Any Mountain Bikers Out There ??

[S3 Paul]

Hi all,
Im getting back into mountain biking more and more so have decided to build another bike...
The choice of what spec this that and the other is a mine field...
The bike is based on a hard tail GT frame,
Ive got All the group set ( apart from brakes )
Wheels.
The next problem is ... forks ( then Brakes )
I understand both these choices are influenced by where i ride and how deep my pockets are...
I do some of the down hill runs in the woods around Steve Pete's home and the odd jump ( never anything too high though ) but most of the riding is just off road/ woods
Whenever i go to local bike shops they say i need "jumpforks "which seem to cost alot more than one i thought would be fine...
My question is...
Does what i ride come under XC or down hill/ dirt jump??

 

[CMD]

On my hard tail and full bouncer i'm using Rock Shox Recon, these adjust up to 130mm from 85mm they also lock out for climbs a flick of the lever on top of the crown give's the full 130mm for the bumpy stuff (Afan Valley).

Gone but never mind i have a new flywheel on my A4.

 

[S3 Paul]

Thanks mate,
My frame isnt disc brake compatable so im looking for Maggura hydraulic rear rim brake and a disc set up on the front forks...
What do you think?
I tryed to look for reviews of forks and brakes... everywhere just wanted to sell what they had in stock.
Ive only had V brakes in the past and my current bike has Rock Shok Jett xc forks and they are better than rigid but... soft and arkward as they feel loose.

 

[Oranoco]

My old hack, still have her although can't ride like I used to do after an accident :0(

Built in 93/94 Check out the shallow head tube angle and Mag 21's. Hand built from a bare frame by myself including building the wheels (snowflake front), Mix of XT and XTR. She used to have Cook Bros cranks with Pace rings and XT clipless pedals but some sticky fingered toerag decided they also liked my choice and helped themselves

 

[CMD]

Disc setup on the front is a good move , the Magura Hs33 will be ample i had the old style (red) hs33 on my old Kona Lava Dome back in the day.
If you can spend a little more money on the fork's go for it as you will feel the benafit's. You can also buy a bracket/kit that you can fit the rear of the frame that will convert the frame to take a disc set up, but Hs33 will do a great job.

 

[S3 Paul]

The A2Z rear disc mount conversion was something i looked at but all the reviews said it was dangerous and would snap if you rolled back with the rear brake on????

 

[CMD]

Stick with the Hs33 on the rear.

 

[CMD]

Oranoco. Nice blast from the past there.

 

[S3 Paul]

Me again... Im still looking for forks to go on my bike...
Ive looked at Marzocchi Pro Lo's (2009)
As i can get these for £140
But people keep saying they are not right for me.
I ride all difrent kinds of stuff some down hill/ dirt jump... BUT not all the time so i thought i didnt need dirt jump or massive forks...
Am i wrong and just trying to save money?
A lad i know form a bike shop said look at suntour if money is tight... or even rockshok dart 3??

 

[CMD]

Check out the rockshox range on www.chainreactioncycles.com Price's go from £100 up.

 

[crazy88]

I have some suntour's on mine mate and wouldn't recommend them. They came as standard and don't feel like they'll last long to be honest. Kinda excited for them to die so I can get some good ones.

 

[S3 Paul]

Ive looked on most web sites to be honest, But im unsure whats what. are dart 3 any good? this is about my price range if im honest... £100 to about 170 .
People seem to just talk about travel where i ride... like its just a bragging match

 

[OldRedEyes]

That is a problem with alot of things in life, my bike has 100mm travel, well mine has 140mm!! My car does 0-60 in 8 sec's, well mine does it in 5 sec's.

In the end, buy the one that suit's your style of riding, and look at group tests for idea's, as it's not always a case of the most expensive is the best

 

[smudge_don]

I'm so out of touch since i retired after breaking almost every bone in my body

I used to do a lot of Trail Mountain biking - basically hurling myself downhill through some woods, at speed

It hurt so i stopped

 

[S3 Paul]

Well, Things took an intresting turn...
I now need a new bike completely.
My buget is UPTO £800
Ive been looking at hard tail XC bikes ot "all mountain"
The problem is its a mine field, Any shop i go to wants to sell me what they have in stock,
So far its a list of about 10 bikes. all prety much like for like spec wise ,
As with the forks im out of touch with the makes these days,
Do any of the following stand out to you guys in the know??


Scott scale 70
Specialized Rockhopper SL comp
Marin Northside trial
Kona Blast delux
GT Avalanche 1.0 disc
Gary Fisher Hookooekoo disc
Giant Talon 1
Bianchi Jab 7100 alu

These all seem to be aimed at the same kind of rider.
I havent rode any of these but wondered what people think of them...

 

[voorhees]

Paul No Treks ?!

 

[S3 Paul]

Isnt a gary fisher just a trek by another name??

 

[voorhees]

dunno mate am in the UK so only know trek

 

[S3 Paul]

haha,
From what ive read and what patter the sale men give trek own Gary fisher, So the frames are made to the same spec and from the same materials. Its prety much the GT avalanche 1.0 disc , The gary Fisher hoo koo e koo or the specialized rockhopper sl comp.
The plan is to go and sit on each of the above to see if they feel right. Im about 5ft 10 so im thinking a medium frame??

 

[voorhees]

my shop let me go for test ride

 

[S3 Paul]

Well im planning on being cheaky and asking to atleast go for a quick run on each. sitting in a shop isnt realy going to help me know if they suit me.
I never realised it was all going to be such a pain in the **** !

 

[voorhees]

Mine were more than happy for me to do exactly that Paul,I would think they would appreciate that you want to test ride a few first,I should imagine you might have to give them something in case you don't come back though

 

[Gilly]

yourr in the same boat as me s3 paul...mad keen on getting my first decent bike, so i went over to dave mellor cycles in shrewsbury on saturday and checked out a rockhopper sl pro...really liked it but need to see if they will let me take it out for a spin this week...couldnt beleive how light it wwas compared to the full sus bike i ride at the mo...size wise...i am 5ft 9 and am likely to go for the 17 inch frame, seemed about right..

 

[CMD]

haha,
From what ive read and what patter the sale men give trek own Gary fisher, So the frames are made to the same spec and from the same materials. Its prety much the GT avalanche 1.0 disc , The gary Fisher hoo koo e koo or the specialized rockhopper sl comp.
The plan is to go and sit on each of the above to see if they feel right. Im about 5ft 10 so im thinking a medium frame??

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Cube-Race-Ltd...d=ViewItem&pt=UK_Bikes_GL&hash=item1c1456ee4dhttp://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120600325709&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT
This is one of our Mountain bike's.

 

[A3Tom]

I used to race and work in a shopway back.

My advice is...

Ride as many as you can, you wouldnt buy a car without a test drive!
Find what suits you...some makes suit some people...some dont
GET THE RIGHT SIZE!!!. An 18" Kona will be smaller than an 18" Trek...shouldnt be but they are...again test test test!!.

It sounds very much like you need something hardtail, full sus at £800 wont be much cop on the grand scale of things as you really get what you pay for with bikes. If a company sells an £800 full sus bike then it'll have lower quality parts on it to get it in on budget.

If I was spending £800 on a bike I'd look at this...

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/felt/q720-2010-mountain-bike-ec021665

But I think if it rode OK I'd be riding off on one of these....

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/specialized/rockhopper-sl-comp-2010-mountain-bike-ec020000

Both of these would eat up what you're going to throw at it...you dont need a 'jump fork' at all. You want a go anywhere hardtail that you can do it all on. I mean...what did we do before 'jump forks'...not jump off anything?. I used to race DH many moons ago and managed just fine on a GT RTS...which would have less than half the travel some of the current acceptable DH rigs offer now.

Like I said...just test ride as many as you can, stick to a hardtail and shop around. If you find a bike that you like and you know what size you need then you could try and get it cheaper mail order...but buying from a shop means its properly set up and you'll also get a free service after a few weeks to make sure its all dialed in.

Oh,....and a one of my current hacks...

8 years old this year....been to everyt biking forest in Wales and Scotland...and done the work cup DH courses in the Alps...epic EPIC bike

Buy good quality, look after it and it'll last you a very long time. All I've had to do with mine is re-lace the wheels twice and change the chain and rear mech after I smashed it off in Morzine

T

 

[S3 Paul]

Tom... and everybodyelse... what do you think of the gary fisher bikes?
I know they are trek owned these days but i quite like them...
http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/gary-fisher-hookooekoo-disc-mountain-bike-id56915.html
i like this colour sceme more but its alot extra !!
http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/gary-fisher-big-sur-disc-mountain-bike-id56917.html
these are also ones ive looked at but im lost completely...
http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/kona-blast-deluxe-mountain-bike-id57407.html
http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/gt-avalanche-10-disc-mountain-bike-id54636.html
http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/kona-buffer-mountain-bike-id57509.html
http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/specialized-rockhopper-sl-comp-mountain-bike-id53360.html
http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/trek-6300-mountain-bike-rootbeer-id53239.html
I know i know... its a long list,
But today ive been to my local bike shop,
JE James... and this is the list i liked.
The sales men in both JE James shop have pointed at the Gary fisher range saying they are by far the best for the money...
I mentioned the specialized rockhopper sl comp and he said the gary fisher was a better package????

I realy want to buy within the next week.

 

[A3Tom]

Gary Fishers are good bikes....been around forever

Try each and see how you feel on them mate.

 

[OldRedEyes]

I have a Rockhopper comp, excellent bit of kit.

I'm 5'10'' and ride a 17'' frame, so it is the right size for you.

good luck