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Advice- Noob to Noob

2K views 16 replies 12 participants last post by  eh steve 
#1 ·
I just got into mountain biking. I told a friend that I bought a bike and he told me that he wants a mountain bike and would appreciate some advice. I wrote an email to him articulating some of the things I learned in my recent shopping exploits. I was so impressed with my own advice that I thought I would share it here for all the noobs wondering how to go about shopping for their first bike.


Here are the things that I considered when shopping.

1. Frame style
a. Full suspension. Cushy ride. VERY expensive for a nice one. Not really necessary for most riders.
b. Hard tail. (frond shocks, rigid rear) Most common. This is what I have.
c. Rigid. No suspension. The least expensive option.
2. Frame material
a. Steel. Heaviest and cheapest.
b. Aluminum. Lighter than steel. Cheaper than carbon fiber. The VAST majority of mountain bikes are aluminum.
c. Carbon fiber. Lightest and most expensive.
3. Brakes
a. Rim brakes. (I don’t know what the correct term is but there are pads that press against the rim to slow you down) There are a few different styles. They work fine.
b. Mechanical disc. They use a cable to activate the disc brakes. Becoming more and more common. Work better than rim brakes.
c. Hydraulic disc brakes. Use fluid to activate the disc brake. These work the best and are the most expensive.
4. Components/shifters.
a. The two main manufacturers are SRAM and Shimano. Each has several different levels of quality. As you pay more money they become more reliable, smoother, more durable, and lighter.
5. Tire size
a. 26” used to be the standard. Many of the shops I visited are no longer ordering 26” for stock. They will special order if you want one.
b. 29” is becoming the new standard and what everyone wants.
c. See the forum for many lengthy discussions on the differences between the two.
6. Frame size
a. You would PROBABLY want a 19”. The only way to tell is to ride and see what feels most comfortable to you.
7. Front fork
a. You will probably get a suspension fork. Like anything else the more you spend the nicer it will be.
b. Spring forks are less expensive. They make noises when you wheelie, jump etc. Not as smooth as an air fork
c. Air forks are more expensive, smoother and quieter.


If you are starting from scratch and have no idea what you want, start by riding a lot of bikes. Don’t worry about price; at this point you are not shopping- you are learning. Each brand will have a different feel, different balance, different geometry. At this point you are trying to get a feel for the difference between the different manufacturers and the different grades of parts. If you can’t tell the difference between a spring fork and an air fork (and many people can’t) look for a bike with a spring fork because it is cheaper.

You can go on the forums and read what other people say about the stuff but that is kind of like asking them if they think your wife is pretty. Their opinion doesn’t matter. Just like your wife you are going to be the one riding it! Figure out what you like and then look for that.


You are welcome to ride my bike any time you want. You can even take it out to the trail if you want. I am brand new and consider myself almost educated enough to be a novice but I would be happy to help you in any way that I can (answer questions, go with you to bike shops, etc)
 
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#2 ·
Looks like a lot of the same info that I've gathered. However, I just wanted to mention that I have three bikes, two are chromoly frames from the mid 90's, and a 2009 hard rock disc aluminum frame. The chromoly bikes are lighter than the aluminum bike. I am a noob also, and I'm sure someone will tell my why aluminum is better (less rigid or something) but I really like my old chromoly bikes. That may be something to consider if you're looking for an inexpensive first bike.
 
#3 ·
...You can go on the forums and read what other people say about the stuff but that is kind of like asking them if they think your wife is pretty. Their opinion doesn't matter. Just like your wife you are going to be the one riding it...You are welcome to ride my bike any time you want. You can even take it out to the trail if you want...
I need to get my mind out of the gutter. :D
 
#4 ·
Two notes.

First, about transmission components. Paying more doesn't completely mean they will be more durable. As price increases, also weight drops. With proper care everything lasts, but when you're the type of person that neglects a lot of maintenance work, I'd say that the best bet would be around 3/4 of the line-up.

Second, forks. Only cheap coil forks have the possibility to operate as you describe. Even never heard one do noises though. Regarding smoothness any good quality coil fork, at the expense of a few grams more, will be way more smooth. Spring rate doesn't ramp as much as it ramps with an air shock. Progression is their strong point. Depending where you ride and how you ride some people do prefer coils over air. And that doesn't mean there is a rule that sets air forks are more expensive. They simply outnumber coil forks nowadays. The reasons for it would be enough for a new thread so I'll just cut it for now.

I could also talk about the 26/29 discussion but I'd bet that would jump start another flame war. Only a comment, don't take things as granted so soon. I'm living across the pond, and even though there is a delay compared to the Americas, 29s haven't gotten that much share of the market, and for the last year things seemed a bit stabilized. The market is really divided.
 
#6 ·
Poor advice. Too many generalizations.

I just got into mountain biking. I told a friend that I bought a bike and he told me that he wants a mountain bike and would appreciate some advice. I wrote an email to him articulating some of the things I learned in my recent shopping exploits. I was so impressed with my own advice that I thought I would share it here for all the noobs wondering how to go about shopping for their first bike.

Here are the things that I considered when shopping.

1. Frame style
a. Full suspension. Cushy ride. VERY expensive for a nice one. Not really necessary for most riders.
b. Hard tail. (frond shocks, rigid rear) Most common. This is what I have.
c. Rigid. No suspension. The least expensive option.
2. Frame material
a. Steel. Heaviest and cheapest.
b. Aluminum. Lighter than steel. Cheaper than carbon fiber. The VAST majority of mountain bikes are aluminum.
c. Carbon fiber. Lightest and most expensive.
Not correct. In the hands of a competent frame builder, any material can exhibit any characteristics the rider would like. There are many steel bikes that are lighter than AL bikes.

3. Brakes
a. Rim brakes. (I don't know what the correct term is but there are pads that press against the rim to slow you down) There are a few different styles. They work fine.
b. Mechanical disc. They use a cable to activate the disc brakes. Becoming more and more common. Work better than rim brakes.
c. Hydraulic disc brakes. Use fluid to activate the disc brake. These work the best and are the most expensive.
Also too large a generalization. Cheap disc brakes don't work as well as decent v-brakes.

4. Components/shifters.
a. The two main manufacturers are SRAM and Shimano. Each has several different levels of quality. As you pay more money they become more reliable, smoother, more durable, and lighter.
Not correct. The lower cost components weigh more but function just fine with the same durability.
5. Tire size
a. 26" used to be the standard. Many of the shops I visited are no longer ordering 26" for stock. They will special order if you want one.
b. 29" is becoming the new standard and what everyone wants.
c. See the forum for many lengthy discussions on the differences between the two.
Also not correct. Choose the bike that fits you best and you feel most comfortable with, regardless of tire size
6. Frame size
a. You would PROBABLY want a 19". The only way to tell is to ride and see what feels most comfortable to you.
Way off base here. If a 19" bike fits you, then that's the size you want. If you're taller or shorter, then you'll want a different size bike.
7. Front fork
a. You will probably get a suspension fork. Like anything else the more you spend the nicer it will be.
b. Spring forks are less expensive. They make noises when you wheelie, jump etc. Not as smooth as an air fork
c. Air forks are more expensive, smoother and quieter.
Again, a gross generalization. A cheap air fork or spring fork won't perform as well as an upper end fork. A nice spring fork won't make noise and it plenty smooth.

If you are starting from scratch and have no idea what you want, start by riding a lot of bikes. Don't worry about price; at this point you are not shopping- you are learning. Each brand will have a different feel, different balance, different geometry. At this point you are trying to get a feel for the difference between the different manufacturers and the different grades of parts. If you can't tell the difference between a spring fork and an air fork (and many people can't) look for a bike with a spring fork because it is cheaper.

You can go on the forums and read what other people say about the stuff but that is kind of like asking them if they think your wife is pretty. Their opinion doesn't matter. Just like your wife you are going to be the one riding it! Figure out what you like and then look for that.

You are welcome to ride my bike any time you want. You can even take it out to the trail if you want. I am brand new and consider myself almost educated enough to be a novice but I would be happy to help you in any way that I can (answer questions, go with you to bike shops, etc)
You've made far too many generalizations and presented inaccuracies as truth.
 
#7 ·
You've made far too many generalizations and presented inaccuracies as truth.
I agree with everything with the exception of the lower cost components lasting as long as more expensive ones. A Tourney rear derailleur will get loose in the linkage far sooner than a Deore or better derailleur will which causes it to operate poorly. Of course, I also find the lower weight of the XTR/X0 level stuff to sometimes create issues with durability so somewhere around SLX is probably the "Goldilocks" zone for most riders.

Of course, if the bike in your price range isn't equipped with Deore or better then it's not worth putting yourself into debt; just upgrade when whatever part it is stops working.
 
#10 ·
I also have a couple of quibbles, with 1a: (Most riders? Perhaps some riders)

and 5a/5b: I think it's very out of the ordinary for bike shops not to stock 26 inch tires. That's not right. And while 29ers are increasing in market share every year, they are hardly the "new standard". It's highly unlikely they will catch 26 in market share. And again, perhaps many want them, not "everyone".
 
#11 ·
Pretty much agreed with everything as summed up. Thats why I got on here and google and did my own research before buying a bike. In the end I ended up with a bike I love that was just over my budget (within $100 of budget isnt shabby in this hobby).
 
#12 ·
I just got into mountain biking. I told a friend that I bought a bike and he told me that he wants a mountain bike and would appreciate some advice. I wrote an email to him articulating some of the things I learned in my recent shopping exploits. I was so impressed with my own advice that I thought I would share it here for all the noobs wondering how to go about shopping for their first bike.

Here are the things that I considered when shopping.

1. Frame style
a. Full suspension. Cushy ride. VERY expensive for a nice one. Not really necessary for most riders. FS does not yeild cushy rides, in fact it's recommended for NuBs because it offers more control if the budget allowed, there's no rule that you have to start with HT.
b. Hard tail. (frond shocks, rigid rear) Most common. This is what I have.
c. Rigid. No suspension. The least expensive option. Is that so?

2. Frame material
a. Steel. Heaviest and cheapest. What kind of tubesets? and who makes it? What about Stainless steel?
b. Aluminum. Lighter than steel. Cheaper than carbon fiber. The VAST majority of mountain bikes are aluminum.
c. Carbon fiber. Lightest and most expensive.

See Ken in KC

3. Brakes
a. Rim brakes. (I don't know what the correct term is but there are pads that press against the rim to slow you down) There are a few different styles. They work fine.
The only type of rim brake for mounttain bike is the V brake aka linear pull or direct pull.

b. Mechanical disc. They use a cable to activate the disc brakes. Becoming more and more common. Work better than rim brakes.
Not true
c. Hydraulic disc brakes. Use fluid to activate the disc brake. These work the best and are the most expensive. Again not true

4. Components/shifters.
a. The two main manufacturers are SRAM and Shimano. Each has several different levels of quality. As you pay more money they become more reliable, smoother, more durable, and lighter.
Oy VEy

5. Tire size
a. 26" used to be the standard. Many of the shops I visited are no longer ordering 26" for stock. They will special order if you want one.
b. 29" is becoming the new standard and what everyone wants.
c. See the forum for many lengthy discussions on the differences between the two.
What? I do agree I went to Niner and they don't have the 26er anymore, in fact they never had 26er model ever.

6. Frame size
a. You would PROBABLY want a 19". The only way to tell is to ride and see what feels most comfortable to you.

7. Front fork
a. You will probably get a suspension fork. Like anything else the more you spend the nicer it will be.
b. Spring forks are less expensive. They make noises when you wheelie, jump etc. Not as smooth as an air fork
c. Air forks are more expensive, smoother and quieter.
This is a perfect example of why NuBs should not give advise to other NuBs

If you are starting from scratch and have no idea what you want, start by riding a lot of bikes. Don't worry about price; at this point you are not shopping- you are learning. Each brand will have a different feel, different balance, different geometry. At this point you are trying to get a feel for the difference between the different manufacturers and the different grades of parts. If you can't tell the difference between a spring fork and an air fork (and many people can't) look for a bike with a spring fork because it is cheaper.

As a NuB you should go to your Local Bike Shop (LBS) and look around and get over the sticker shock, then ask the lbs for the local riding group or club. Go to their website introduce yourself and join in the weekly/monthly NuB ride ask all the questions there.

Another good option if you have experienced friends would be to ask them to show you the loop.

You can go on the forums and read what other people say about the stuff but that is kind of like asking them if they think your wife is pretty. Their opinion doesn't matter. Just like your wife you are going to be the one riding it! Figure out what you like and then look for that.

Most experienced members here own more than one bike and give quite accurate advice and opinion.
Unfortunately you are not posting this thread on your member's page you are posting in the beginner's corner forum titled Advice **********

Responsible member like Ken in KC had to correct your misinformation. I'm sure if you are posting this in a XC racing and training or Frame building no one would care.
 
#14 ·
Wow. I never realized that I am such a horrible person.

Sorry for offending every one.
It's been an awfully harsh response to your post which was well explained as your best try at helping a friend of yours. Guess there's a massive need for some chamois butter around here because everyone seems pretty butt hurt.

We've all been flamed for no good reason but hopefully it won't leave too bad a taste in your mouth.
 
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