MTB Hardtail vs Full Suspension

RA... understand this... I totally get not reading through the thread. Totally. Still there's enough misunderstanding going on so I will re-explain what is going on.

We bought some land 2 years ago adjacent to our ski cabin.

Last summer a really good trail designer/ex-forest ranger/friend put 2 miles of nordic trail on our property that he said was designed to double as an MTB trail in summer.  First and foremost designed to ski, but good for riding.

We spend 45 or 50 days a year at our place, maybe 7 or 10 of those are not winter.  When I came up last summer to stack the firewood and check out what he had done I was so pumped I wanted to find a bike to try it out.  I borrowed the mongoose from a local friend. The choice those days was ride a cheap bike or don't ride.  I had a freakin blast. I had so much fun riding out the back door of our place I was doing that loop 5x a day when I was there. I hardly left the property.  

I don't know much about bikes but I have been around enough to know the difference between a nice piece of equipment and a hunk of junk.

I wanted to buy a bike to LEAVE up there for those 10 days of riding a year.  I am not a fan of driving the 275 miles to our place (or any distance) with a bike on top or attached to the car.  I still may do it but I'd rather not.

I was originally trying to decide if I should get a full suspension or not.  I had no idea how expensive bikes were since I bought my Kona 15 years ago. I think it was $500.  I now know you are right about a full suspension. Buzzed or no, I am not spending $2000 on a bike I will ride 10 days a year.

My guess is that the Kona needs at significant amount to get going good as new. I could be wrong but should know today or this week.  But I really like the idea of the larger wheel.  I was looking at new bikes this weekend and asked about the down side of a bigger wheel. Everything is a trade off. The shop owner said if it gets really technical a less skilled rider would have trouble getting around tightly spaced rocks/boulders. Makes sense to me.

Our trails are pretty flowy so a 29 would probably be fine.  But you never know where life would lead. I actually really enjoy technical riding but kind of gave it up after I went over the handler bars and a dislocated finger really messed me up at work for like three months.  Typing with one finger really kills my ability to earn a living.

So I'm thinking hardtail, the one I rode the other day was 27.5 for $700.  I also rode the next one up, same frame better components (gears, brakes, front shock) and did like it more for $1000.  Maybe I will go for that.

No way I am buying the goose. My Kona is a better bike. I do think it needs new shifters and front shock. It definitely need tires and a seat and a seat post. We will see.

I get where you're coming from Harv. My first bike I bought was a $600 Specialized and it worked friggin great for the seasonal roads and snowmobile trails I ride here in Virgil. I did trade up to a more expensive Specialized Carve Comp and the difference is very noticeable.  It shifts easier, rolls easier, brakes easier, overall lighter bike but all that really doesn't matter to me because my main reason for riding is to get a workout. I don't race, don't want to race, don't care if I'm the last or first to get to our destination. Just like in skiing my tires don't leave the ground, if they do it's purely on accident . I just wanted a good bike to go trail riding with my buds and I don't think one needs to spend 4K on a bike to do that.

If and when GP gets DH biking I'll look into full suspension bike, but even then the $$$ I would spend on that would be better served putting up my new barn that I want.

tjf1967 wrote

 Enough thinking more doing.

This! Just go get a ride like the jersey dude just got. either one of two things will happen, it'll serve your purposes and you'll have a hoot and save some $, or you'll dig it so much and ride it til all the components are busted need some squish and wonder why the fuck you just lay out the $ in the first place when your ponying up $3K for the new ride- win/ win either way!
I think if I was doing a hard tail I'd probably stay 29 though

I'm far from expert when it comes to mountain biking. My bro on the other hand was ranked nationally. I've tried all his bikes. He's got more than you can imagine. All different types and sizes. The most fun and versatile kind is IMHO a fat bike.
Just try one out. It's fun on single track,great in rock gardens,and goes over just about anything like a tank. Now that more companies are in the game ,prices are coming down. I got a Framed Alasken Alloy and love it.
          Just try it.              You'll like it!

Thehof wrote

....is IMHO a fat bike....... and goes over just about anything like a tank.

So, they're like a fat chick,,,, more cushion less pushin ?

Drive train is shot on the Kona. (Hey I trust the guy we had beerz!) Too much money into an old bike.

I'm getting something new, but probably not for next weekend.  Will try to borrow something decent for "opening day."

Harvey wrote

Drive train is shot on the Kona. (Hey I trust the guy we had beerz!) Too much money into an old bike.

I'm getting something new, but probably not for next weekend.  Will try to borrow something decent for "opening day."

Drive train, so shifters, derailleurs, cassette? That's like $100-$150 in parts. I understand the want to get a new bike (God, I understand it), but at least keep the 2 bike dream alive.

Parts yeah, labor added to that. Not something I'd do (the labor). Bike also needs seat, seat post, pedals, tires, and some other minor stuff. There are actually 2 Kona's so I will still have two. My wife doesn't ride her bike anymore. It was not as nice a bike originally but it has barely been ridden so it's in decent shape. Will probably use that as my flatlands road bike and buy a new one for the cabin. I want a new bike with a bigger wheel.

Still seems odd to me that the medium frame feels small to me. I'm 5'8" for god sakes, I should be a medium. And the large feels too big but not as too big as the medium feels too small, if that makes any sense. Really don't want to buy the wrong frame size.

In his defense the guy I spoke to was a road bike guy and really pushed me to talk to the mtb guy. Maybe he sucks or is stuck, but I still think Giant probably makes a bike that will work for me.

mattchuck2 wrote

Drive train, so shifters, derailleurs, cassette? That's like $100-$150 in parts. I understand the want to get a new bike (God, I understand it), but at least keep the 2 bike dream alive.

Plus chain ring(s) plus chain.  Prob $200 in parts, doubled if the LBS does the work.  Instead of investing $400 in the old bike, Harv should get the new $1K bike, save the Kona and eventually have you do the work in trade for a few cases of your favorite beerz.  Here's some pretty good perspective on buying a new bike on a budget:  5 tips for getting the best mountain bike for your $ (ran on TGR earlier today).

Well, if it were me, I'd buy one of those single speed conversion kits that comes with a chain tensioner and just make it a single speed. Drive train problem solved.

Buying this tomorrow or saturday...880 beans

http://www.cannondale.com/nam_en/2015/bikes/mountain/trail-hardtails/trail/trail-4

mattchuck2 wrote

Harvey wrote

Drive train is shot on the Kona. (Hey I trust the guy we had beerz!) Too much money into an old bike.

I'm getting something new, but probably not for next weekend.  Will try to borrow something decent for "opening day."

Drive train, so shifters, derailleurs, cassette? That's like $100-$150 in parts. I understand the want to get a new bike (God, I understand it), but at least keep the 2 bike dream alive.

Your absolutely right MC2 - heck you can buy an entire shimano Alivio groupset for that.
SO winding back to the Mr. Money Mustache thread - I seem to recall someone complaining that his wife was not the most frugal person on the planet - looks like it runs in the family, you'll never get to FIRE this way.

 

PeeTex wrote

mattchuck2 wrote

Harvey wrote

Drive train is shot on the Kona. (Hey I trust the guy we had beerz!) Too much money into an old bike.

I'm getting something new, but probably not for next weekend.  Will try to borrow something decent for "opening day."

Drive train, so shifters, derailleurs, cassette? That's like $100-$150 in parts. I understand the want to get a new bike (God, I understand it), but at least keep the 2 bike dream alive.

Your absolutely right MC2 - heck you can buy an entire shimano Alivio groupset for that.
SO winding back to the Mr. Money Mustache thread - I seem to recall someone complaining that his wife was not the most frugal person on the planet - looks like it runs in the family, you'll never get to FIRE this way.

F' Mr Mustache...

A guy who lives a few houses away from me , went to the bathroom after the fight on Saturday night..He never came out..He was 52...
Live a little and enjoy...

JasonWx wrote

 

F' Mr Mustache...

A guy who lives a few houses away from me , went to the bathroom after the fight on Saturday night..He never came out..He was 52...
Live a little and enjoy...

AMEN!

"Never seen a hearse with a trailer hitch"   Kristian Bush

Deore.  Deore is where it's at.  While most bike and component prices have gone wildly out of control, Deore offers much of the same design, features and performance as SLX and XT did just a couple years ago and does not cost a ton of money.  Alivio is still not meant to be a workhorse group, so whatever dollar savings it has over Deore, you will pay for it either in time spent keeping it adjusted or in actual money replacing broken components.  

JasonWx wrote

F' Mr Mustache...

A guy who lives a few houses away from me , went to the bathroom after the fight on Saturday night..He never came out..He was 52...
Live a little and enjoy...

MMM would say that's all the more reason to retire early, so you'd at least have a few years of freedom before you died at 52.

From what I can tell the diff between the $1000 and the $700 Giant is Rock Shox and Deore and brakes.  The Deore did seem like a better shifter to me.

Here's Giant frame sizing chart, looks like I'm at the small end of medium:

My wife is pretty level, I don't remember complaining about her. 90% of our "ridiculous spending" is skiing related, I'm not giving it up.

My bike is 15 years old and needs most of what I spent on it originally to ride like new.  I ground the drivetrain down by riding it.

We can't all be brilliant inventors who are rich and awesome.

I thought you said you had ten pairs of skis. You don't have enough info to take potshots at my spending.

radam wrote

Deore.  Deore is where it's at.

How about SLX 1x10 for $158:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mobile/us/en/shimano-slx-1x10-speed-drivetrain-bundle/rp-prod126349?gs=1&gclid=CMqqlI2fssUCFcQUHwod8UAAAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds

Maybe harv is nervous about doing a rebuild himself. In such a case, MC2 could toss it together for him.