, well put together. Not all that expensive for what you get, IMO.

Right now I own a Marin San Rafael, and it's a great bike.


.