Beginner mountain biker

enigma89

Hey all,
I'm planning on starting mountain biking this summer, but I need some suggestions for a bike and any other equipment ill need.

I would want to start on easy trails, but I would like to be able to go ahead to an intermediate one if i feel like it. My budget is around $600 or so. I'm 15 years old if that matters. Any ideas would be great.

thanks

TheAndyDudE

lotta other guys have different preferences, but keep in mind the gear that you should also have in addition to the bike. helmet, pump, something to wear to keep spare tubes and tools in. My friends and i all have CamelBaks or something close to it, you can usually keep all the extras in there. just an FYI.

oh yeah, i started off with a Trek4300 hardtail.

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kingoftheroads

hey, i am 14 and i just started moutainbiking.the bike i have is a schiwnn racer and it works perfect for me. So that is what i suggest and my step dad knows lance armstrong and lance said
i dont do moutain bikeing but schiwnn is a good bike for a begginer.

hard_rock_god

ok if you want to get into mountain biking and stick to it i would recomend buying somthing that is not from wal-mart! (probaly not a good idea to buy a bike from a store that dosen't specialise in bikes)
SEARCH YOUR LOCAL PAWN SHOPS if you want to get a bargin stick to name brands such as specialized, trek, and cannondale what type of trails you are riding will dictate wether or not you need suspeintion a hard tail will probaly be just fine

i ride two bikes (not at the same time) a trek 4300 wich was also recomended above and a specialized hard rock

the group i usualy ride with ride the folowing haro dyno (not gt) raleigh somthing like 6800ish

if you want to put your own together this is the funnest way to do it you can get some good bargins off of ebay on frames and other parts some good deals on finished bikes if you know what you are doing you will need to have some one over 18 place the bid for you (mother fauther) you could defenetly build a decent bike for 600 bucks that way the forks (suspended) are what will be the expencive part so if you can buy a frame with forks that will help save some money

Duckwah

1. do your research, talk to a few bike shops

2. for value for money try buying second hand and aim for a bike thats less than a year old, heaps of people buy bikes, barely use them and then sell em for a bargain price

3. stick with the big brands like trek, giant, merida etc, they offer good beginners bikes at a good price

4. ride ride ride !

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damiansmith

Make sure you go to a few bike shops and ride a few of the bikes around the carpark to see what feels alright for you. I really wanted a Specialized but it just didn't feel quite right for me, so I ended up with a Trek, my friend did the exact same thing and ended up feeling more comfortable on the Specialized, everyone's body is different and they all have slight differences in geometry ... even if you then go & buy online ...

I only started a couple summers ago but quickly learnt that a spare tube, pump and chain tool were a good idea to have with you. Sucks walking 8-10 miles back to the car with a flat and it takes a loooooong time when you're carrying/walking your bike over rough terrain. The very first time out I broke my chain, luckily a good samaritan came along and sorted me out ( people are generally V cool about helping others on the trail, so be prepared to offer a tube to a stranger if he needs it ... all good karma )

#1 priority is a helmet, again try some on to get a good fit.

You'll have a ball, its a buzz for sure!

recycle

I second (or third or fourth) the comment to RIDE and see what feels good. I did all sorts of internet research ... and then when I got on the bikes, a Trek and a Giant that I thought I should love just didn't feel good enough for me to part with my cash ... and a Gary Fisher I hadn't expected felt fabulous and came home with me!

Also, if in doubt spend a little less, ride, ride, ride and your preferences will become clear. Maybe you'll like jumping, downhill, maybe only smoother trails ... and all that will impact your next purchase.

Good Luck!

trek_man3700

im 14 to i ride my trek 3700 its good my bike shop guy lives next to me so he fixes stuff and he dosent want me to

Ghr7891

Okay...well anyway recycle you make a good point, you probably wouldnt know what kind of riding you like the best if oyu have not tryed more than one, so it would make sense to buy an inexpensive bike and try a little of everything to see what you really want.

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Getting your ass kicked is part of mountain biking...thats why I ride a hardtail!

surferchix

hi.. i'm from seattle, wa. and looking for a group to ride with. i am a 24 yr. old female