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10-11.-2007, 02:52 PM
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#1 |
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Guest
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Hoping to get back into cycling
Hi all,
as a young tacker I used to ride around on a trusty BMX, which has probably long since rusted through. Lately the idea of starting to ride again has become quite attractive for a number of reasons: I have friends who ride, good way to get to the shops, a new part time job I've got near my house, fun, exercise, etc. Based on advice from above mentioned cyclist friends, I understand that a good bike to start with would be a hardtail mountain bike. This seems good as it would do a lot of the things I want - get me around town, (albeit less efficiently than a roadie, but I'm ok with that - having any gears will take some getting used to after the BMX) and let me do basic mountain biking or off-road riding. So my questions are: 1) Do you also recommend a hard-tail mountain bike as a good entry- level bike for my listed uses? If not, what do you suggest? 2) I'm told I'd be looking at $700 or so for an entry-level bike. Is this right? Any info or comments appreciated. Cheers Dave |
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10-11.-2007, 03:04 PM
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#2 |
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Guest
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Re: Hoping to get back into cycling
On Nov 10, 2:52 pm, Dave_pH <david.hin...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi all, > > as a young tacker I used to ride around on a trusty BMX, which has > probably long since rusted through. > > Lately the idea of starting to ride again has become quite attractive > for a number of reasons: I have friends who ride, good way to get to > the shops, a new part time job I've got near my house, fun, exercise, > etc. > > Based on advice from above mentioned cyclist friends, I understand > that a good bike to start with would be a hardtail mountain bike. This > seems good as it would do a lot of the things I want - get me around > town, (albeit less efficiently than a roadie, but I'm ok with that - > having any gears will take some getting used to after the BMX) and let > me do basic mountain biking or off-road riding. > > So my questions are: > 1) Do you also recommend a hard-tail mountain bike as a good entry- > level bike for my listed uses? If not, what do you suggest? > > 2) I'm told I'd be looking at $700 or so for an entry-level bike. Is > this right? > > Any info or comments appreciated. > Cheers > Dave Pick up the lates Australian Cyclist in the newsagent for a few bucks for answers to those exact questions. |
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10-11.-2007, 03:52 PM
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#3 |
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Guest
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Re: Hoping to get back into cycling
On 2007-11-10, Dave_pH <david.hinder@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi all, > So my questions are: > 1) Do you also recommend a hard-tail mountain bike as a good entry- > level bike for my listed uses? If not, what do you suggest? Yes, try not to get anything with suspension forks though, at that price level, and for your intended use they're not worth the expense or weight. ditto disc brakes. If you decide to get into more serious MTBing buy a set of good suspension forks or if you need to go faster/further put good quality high pressure slick tyres on. Many people tour or do fast commuting on rigid MTBs and keep up with the guys on roadies. > 2) I'm told I'd be looking at $700 or so for an entry-level bike. Is > this right? If you think riding will become a serious life style option spend more may end up being cheaper in the long run (particularly if you're a bit of a gear junkie like myself). Cheers Joel -- Human Powered Cycles | High quality servicing and repairs joel@humanpowered.com.au | Affordable second hand bikes (03) 9029 6504 | Bicycle reuse centre www.humanpowered.com.au | Mechanical and on-road training and instruction |
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10-11.-2007, 04:48 PM
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#4 |
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Re: Hoping to get back into cycling
"Dave_pH" <david.hinder@gmail.com> wrote in message news:1194670337.019117.246370@y27g2000pre.googlegroups.com... > Hi all, > > as a young tacker I used to ride around on a trusty BMX, which has > probably long since rusted through. > > Lately the idea of starting to ride again has become quite attractive > for a number of reasons: I have friends who ride, good way to get to > the shops, a new part time job I've got near my house, fun, exercise, > etc. > > Based on advice from above mentioned cyclist friends, I understand > that a good bike to start with would be a hardtail mountain bike. This > seems good as it would do a lot of the things I want - get me around > town, (albeit less efficiently than a roadie, but I'm ok with that - > having any gears will take some getting used to after the BMX) and let > me do basic mountain biking or off-road riding. > > So my questions are: > 1) Do you also recommend a hard-tail mountain bike as a good entry- > level bike for my listed uses? If not, what do you suggest? > > 2) I'm told I'd be looking at $700 or so for an entry-level bike. Is > this right? > > Any info or comments appreciated. MTB would be good, as long as you run slicks for road use around town. Save the knobbies for true off-road, and gravel roads or trails. Where are you? In Melbourne, I just noticed a very nice Giant Perigee flat bar road bike (700c tyres) at Bicycle Recycle in South Rd, Moorabin, for just $1000. Very good deal for a better quality town bike, with XT deraileurs, Avid Single Digit 5 V-brakes. -- Cheers Peter ~~~ ~ _@ ~~ ~ _- \, ~~ (*)/ (*) |
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11-11.-2007, 01:19 AM
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#5 |
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Re: Hoping to get back into cycling
PeteSig wrote:
> "Dave_pH" <david.hinder@gmail.com> wrote in message > news:1194670337.019117.246370@y27g2000pre.googlegroups.com... >> Hi all, >> >> as a young tacker I used to ride around on a trusty BMX, which has >> probably long since rusted through. >> >> Lately the idea of starting to ride again has become quite attractive >> for a number of reasons: I have friends who ride, good way to get to >> the shops, a new part time job I've got near my house, fun, exercise, >> etc. >> >> Based on advice from above mentioned cyclist friends, I understand >> that a good bike to start with would be a hardtail mountain bike. This >> seems good as it would do a lot of the things I want - get me around >> town, (albeit less efficiently than a roadie, but I'm ok with that - >> having any gears will take some getting used to after the BMX) and let >> me do basic mountain biking or off-road riding. >> >> So my questions are: >> 1) Do you also recommend a hard-tail mountain bike as a good entry- >> level bike for my listed uses? If not, what do you suggest? >> >> 2) I'm told I'd be looking at $700 or so for an entry-level bike. Is >> this right? >> >> Any info or comments appreciated. > > MTB would be good, as long as you run slicks for road use around town. Save > the knobbies for true off-road, and gravel roads or trails. > > Where are you? In Melbourne, I just noticed a very nice Giant Perigee flat > bar road bike (700c tyres) at Bicycle Recycle in South Rd, Moorabin, for > just $1000. Very good deal for a better quality town bike, with XT > deraileurs, Avid Single Digit 5 V-brakes. You guys are crazy. What he needs is a full suspension bike with at least four inches of travel at both ends. If you're not spending at least two grand on a bike you're not going to enjoy riding it anyway. The reason there's so many bikes rusting unridden in sheds is because they were crap bikes to start with. Treat yourself to something decent. Life is for living. Dorf |
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11-11.-2007, 08:10 AM
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#6 |
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Re: Hoping to get back into cycling
"Dorfus Dippintush" <Dorfus.Dippintush@kippinbot.com> wrote: > > You guys are crazy. What he needs is a full suspension bike with at least > four inches of travel at both ends. If you're not spending at least two > grand on a bike you're not going to enjoy riding it anyway. TIC I hope? 'Horses for courses' is what he should be looking at >> "Dave_pH" wrote: >>> good way to get to the shops, a new part time job I've got near my >>> house, fun, exercise, etc. Tends to suggest that 4" suspension travel is a tad irrellevant. -- Cheers Peter ~~~ ~ _@ ~~ ~ _- \, ~~ (*)/ (*) |
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11-11.-2007, 09:13 AM
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#7 |
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Re: Hoping to get back into cycling
In aus.bicycle on Sat, 10 Nov 2007 22:10:49 GMT
PeteSig <petesig@bigpond.com> wrote: > > 'Horses for courses' is what he should be looking at > >>> "Dave_pH" wrote: >>>> good way to get to the shops, a new part time job I've got near my >>>> house, fun, exercise, etc. > > Tends to suggest that 4" suspension travel is a tad irrellevant. Besides, if he was going to spend a lot (and it doesn't seem like he wants to) he should also be looking at recumbents. Comfortable, fun, and mine certainly got me riding for the sheer fun of it which the previous upright bikes never did. Zebee |
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11-11.-2007, 10:13 AM
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#8 |
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Re: Hoping to get back into cycling
Zebee Johnstone wrote:
> In aus.bicycle on Sat, 10 Nov 2007 22:10:49 GMT > PeteSig <petesig@bigpond.com> wrote: >> 'Horses for courses' is what he should be looking at >> >>>> "Dave_pH" wrote: >>>>> good way to get to the shops, a new part time job I've got near my >>>>> house, fun, exercise, etc. >> Tends to suggest that 4" suspension travel is a tad irrellevant. > > Besides, if he was going to spend a lot (and it doesn't seem like he > wants to) he should also be looking at recumbents. > > Comfortable, fun, and mine certainly got me riding for the sheer fun > of it which the previous upright bikes never did. > > Zebee Yes but you ride a Guzzi also Zebee, you are already used to living out on the edge ;-) G-S |
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11-11.-2007, 11:47 AM
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#9 |
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Re: Hoping to get back into cycling
In aus.bicycle on Sun, 11 Nov 2007 12:29:07 +1000
J5 <signupbox@hotmail.com> wrote: > > "G-S" <geoff@castbus.com.au> wrote in message > news:13jci9vbuept69f@corp.supernews.com... >> >> Yes but you ride a Guzzi also Zebee, >> you are already used to living out on the edge ;-) > > pot calling kettle *over* > Hey, he not only has a Guzzi, he has a sidecar! That's the entire bloody kitchen range talking about dark colours there. Zebee |
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11-11.-2007, 12:22 PM
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#10 |
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Re: Hoping to get back into cycling
Zebee Johnstone wrote:
> In aus.bicycle on Sun, 11 Nov 2007 12:29:07 +1000 > J5 <signupbox@hotmail.com> wrote: >> "G-S" <geoff@castbus.com.au> wrote in message >> news:13jci9vbuept69f@corp.supernews.com... >>> Yes but you ride a Guzzi also Zebee, >>> you are already used to living out on the edge ;-) >> pot calling kettle *over* >> > > Hey, he not only has a Guzzi, he has a sidecar! That's the entire > bloody kitchen range talking about dark colours there. > > Zebee I reckon that a recumbant is sort of the cycling equal of a sidecar actually  G-S |
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11-11.-2007, 12:29 PM
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#11 |
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Guest
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Re: Hoping to get back into cycling
"G-S" <geoff@castbus.com.au> wrote in message news:13jci9vbuept69f@corp.supernews.com... > Zebee Johnstone wrote: >> In aus.bicycle on Sat, 10 Nov 2007 22:10:49 GMT >> PeteSig <petesig@bigpond.com> wrote: >>> 'Horses for courses' is what he should be looking at >>> >>>>> "Dave_pH" wrote: >>>>>> good way to get to the shops, a new part time job I've got near my >>>>>> house, fun, exercise, etc. >>> Tends to suggest that 4" suspension travel is a tad irrellevant. >> >> Besides, if he was going to spend a lot (and it doesn't seem like he >> wants to) he should also be looking at recumbents. >> >> Comfortable, fun, and mine certainly got me riding for the sheer fun >> of it which the previous upright bikes never did. >> >> Zebee > > Yes but you ride a Guzzi also Zebee, > you are already used to living out on the edge ;-) > > > G-S pot calling kettle *over*  |
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11-11.-2007, 12:58 PM
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#12 |
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Re: Hoping to get back into cycling
In aus.bicycle on Sun, 11 Nov 2007 13:22:32 +1100
G-S <geoff@castbus.com.au> wrote: > Zebee Johnstone wrote: >> >> Hey, he not only has a Guzzi, he has a sidecar! That's the entire >> bloody kitchen range talking about dark colours there. > > I reckon that a recumbant is sort of the cycling equal of a sidecar > actually Hey! 'bents are comfortable and practical and it's just because they are rare that other riders look down on them and... Ah. OK. Zebee |
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11-11.-2007, 07:20 PM
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#13 |
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Re: Hoping to get back into cycling
On Sat, 10 Nov 2007 06:52:47 +0000, Joel Mayes wrote:
> Yes, try not to get anything with suspension forks though, at that price > level, Actually I'd say at the $700 level to get them. Finding a bike with rigid forks that's reasonably adept offroad these days is hard. Finding a bike with surprisingly capable forks at that price isn't. The same applies down to about $500, but below that you're basically paying for an extra layer of metal on the rigid forks. Disc brakes are a maybe at that price level. If they're a name brand (Avid, Hayes, Shimano), then it's probably OK. If they're another brand then they're probably not worth it. Best bet is to find your local bike shops and have a look at what they've got, or can easily get. That'll also give you a feel for who you'd like to give money to. -- Dave Hughes - dave@hired-goons.net |
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11-11.-2007, 07:38 PM
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#14 |
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Re: Hoping to get back into cycling
On 2007-11-11, Dave Hughes (aka Bruce)
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea: > On Sat, 10 Nov 2007 06:52:47 +0000, Joel Mayes wrote: > >> Yes, try not to get anything with suspension forks though, at that price >> level, > > Actually I'd say at the $700 level to get them. Finding a bike with rigid > forks that's reasonably adept offroad these days is hard. Finding a bike > with surprisingly capable forks at that price isn't. The same applies down > to about $500, but below that you're basically paying for an extra layer > of metal on the rigid forks. > > Disc brakes are a maybe at that price level. If they're a name brand > (Avid, Hayes, Shimano), then it's probably OK. If they're another brand > then they're probably not worth it. If they're name brand, at that price, wouldn't they be skimping on the rest of the bike? Vital but unsexy things like hubs and bottom brackets, for example? -- TimC Conclusion to my thesis -- "It is trivial to show that it is clearly obvious that this is not woofly." |
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12-11.-2007, 08:38 AM
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#15 |
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Re: Hoping to get back into cycling
On Nov 10, 4:52 pm, Joel Mayes <j.ma...@invalid.invalid> wrote:
> On 2007-11-10, Dave_pH <david.hin...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > Hi all, > > So my questions are: > > 1) Do you also recommend a hard-tail mountain bike as a good entry- > > level bike for my listed uses? If not, what do you suggest? > > Yes, try not to get anything with suspension forks though, at that price > level, and for your intended use they're not worth the expense or > weight. ditto disc brakes. Bollocks. A $700 bike will have perfectly adequate suspension for basic off road riding. Likely it will have reasonable disc brakes as well. My wife's bike certainly does, and it was rrp $600. Shimano discs, and, well I forget what forks. 80mm travel, anyway. Sure, the forks aren't up to downhill racing, but for the use you describe (shops, commuting, fire trails, easy singletrack), they're fine. My first ever suspension forks had all of 25mm elastomer "travel", and they were so much better than rigid it wasn't funny. With better forks, the bike was better still, but my point is that that 25 mm *really* got me convinced that mtbs were fun. For $735, http://www.phantomcycles.com.au will sell you an 08 Giant Yukon. Rockshox Dart 100mm forks, Shimano mechanical discs. Same frame as their more expensive models. That was just the first bike I looked at near $700, no doubt other shops and brands would be similar. > If you decide to get into more serious MTBing > buy a set of good suspension forks or if you need to go faster/further > put good quality high pressure slick tyres on. Many people tour or do > fast commuting on rigid MTBs and keep up with the guys on roadies. If you buy a bike with a good frame with cheaper components, you can replace the bits that need replacing as they wear, or as you get more into riding. My road bike is better than any of my mtbs on the road. It works better because the package is designed for road use. But it sucks off road... > > 2) I'm told I'd be looking at $700 or so for an entry-level bike. Is > > this right? > > If you think riding will become a serious life style option spend more > may end up being cheaper in the long run (particularly if you're a bit > of a gear junkie like myself). This is true. ;^) But unless you're sure, I'd start cheaper and build my way up. Second hand can get some great, almost unused, bargains, generally at about 50% or so of new prices. Run out models can be a great deal as well, and all shops will generally come down a bit from rrp (even on new models) to make a sale. Tony F www.thefathippy.com |
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