FYI, Mongoose makes some very nice high end trail bikes... not just WalMart crap. High end Mongoose bikes cost thousands of dollars and are well spec'd.
Thought about that post after I made it. I looked at the link but still not impressed. No offense intended. I'm actually going to change my post. I had a 'goose when I was a kid and they were super high quality bikes. Since they changed hands, they haven't been that good a bike. Guess maybe they're back into the green as far as quality. I'll take my Turner, Santa Cruz or Giant any day.
mongoose does make good high end bikes that are eing raced by Eric Carter. you definitly need to decide between full suspension and hardtail. a full suspension trail bike with 4-5 inches of travel is a great alaround bike, like the Kona Dawg. they are light enough to climb to the top yet you can still hit the fun downhills with a good bit of speed. i ride a 6 inch full suspension bike as my dailey ride and i climb most everything on that and hit the lifts at mammoth with it. check out mtbr.com for reviews or buy an issue of mountain bike action magazine. they will do comparisons of all kinds of bikes. PM me if you like for more info.
Pick a qaulity frame in a size that fits your body, as for components do not worry about them to much. These are things that can be upgraded as you find a little cash here and there.
Once you find a bike, have a knowledgable tech help you get it set up for your body dimensions. Seat poistion front to back, seat height, length of the stem, postion of your feet on the pedals( more so with clipless ),width of the handle bars even the position of the brake and shift leavers on the handle bars. It can be a pain to get things set just right, but once you do it makes riding the bike much more enjoyable and less fatiguing.
Hardtail or Full Suspension.....would probably depend alot on what you rode on your BMX. If you were into big air and jumps etc I would opt for full suspension, if you more of a flatlander I would go for the hardtail.
If you decide to go for full suspension preform this little test.
Hold the front brake on the bike, pick up the rear of the bike by the seat about a foot or so and let it drop down.
If the pedals on the bike spin backwards this means the suspenion in the rear is not 'active'.
This means that if you are standing on the pedals (not pedaling ) you are locking out the rear suspension as soon as you start to pedal the suspenion becomes active again.
Hope this helps and good luck on your search!
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Re: mountain bike help
Quote:
N8! previously said:
FYI, Mongoose makes some very nice high end trail bikes... not just WalMart crap. High end Mongoose bikes cost thousands of dollars and are well spec'd.
Looking for a mountain bike eh? To avoid doing the nut cracker out on the trail I picked up a 16" frame. I would be on an 18" if I were on the street. So you could most likely get away with a 20" on the street, but there's that nutckacking thing again. You know , your going mach 5 with your hair on fire and you position your self over the bike right but the cross bar comes up and crack's ya! Not good. You would want to be on a 18" with your size. Also the 18 would be small enough to toss around on the trail.
Now that we got that out of the way....Lets look at components. Buy a bike with the best that you can afford. But Deore is where you want to start If the bike has the big "SHAMINO" stuff. (my spelling may not be right on some of this stuff) Stay away from Alivio it's not the toughest stuff around and it will coast you more in the long run. There is one more component at a lower level that I can't remember right now. But if you can get LX,XT, OR XTR. If you can't get a bike with these ,then remember "DEORE" is the lowest you want to go. Bike companies are starting to MIX components to lower coast's, so look at shifters and dérailleur's these get the most work out on a mountain bike.
Get a good front fork too. Fox, Marazocci or a higher Rock shox.
For frame, Just stay away form the Costco/walmart stuff. Fisher, Specialized is a fave of mine Kona makes GREAT bikes there others too.
Can't remember the name of the shop, but at On Warner just west of Magnolia, there is a bike shop that is like a clearing house for left overs (new but last years stock) they have good prices. Hope this helps ya good luck on your quest. Let us know what you end up with!Just came to me, the shop name is "Supergo".
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You want at least a 18" frame with a 23" top tube length. You also want about 2" of clearance between the top tube and your nads when straddling the bike. Mongoose does make good frames, but don't get one at WalMart because there ain't no one there who can service it. Go to a bike shop. Generally speaking, a name frame with good components will be fine. You don't have to spend a ton to get a good bike. And you got to ride it to get your moneys worth. It ain't doing you any good sitting in the garage.
If you like fast and want control, get a 20" full suspesion, you will not regret it.
If you think that getting a hard tail means you are more "connected" to the ground, you are highly mistaken. I have ridden for many years on a hardtail before I switched to full suspension, but now you couldn't pay me enough to go back. Here's why:
While real suspension feels like you are not "connected" to the groud, the reality is the opposite. On uphills, the rear suspension will help you follow trail contour, keep the tire pushed down and connected to the ground when climbing over rocks and uneven terrain. ON downhills, the rear suspesion absorbs hits, follows the ground more closely, and keeps your ride smoother and keeps you in much better control of your rig. With the suspesion technology the was it is today, the weight penalty of a full suspension is minimal, and if you're not racing, you should not care at all.
There is one more thing to be said for full suspension, it will keep you more comfortable on longer rides, and happier. This way if you opt to join a fun ride, you will have that option available to you, and why not.
I definitely recommend full suspesion and 20" at this point. You can shop around and find many deals, and if you want help with this, like figuring out if a bike a good deal, PM me and I'll check it out for you. I agree with the previous poster who said that it is more important to get a good frame with mid to low end components than the other way around. You can't go wrong with some of the major brands: Specialized, Trek, Giant, Santa Cruz (pricier), Gary Fisher, etc. I am crazy about Mongooses, but I don't know much about them.
One last comment, you can only tell if a bike is right for you if your test ride it. Go to a local bike shop and ride different brands of the same size (have the tech adjust seating position for you) you'll be able to immediately tell which one is a good fit...it's like wearing a pair of jeans or gloves, you'll know when it's just right. ONce you do that, you shop online for that bike brand/model you liked. If you do this, you will not go wrong (I haven't in the past, and paid for it by riding a misfitted bike for many years).
supergo got bought out by performance. adrenaline bike shop in orange is one of my personal favorites with a good staff. they can most anything you want. they may even be able to put a bike together for you at your budget. check out thier .com
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