Mt Bike Time

[RANOVRU]

Been looking at Wally World online, trying to keep it around $200 or so. Main use will just be riding trails mild to intermediate at parks and the river.

This is everything they have http://www.walmart.com/browse/Bikes...1081404&ic=48_0&ref=430327+4292469491&_mm=5up


And here are a couple Ive been looking at...

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Genesis-Two-Nine-29-Mountain-Bike/16671301

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Mongoose-Deception-29-Men-s-Mountain-Bike/16913451

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Genesis-Saber-26-Mountain-Bike/16685766


I know Id like to have disc's, Im kind of torn between a 26 or 29. I think Id look a little more proportional on a 29 (6'2") but am thinking the agiillity of the 26 might be nice.

Some advice on what to look for would be nice. Ive been out of bikes for a while (24sp's!!!:shock.

And before any bashing starts about where Im currently looking, Im open to suggestions of other places for the same coin.8)

 

[Tommy R]

If your budget is $200, I'd buy a used 26" hardtail without disc brakes. Anything new at that price range will be pretty junky...particularly if it has "higher end" items like full suspension, disc brakes, etc. Get a frame that fits reasonably well and buy the best components you can afford. That'd be my recommendation. But do not buy a bike from The Great Wal of China.

 

[crunky]

craigslist surf bro.
"thumbsup"

 

[RANOVRU]

If your budget is $200, I'd buy a used 26" hardtail without disc brakes. Anything new at that price range will be pretty junky...particularly if it has "higher end" items like full suspension, disc brakes, etc. Get a frame that fits reasonably well and buy the best components you can afford. That'd be my recommendation. But do not buy a bike from The Great Wal of China.

Been there done that, several times. If I had the coin to go ahead and do that I would. In the boat that Im in if I went that route I mght have a bike next year this time.

Its not going to get too abused....

 

[Zod Rhombus]

UNIVERSAL RULE: Cheap crap breaks.

Those Wallyworld bikes are probably hard to get parts for and likely weigh 45+ pounds. That's not fun.

I agree with the others. Buy a good used hardtail without discs. Go as light as possible if you are tackling a lot of climbs.

I did the same thing. Years ago I went for a used GT hardtail for cheap, then started upscaling to a couple full suspension rigs and ended up with a Specialized S-Works hardtail. 12 years old now, 1000s of miles and it still feels new and 100% serviceable.

 

[RANOVRU]

craigslist surf bro.
"thumbsup"

Been doing that. And still am.

Everyone around here wants $75-100 for a beat down mid-late 90s 10-12sp....

The few that are nice are way outta my range anyway.

 

[Zod Rhombus]

My bike(s) have lasted longer than my marriage!

I like late-90s stuff. Hell, I'm still looking for a nice Ibis from that time period. If you get a nice classic frame with lower-tier components, you can always upgrade them later for cheaper than buying the nice bike you wanted in the first place.

 

[RANOVRU]

UNIVERSAL RULE: Cheap crap breaks.

Those Wallyworld bikes are probably hard to get parts for and likely weigh 45+ pounds. That's not fun.

I agree with the others. Buy a good used hardtail without discs. Go as light as possible if you are tackling a lot of climbs.

I did the same thing. Years ago I went for a used GT hardtail for cheap, then started upscaling to a couple full suspension rigs and ended up with a Specialized S-Works hardtail. 12 years old now, 1000s of miles and it still feels new and 100% serviceable.

The Mongoose Ive already looked at in the store, the other two they dont have. 45lbs??? I picked it up like it was nothing. Id say 15-20lbs at most. I know they difference in quality between building your own ride and just buying something relatively cheap. Im not too proud to say it, but I think the build quality on bikes from 10yrs ago sold at a place like WM has improved astronomically. And for someone who just wants to do as "little" as I do I think theyd more than fit the bill.

 

[1BadJeepBruiser]

Good god please dont buy a shitastic walmart bike :roll: you WILL hate it and it will totally ruin the MTB experience. Jump on criagslist, find something used with some disc brakes with 8 speed and youll be much happier. If nothing local check out ebay or the MTB forums.

I used to work for a MTB company...they had a line of bikes that they sold to big box stores like Dicks sporting goods, sports authority etc...I was the warranty guy and all I used to do was send out replacement parts for the POS sad excuse for what they considered a bicycle .

 

[TruckerBrad]

Keep an eye on Craigslist and it also wouldn't hurt to talk to your local bike shops. Maybe they'd have a lead on a bike someone wants to sell. Do you have a community bike shop where you live? Here in Missoula we have a place called Free Cycle and they have a build-a-bike program as long as you volunteer some time at the shop.

 

[1BadJeepBruiser]

The Mongoose Ive already looked at in the store, the other two they dont have. 45lbs??? I picked it up like it was nothing. Id say 15-20lbs at most. I know they difference in quality between building your own ride and just buying something relatively cheap. Im not too proud to say it, but I think the build quality on bikes from 10yrs ago sold at a place like WM has improved astronomically. And for someone who just wants to do as "little" as I do I think theyd more than fit the bill.

There is NO WAY in hell ANY bike from walmart is weighing 15-20 LBS if you wanted a 15lb MTB you would be paying BIG $$

 

[jcboof]

I picked up a Diamondback Response Comp from Dicks Sporting Goods about 2 years ago and i LOVE it. Diamondbacks are pretty decent bikes for a good price. They have decent components on them and are durable. I paid 300 for mine and am glad I didn't spend 500+ on a Specialized or the Trek I was looking at.

It has Avid J Discs, SRAMx5 components, Double wall rims, and a Rock Shox fork. For the money, You could not find another bike as loaded.

Like 1BadJeepBruiser said, DON'T waste your money on a crap bike from Walmart. If you are used to riding a walmart bike and get on a nice High End MTB, You'll be blown away at how much smoother, nicer, and easier they are to ride.

Walmart bikes are like the Redcat RS10 of the bike world. They will do the job, but won't last.

 

[Zod Rhombus]

Yeah, 15 lbs might just be the two rims and tires LOL. j/k, man.

My hardtail has tons of titanium bolts (damn expensive buggers), c-fiber and whatever that M4 composite alum is with the lightest XTR group I could afford (couldn't touch any of that stuff now - thank you ex-wife and mortgage) and STILL tips the scales at around 22 lbs. Which is fairly lightweight. Unlike me.

 

[1BadJeepBruiser]

just so it doesnt seem like I am bashing walmart bikes here are some real reasons why you should buy from a big box store.

1)Build quality...the guy building those bikes makes maybe 8$ if he is lucky. A trained professional bike mechanic at a LBS is making 15$ +. The guy building at walmart has no idea what a HI or LOW limit screw it on a derailleur nor does he know how to properly adjust cable tension and I wont even begin to go into disc brakes...

2)Components...a walmart bike will have SHIT components...you may see a name like Shimano but Shimano is making that shit as a SMU (special make up) just for that bike to be sold at that store.

2a)shit components continued...Bikes will have TONS of steel...steel = HEAVY...Steel cranks (wheres the barf sign?), Steel wheels...ugghh...if you are big dude they will be D shape or Taco'd in no time. Plastic pedals...enough said.

3) Little support...When the thing breaks...which BTW it will, you'll call the company and they are either going to send you everything under the sun OR they are going to tell you to take it to a local bike shop and when you show up at a high end LBS they arent going to want to deal with that crap.

 

[TruckerBrad]

Here ya go, and it's under your budget.

http://richmond.craigslist.org/bik/2551848704.html

 

[1BadJeepBruiser]

I picked up a Diamondback Response Pro from Dicks Sporting Goods about 2 years ago and i LOVE it. Diamondbacks are pretty decent bikes for a good price. They have decent components on them and are durable. I paid 300 for mine and am glad I didn't spend 500+ on a Specialized or the Trek I was looking at.

It has Avid J Discs, SRAMx5 components, Double wall rims, and a Rock Shox fork. For the money, You could not find another bike as loaded.

Like 1BadJeepBruiser said, DON'T waste your money on a crap bike from Walmart. If you are used to riding a walmart bike and get on a nice High End MTB, You'll be blown away at how much smoother, nicer, and easier they are to ride.

Walmart bikes are like the Redcat RS10 of the bike world. They will do the job, but won't last.

Your DB is a SMU...the bike was made specially for that store and cant be found in a LBS...Some times they have OK part but things like the shifters and such tend to SUCK and the frames are typically made with a lesser grade aluminum

man this is bringing back some memories...I still serve my LBS as a wrench from time to time...I know 1st hand all about these big box bikes and I truly advise to steer clear


Where is JustZack?? He owns a bike shop...he will tell you the exact same things I am posting here.

 

[jcboof]

Your DB is a SMU...the bike was made specially for that store and cant be found in a LBS...Some times they have OK part but things like the shifters and such tend to SUCK and the frames are typically made with a lesser grade aluminum

Huh.. Didn't know that. My LBS carries Diamondbacks and I bought my wifes DB from him, and was going to order my Reponse Comp from him, but after finding one at Dicks , I called him up and asked him if they were legit and he said Yup. My LBS is a buddy of mine, he sells DB, Specialized, Trek and Giants. The DB's were the most affordable for me at the time and he said for the money, You can't really go wrong. That is why I jumped on the Response Comp from Dicks. It was on sale for a SMOKING deal. 300 bucks wasn't a bad price for a bike like that considering they were around 600 normally.

I'm happy with it overall and I can't really tell much of a difference between my buddies Hardrock and mine.

 

[T1DAVE]

Save a few extra bucks and go to a bike shop, If your 6'2" they will fit you to the frame. I had a few cheep bikes there all in the junk yard now. finally bought a good one (specialized) you can ride 30 miles and it doesn't feel like it"thumbsup"

 

[RANOVRU]

Here ya go, and it's under your budget.

http://richmond.craigslist.org/bik/2551848704.html

Dont know anything about New Raleigh.



This popped up just a bit ago, could be a winner?? Bikepedia says the Flightline model doesnt go back any further than 08?? I guess it could be that new?

http://providence.craigslist.org/bik/2553568416.html

 

[jsowens]

There is NO WAY in hell ANY bike from walmart is weighing 15-20 LBS if you wanted a 15lb MTB you would be paying BIG $$

Amen to that. I work in a bike shop and even entry level mountain bikes from bike companies like Specialized weigh in the 25ish lb range. At the shop I work at, I work on a few Walmart bikes each week and the build quality on them is terrible compared to even low end bikes from bikes that can be found at bike shops, not to mention they're a whole lot heavier.

In addition to what these guys have all said, the biggest thing aside from quality you'll run into is bike fit. If you're 6'2'', I seriously doubt you fitting comfortably on a department store bike. Department store bikes are made with pretty much a "one size fits all" mentality and are rarely offered in multiple sizes like LBS bikes are. The fact that the bike has 29" wheels means very little in terms of the bike actually fitting you. For example, in terms of bikes from Specialized...I ride the exact same size frame in a 26" wheeled bike as a 29" wheeled bike. By fitting you, I mean that you can actually sit on the bike comfortably, not be cramped, have proper saddle height and arm extension. Most legit bike shops will have someone who is fit certified on staff to properly fit you to a bike.

In terms of quality, coming from a bike mechanic's standpoint, I've talked to several folks from companies like Shimano and even they say that the components that are spec'd on department store bikes aren't designed to be even remotely long lasting, not to mention they're a total nightmare to service most of the time. These bikes generally come with extremely low end components, are built by the same people who assemble entertainment centers at Walmart and who know nothing about bikes, and I've actually been into Walmart and walked by the bikes only to see a fork installed backwards and loose parts galore.

Do yourself a favor and at the very least go to some bike shops, especially used bike shops since you can usually find some good deals, try some bikes out, and shop around before pulling the trigger. With you being 6'2'', look for bikes in the 21" frame realm...that would be a good place to start but ultimately a lot of bikes are gonna fit differently from company to company so actually test ride the bike. Craigslist, ebay, used bike stores, and hell, even Dick's would be a massive step up from Walmart.