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January, 2025

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New mountain bike, need some advice?

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C-Burg
Posts: 4729 - Karma: 130
I am going to get into riding more and I need some advice on brand, type, ad anything that will help. I am planning on doing mostly trail riding so I want a bike that is good for uphill and down.
Feb 18 2012 6:06PM
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OssargYormada
Posts: 671 - Karma: 186
giant, trek, haro, specialized all good companies. Do Not go to Walmart. Go to a real bike shop.
Feb 18 2012 6:15PM
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CheddarJack
Posts: 5203 - Karma: 7,380
Totally all depends on your price range. If you're willing to drop $1000, go with a used Rocky Mountain. I got a used ETSX 30 last year for $1050 and the things a tank everywhere I take it. Its about 28 pounds too - wicked light. I take it trail riding a lot (just did today actually, I know, its february haha) and its even good for downhill.

Anyway, best thousand bucks I've ever spent. I highly recommend it. Rocky Mountains are, IMO, the best bike brand.
Feb 18 2012 6:16PM
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fucking
Posts: 376 - Karma: 4
trek fuel, specialized stumpjumper, scott genius are all solid choices. by the sounds you won't need much more travel than that and it'll keep it light enough.
Feb 18 2012 6:33PM
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Cufe.
Posts: 1950 - Karma: 262
I had a Santa Cruz Nomad and Blur XC, both are awesome but I definitely recommend the Nomad over the XC. You can also look into Marin out of california, they make nice stuff that is pretty high quality. I used to race both DH and XC so if you have any questions feel free to PM me
Feb 18 2012 6:42PM
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J..H
Posts: 646 - Karma: 73
If your just getting started you should first decide full suspension of hard tail. I would recommend hard tail if you are just trail riding. But as mentioned before Trek and specialized are always reliable.


Also check out the buy/sell forum on Pinkbike. A lot of great deals on there.
Feb 18 2012 6:46PM
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NinetyFour
Posts: 8650 - Karma: 13,410
I ride done stuff that has pretty steep downhills and uphills. I'm riding on a bone stock Norco Katmadu and it's pretty awesome. Good "first timer" bike.
Feb 18 2012 7:49PM
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ForeverYung
Posts: 8385 - Karma: 2,060
drop like 10000 on this baby
http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/SBCProduct.jsp?spid=62079&scid=1100&scname=Mountain
Feb 18 2012 8:02PM
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Big_Spence
Posts: 16177 - Karma: 4,346
SC Blur or Specialized Epic ftw.

check craigstlist and cop one off there.
Feb 18 2012 8:06PM
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J.M
Posts: 2854 - Karma: 254

where are you riding? single track? downhill? crosscountry?

go on pinkbike.com

Feb 18 2012 8:49PM
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fucking
Posts: 376 - Karma: 4
maybe reading what he wrote would help....
Feb 19 2012 8:19AM
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Hoppy
Posts: 685 - Karma: 95
Whats your price range?
Feb 19 2012 9:36AM
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zagfan5
Posts: 2608 - Karma: 144
craigs by far is the cheapest way to buy a bike.

i got my stinky on there for 900 bucks.
Feb 19 2012 10:17AM
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49566738265
Posts: 0 - Karma: 7,705
You never really told us your price range and skill level, but if it turns out you don't ride too crazy and enjoy climbing and decending on singletrack and some rock....that's about what I do!

I bought a Specialized Rockhopper a few years ago for riding Falcon Trail after classes at school. It's a 13 mile loop of long climbs and sweet decents with a few tough obstacles along the way (I still haven't figured out how to clear the rock staircase without walking down after all these years, it's pretty tough). It's been a simple and durable bike for me and I've been really happy with it. Hardtails are nice if you want to climb a lot as you don't lose power to the suspension when your pedaling straight up a mountain like you often do on the trails I ride. If you think downhill will become your thing though, it might be worth it to put some more cash out there for a full suspension bike.
Feb 19 2012 11:03AM
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theater.thug
Posts: 441 - Karma: 671
Get a 29er. 26in wheels are becoming obsolete. You can get really nice 29ers for great prices.
Feb 19 2012 12:41PM
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J.M
Posts: 2854 - Karma: 254
you're fucking retarded. There are so many different types of "trail riding", "uphill", and "downhill".
Feb 19 2012 12:44PM
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HumanGenius
Posts: 361 - Karma: 250
bull shit.
Feb 19 2012 12:55PM
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cow.
Posts: 416 - Karma: 200
everything is trail riding to a non mountain biker. even within mountain biking it's a pretty general term.



anyways @OP, get a hardtail for sure. ride that for at least a year. there is NO WAY you will be riding anything that requires a full suspension right off the bat, and riding hardtails builds bike handling skills like no other. your first bike for this should NOT cost over 700$, especially if bought used.


tl;dr (lean to read) get a hardtail. don't waste money on bike you'll never use.
Feb 19 2012 12:55PM
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GypsySkis
Posts: 124 - Karma: 20
Go to a nice shop and talk to a sales person,thats where you will be able to find the best help
Feb 19 2012 1:32PM
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Tanner-D
Posts: 2061 - Karma: 4,116
Ok so what kind of trial riding are you doing? If you don't mind carrying a few extra pounds up and getting a way funner descent go with a six inch travel bike. Something like a Specalized Enduro or if you are a high dollar spender a Santa Cruz Nomad. If you want more emphasis on the up hill shift towards a 4 inch travel bike like the Trek Fuel series. Keep in mind 4 inches can be the full on cross country race bike so these will excel at climbing. 5 inches will give you a nice trial bike as well like a Santa Cruz Blur LT

ps if you plan on hitting any small to medium jumps or drops just go six inches the extra weight is worth it. I can peddle my 6 inch bike anywhere just a little slower
Feb 19 2012 1:34PM
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p-nutt
Posts: 274 - Karma: 16
my xc race bike is 19.8 pounds, now thats wicked light aha
Feb 19 2012 1:41PM
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theater.thug
Posts: 441 - Karma: 671
What kinda bike do you ride? I have a Trek Superfly 29er and its 21lbs
Feb 19 2012 3:42PM
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skithesprings
Posts: 9086 - Karma: 1,349
rocky mountain, best bikes, LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

sorry, that's just too funny
Feb 19 2012 3:43PM
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paulgenovese
Posts: 528 - Karma: 374
I would say a Santa Cruz Blur LT or a Nomad. There pretty expenisive tho , what is your price range?
Feb 19 2012 3:43PM
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northeast
Posts: 2119 - Karma: 254
i wouldn't bother spending less than six or seven hundred on a bike, especially if you're buying it new. in action sports more than anything, you get what you pay for and you want to be confident in your gear. i've seen cheap bikes legitimately fall apart in the middle of an intense dh ride, and it's not pretty. a good starter hardtail would be a Trek 4 series, i still use mine for cross country/trail riding. it's a good, reliable bike that isn't very expensive. however, your best bet is to go to the nearest bike shop and ask them, they'll tell you exactly what you want and they'll set you up. some shops will even do small repairs/part replacements for free if you bought your bike from them.

DON'T GO TO SPORTS AUTHORITY, DICKS, OR ANY OF THOSE BIG CHAIN STORES. most of the time they don't know what they're talking about nearly as much as real shops do, and a lot of the time the product isn't really what it says it is.
Feb 19 2012 3:51PM
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p-nutt
Posts: 274 - Karma: 16
thats sweet man. i ride a 2010 norco team
Feb 19 2012 4:04PM
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montanan
Posts: 1787 - Karma: 1,346
norco is a sick company from canada and there bikes are solid as fuck and well priced. i have a 2005 norco aline 9 pro edition with the 888 rc, fox dhx 5.0 etc. it has the vps technology which is all the rage these days, when it comes to downhill. and i bought it 7 + years ago , still rides rock solid , just basic maintenance. and i ride hard , mostly down deeply rutted Dirtbike trials with features built of the sides off in the back woods haha. but seriously take a look at the norco line, its changed up a lot since my day but damn man they have sick bikes at killer deals, just a lil heavy is all
Feb 19 2012 4:13PM
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J.M
Posts: 2854 - Karma: 254
.
Feb 19 2012 4:21PM
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skithesprings
Posts: 9086 - Karma: 1,349
haha, yeah, not so heavy any more on the newest bikes, but my 08 a-line is every bit of 44 lbs, absolute tank though, taken it off a 17 down 15 out to relatively flat landing with no issues.
Feb 19 2012 4:21PM
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fucking
Posts: 376 - Karma: 4
15 to flat? ummm... yeahhh that's a fucking lie.
Feb 19 2012 8:14PM
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skithesprings
Posts: 9086 - Karma: 1,349
Read again, "relatively flat" is not the same as flat, it's relative to what a landing for the size of drop should be sloped like. You're a dumbass.

Heres the cliff, takeoff is the big rock top left and the landing ends up being next to the pile of logs on the left. it's Relatively flat.

Click for larger image
Feb 19 2012 8:20PM
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fucking
Posts: 376 - Karma: 4
hahaha 15 ft. my ass. how about you produce a picture where you can actually have some perspective but that looks 10 and that's being very generous.
Feb 19 2012 8:48PM
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fucking
Posts: 376 - Karma: 4
oh sorry, 17ft. you claim as it being that high... BULLSHIT. but hey kids overestimate drops all the time in skiing and in biking.
Feb 19 2012 8:49PM
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skithesprings
Posts: 9086 - Karma: 1,349
what the fuck is your problem man? tape measures don't lie.
Feb 19 2012 8:51PM
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fucking
Posts: 376 - Karma: 4
because a kid who says his bike handles 17ft. drops to flat with no issues is lying and shouldn't be giving any sort of bike advice... especially when he rips on rocky mountains which are some of the best rigs you can get. and man i don't see a tape measure anywhere in that picture so again, how about you post something up that backs up your claim? i hate claiming gapers, sorry, it's a personal issue that i've got to work on.
Feb 19 2012 8:58PM
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kvan
Posts: 3085 - Karma: 1,225
I was thinking more along these lines. A hardtail is more diverse opposed to a full suspension triple crown fork monster that you most likely wont need starting out.

If you want multiple opinions it wouldnt hurt to stop by a local bike shop and talk to someone there. They probably have a decent amount of knowledge on what would best fit the type of riding you're going to be doing.

Depending on your price limit, just buy something youre gonna like maybe even try to demo a few. Good luck!
Feb 19 2012 9:19PM
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skithesprings
Posts: 9086 - Karma: 1,349

Click for larger image
Feb 19 2012 9:25PM
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NinetyFour
Posts: 8650 - Karma: 13,410
I'd say it looks 17-ish. That landing is flat as fuck. I would die right there. You has some balls.
Feb 19 2012 9:29PM
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fucking
Posts: 376 - Karma: 4
oh look, a claimer that has been called out and his only response is a meme... very original. from now on, OP, I suggest you don't take any of this gaper's posts seriously from now on. he has no clue about what he's talking about.
Feb 19 2012 9:30PM
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skithesprings
Posts: 9086 - Karma: 1,349
Coming from someone with the name fucking and less than 80 posts it's quite difficult to take your rage seriously. Mom forget to cut the crust off your PBJ today?
Feb 19 2012 9:37PM
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tbayskier
Posts: 1140 - Karma: 1,651
lol fuck that
Feb 19 2012 9:38PM
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fucking
Posts: 376 - Karma: 4
you clearly don't know shit either. for trail riding, what the OP is looking for and seems to not be very experienced at, a 29er would be perfect. the only issue is that turning is all so slightly more difficult but otherwise 29ers slay general trail riding.
Feb 19 2012 9:45PM
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Hoppy
Posts: 685 - Karma: 95
29ers are a hipster shit. Learn to ride
Feb 19 2012 9:51PM
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tbayskier
Posts: 1140 - Karma: 1,651
I have worked at a bike shop for four years my man.  What I was saying is 29ers are never going to fully replace 26ers. 
Feb 19 2012 9:52PM
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fucking
Posts: 376 - Karma: 4
ah sorry, and yeah they won't but on the XC circuit, they're certainly gaining a lot of fans. a few people i know who have ridden 26ers their whole lives now swear by their 29ers.
Feb 19 2012 9:56PM
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tbayskier
Posts: 1140 - Karma: 1,651
word. 29ers are a ton of fun. For the xc trails in my area though a 26 inch Norco Faze SL is sick, and it nicely compliments my RMB Slayer SS 396 along with my Block 8 Journeyman Dirt jumper:) haha too many bikes.
Feb 19 2012 10:05PM
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extravert
Posts: 1113 - Karma: 3,198
bump.
My back brake has been gone for a while and today my front brake died as well.
I'm looking for a new bike that can do single track, cross country, is hardtail, and is under $1000
anyone have advice?
Apr 6 2012 6:14PM
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Crossfade
Posts: 745 - Karma: 41
My price range is $3000.00 and threads.
Apr 6 2012 6:55PM
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J..H
Posts: 646 - Karma: 73
From personal experience I really liked my Jamis Dakar Xc. Also specialized bikes are all great.
Apr 6 2012 7:23PM
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bermbuster49
Posts: 7445 - Karma: 90
Click for larger image

stumpjumper my friend and never look back!!

http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/SBCProduct.jsp?spid=62065&scid=1100&scname=Mountain
Apr 6 2012 7:27PM
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tripnip
Posts: 1882 - Karma: 482
rode it and i am not a fan. specialized = fail
Apr 6 2012 7:29PM
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