mountain bikes

[ASH]

ok  i know nothing about mountain bikes ,  but im looking to get one because Piper my grand kid is now riding so i want to ride with her  got alot of trails on my land  and older she gets more riding we can do  if i dont die first .  im not looking for a old man beach cruiser lol ,  even thou id prolly need one .  i was in  REI  other day looking at bikes ,  and this annoying  employee would not leave me alone .  i need to lose weight  so i thought id ride with her , have fun , get exercise  .  

 

[minervadoe]

I have owned several Specialized bikes.  Two were mountain bikes.  The first one eventually had a frame fail and Specialized gave me a credit towards a new mt. bike for the original value of a bike that had 20,000 miles on it.  I was able to upgrade to a much nicer bike.  So, I know they honor their warranties.  I also own a Specialized training bike (which kind of looks like a mt. bike). 

I've also got a couple of Trek bikes that I like a lot.  My Trek 1,500 is a road bike that has over 70,000 miles on it.  A friend of mine cracked his bottom bracket (because he is big and strong and put as many miles on his as I put on mine).  They replaced the frame with no charge. 

So, I feel I can recommend either a Trek or a Specialized. 

[blueiron]

Hmm. I have some experience in this realm, so I'll offer my opinions.

I've owned three mountain bikes - an early Specialized Stumpjumper [US made], a Nishiki [can't recall the designation], and a 2018 Specialized Stumpjumper FSR. The first two bikes were used and used very hard. I was a serious enthusiast in the 1980s when steel frames were the norm and aluminium frames were "exotic". My current bike is used for exercise and vacation riding in Arizona, Nevada, NM, and Utah. 

Are you going to ride trails, cross country, or mountain downhill? Each bike style is different, although they look similar. Downhill bikes require strength and suspension travel, if so equipped. Braking is critical going downhill at speed. Trail bikes require a focus on ergonomics and quick steering. Trail riding requires climb and descent capabilities. Cross country bikes are built for mileage and usually have provisions for panniers. Cross country bikes are built for lots of miles. 

If you are over 200 pounds, you'll need a bike frame that can handle the stresses of "big" riders. Bike frames are sized to height and do fit people differently. You must try out each bike you are looking at and see how it fits your arm reach, inseam and pedal stroke, seating position, steering lock to lock, weight to suspension capacity, etc.

Do NOT go to Wal-Mart, Target, or the local sporting goods dealer and buy something that costs $200 and expect to be content. These bikes use the cheapest components and while they may be okay for kids growing 4 inches a year, an adult will be miserable. Go to a bike shop that has a variety of brands and speak to someone who knows how to fit a bike to a rider. The prices are discounted at the end of the model year and they are often willing to throw in accessories for free when you buy from them. Bike tune ups are necessary, so get to know the service techs too.

I recommend a full suspension bike if you are willing to spend the cash or a front suspension pnly bike if you are trying to save money. I find an "on the fly" adjustable seatpost to be a "needed luxury" - it allows you to sit lower on the bike during power pedaling or move around a bit on long rides [bad knees will appreciate it too]. I prefer SRAM parts, but Shimano builds quality parts as well. The SRAM shifters work better for me, but check out both styles. 

If you need more advice, let us know.

 

[ASH]

good post thanks , yeah im 6'1  220    ,  im gonna check out some bike shops in cary  this week , there are about 20 shops in the area , as biking in this area  is  popular ,  i mainly to start  with to ride some trails , road  ,  and ride with my grand kid ,   get in some shape  and advance  ,  back a million years ago when bmx was in  we used to do all kinds of things.  then mountain biking  took over  as bmx'ers  got older .   i would never buy a bike from places like walmart .   im looking at prolly 2,000 bucks   for bike .   and checking online  thats pretty good for the low to mid range .    

full suspension prolly is what i will go with .