Mountain Biking - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

Kyle.Gilmour · 10-09-2007, 04:04 PM

Hey Everyone,
I plan on moving to Austin, Tx in the very near future. about a month.

I hear they have great mountain biking and I am looking to get into the sport, my cousin I am moving in with has a group he rides with and they are nuts.

Is anyone on here an expert on mountain bikes? I have started looking for a bike, of course I like the $2200 Gary Fisher, which is actually only middle of the price range.
I have thought about Ebay, but a dealer/freestyle rider (being real cool and not trying to sell me a bike) said there are two many seals and bearings that you want to see and feel, so Ebay is usually not a good idea. He knows from experiance. He mentioned at a dealer, quality starts at $900, anything less and the shocks bounce you instead of absorb.

My thoughts are join a local Austin MT Bking forum and see if anyone has one for sale that I could test ride or take to a shop to make sure its legit.

So is there anyone experianced on here that could offer advice... or a bike?

Power Junkie · 10-10-2007, 10:59 AM

Yeah you've got it right... the problem is with MTB's they tend to get a lot of punishment so things wear out relatively quickly... so it's worth going to a shop and buying new or at the very least getting them to check it out.

You could try to find a shop that does second hand bikes... as they should then be refurbed and you'll get some piece of mind that it's unlikely to fall apart as soon as you hit a bump.
.... another good thing to do is try and buy either just before or just after the new bikes come out... the older models can be got a bit cheaper (especially if the dealer has a few in stock.. he'll be keen to get rid).
A mate of mine got his Rocky Mountain full sus bike for half price!!

I'll be selling my Specialized Rockhopper before i move to Canada as i think it'll cost me nearly as much to change all the worn stuff as it'll cost to buy a new bike... and i want a full sus (with remote lockoff's)

Pencil.Fight · 10-10-2007, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Power Junkie

you'll get some piece of mind that it's unlikely to fall apart as soon as you hit a bump.

That's a lot more important than some might think. The last used bike I had did just that. I was coming down a hill (in a city), and jumped off a curb. Unfortunately, the front wheel didn't feel like joining me and stayed back on the sidewalk. I think you can imagine the rest of that story. Needless to say, I bought a car the next day and haven't ridden a bike since.

There's a lot more non-bike related to that story, but it'd be O/T, so I'll save it for another time.

Power Junkie · 10-10-2007, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pencil.Fight

That's a lot more important than some might think. The last used bike I had did just that. I was coming down a hill (in a city), and jumped off a curb. Unfortunately, the front wheel didn't feel like joining me and stayed back on the sidewalk. I think you can imagine the rest of that story. Needless to say, I bought a car the next day and haven't ridden a bike since.

There's a lot more non-bike related to that story, but it'd be O/T, so I'll save it for another time.

Ouch... i take it the front wheel had a quick release mechanism on it!!!

*TAG UR IT* · 10-10-2007, 01:00 PM

http://penncycle.com/itemdetails.cfm?ID=13251

There's tons of bikes out there...specialized, Gary Fischer, etc.

I bought a Trek 4300 because of the price and quality. It's definitely not the top of the line. But, it's better than your run of the mill Wal-Mart or Toys R Us bikes. It's not bottom of the line or top of the line amongst the Trek series. It has the front shock absorbers and a few upgraded parts. I haven't really had any problems w/ it other than the pedal arms that connect to the the internals getting stripped (metal was weak). That was fixed by replacing it w/a stronger component. No problems since....and it was fixed under the one year WARRANTY that comes w/ purchasing a new bike.

I love riding MTB's. I am NO expert. But, I'll get out there, ride, and keep up w/ the majority of them. We have a few great places here to ride. There's some trails that no matter how many times you try....you might get up the hill only once in your life w/out walking the bike up.

Power Junkie · 10-10-2007, 01:15 PM

What style do you guys ride... i like a bit of single track myself!!!

Kyle.Gilmour · 10-10-2007, 02:39 PM

Quote:

(with remote lockoff's)

Yea, PowerJunkie,
I was looking at a the Gary Fisher HIFI Deluxe, it has the flip switch lockouts, is that the same as your "remote lockoffs"
They said it worked great for powering up hills, almost like it turns the full suspension into a hardtail. I definitly am getting a Full suspension. The shop here in Michigan I am looking at has the 08 HIFI deluxe for $2200, thats 200 below MSRP. The more I think about it I think I will get a new bike, but $2000 is alot, especially within 15ish months of the biggest purchase of my life. But thats why I work.

I plan on doing Cross country/downhill. Nothing too insane, but I like the occasional table top

Kyle.Gilmour · 10-10-2007, 02:47 PM

Quote:

There's tons of bikes out there...specialized, Gary Fischer, etc.
We have a few great places here to ride. There's some trails that no matter how many times you try

Tag,
I may have to meet up with you in SA sometime for a ride, give us chance to meet before we go haggle a group discount with them Salesman

Like I said I will be in ATX in a few weeks. Moving to Round Rock actually. I have been researching and they have some great rides there. I am thinking about joining the forum below, check it out.

http://www.bikemojo.com/speak/forumdisplay.php?f=14

*TAG UR IT* · 10-10-2007, 03:04 PM

^Sounds good. We have a group that used to regularly go to McCallister park by our sub before work. I have to get that going again. Some pretty good trails through there. Not too many jumps like OP Schnable park, but fun.

Power Junkie · 10-12-2007, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kyle.Gilmour

Yea, PowerJunkie,
I was looking at a the Gary Fisher HIFI Deluxe, it has the flip switch lockouts, is that the same as your "remote lockoffs"
They said it worked great for powering up hills, almost like it turns the full suspension into a hardtail. I definitly am getting a Full suspension.

I plan on doing Cross country/downhill. Nothing too insane, but I like the occasional table top

Lockoff's / Lockout's.... means the same.... they are really useful as the suspension soaks up a fair bit of the power you produce, so going up hill is a lot faster affair!!
Then you flick the switches and hit that downhill

10-09-2007, 04:04 PM	#1
Kyle.Gilmour Charter Circle Member Drives: 427 LSX- with TWINS Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Back in Michigan!! Do miss ATX and my Tejas friends Posts: 2,745 View My Garage	Mountain Biking Hey Everyone, I plan on moving to Austin, Tx in the very near future. about a month. I hear they have great mountain biking and I am looking to get into the sport, my cousin I am moving in with has a group he rides with and they are nuts. Is anyone on here an expert on mountain bikes? I have started looking for a bike, of course I like the $2200 Gary Fisher, which is actually only middle of the price range. I have thought about Ebay, but a dealer/freestyle rider (being real cool and not trying to sell me a bike) said there are two many seals and bearings that you want to see and feel, so Ebay is usually not a good idea. He knows from experiance. He mentioned at a dealer, quality starts at $900, anything less and the shocks bounce you instead of absorb. My thoughts are join a local Austin MT Bking forum and see if anyone has one for sale that I could test ride or take to a shop to make sure its legit. So is there anyone experianced on here that could offer advice... or a bike? __________________

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10-10-2007, 10:59 AM	#2
Power Junkie GM give me my fix please! Drives: 95 Toyota GT4 Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: England.. aka the EU's whipping boy!!! (but not for much longer, hopefully) Posts: 173	Yeah you've got it right... the problem is with MTB's they tend to get a lot of punishment so things wear out relatively quickly... so it's worth going to a shop and buying new or at the very least getting them to check it out. You could try to find a shop that does second hand bikes... as they should then be refurbed and you'll get some piece of mind that it's unlikely to fall apart as soon as you hit a bump. .... another good thing to do is try and buy either just before or just after the new bikes come out... the older models can be got a bit cheaper (especially if the dealer has a few in stock.. he'll be keen to get rid). A mate of mine got his Rocky Mountain full sus bike for half price!! I'll be selling my Specialized Rockhopper before i move to Canada as i think it'll cost me nearly as much to change all the worn stuff as it'll cost to buy a new bike... and i want a full sus (with remote lockoff's)

10-10-2007, 01:00 PM	#5
TAG UR IT www.Camaro5store.com Drives: 2014 ZL1 #705 Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: SA, Texas Posts: 26,558 View My Garage	http://penncycle.com/itemdetails.cfm?ID=13251 There's tons of bikes out there...specialized, Gary Fischer, etc. I bought a Trek 4300 because of the price and quality. It's definitely not the top of the line. But, it's better than your run of the mill Wal-Mart or Toys R Us bikes. It's not bottom of the line or top of the line amongst the Trek series. It has the front shock absorbers and a few upgraded parts. I haven't really had any problems w/ it other than the pedal arms that connect to the the internals getting stripped (metal was weak). That was fixed by replacing it w/a stronger component. No problems since....and it was fixed under the one year WARRANTY that comes w/ purchasing a new bike. I love riding MTB's. I am NO expert. But, I'll get out there, ride, and keep up w/ the majority of them. We have a few great places here to ride. There's some trails that no matter how many times you try....you might get up the hill only once in your life w/out walking the bike up.

10-10-2007, 01:15 PM	#6
Power Junkie GM give me my fix please! Drives: 95 Toyota GT4 Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: England.. aka the EU's whipping boy!!! (but not for much longer, hopefully) Posts: 173	What style do you guys ride... i like a bit of single track myself!!!

10-10-2007, 03:04 PM	#9
TAG UR IT www.Camaro5store.com Drives: 2014 ZL1 #705 Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: SA, Texas Posts: 26,558 View My Garage	^Sounds good. We have a group that used to regularly go to McCallister park by our sub before work. I have to get that going again. Some pretty good trails through there. Not too many jumps like OP Schnable park, but fun.