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Shopping Help: Giant Yukon vs Boulder SE

5K views 13 replies 7 participants last post by  giantyukon 
#1 ·
I need to decide whether to buy a 340USD Giant Boulder SE or a Yukon, both models are 2007. I need my bike to transport in the city but also on the mountains, I use to ride my bikes on the city, but my budget is limited.

I just want to hear some positive comments about the Boulder SE, I think is a great bike with great components. I have never owned a "real" bike from prestigious bike manufacturers like Giant, Trek, Specialized, etc, and I've always found trouble because the bike breaks down something and is a pain in the a$$ not to have a bike reliable.

I'd like to get the bike before Lent Week, but I will be ordering online since in my city there are no Giant distributors, also the price can't be beaten elsewhere.

Hope to get responses
 
#2 ·
If you can spring for the Yukon, buy it instead of the Boulder SE. The frame is fairly similar, but with the Yukon, you get much better components. The Yukon has a Deore rear derailleur, whereas the Boulder SE has a much lower quality Acera. The Yukon also has hayes disc brakes, a great benefit on the trail. And the Yukon has a stouter fork--not a great fork, but at least it has 32mm stantions.

The Boulder SE is ok if that is all you can afford, but if you can afford the Yukon, the Yukon is a much better bike and worth the extra money.
 
#3 ·
Suntour XCR=32mm?

Jwiffle said:
And the Yukon has a stouter fork--not a great fork, but at least it has 32mm stantions.

The Boulder SE is ok if that is all you can afford, but if you can afford the Yukon, the Yukon is a much better bike and worth the extra money.
Not to derail, but the Suntour XCR that comes on the Yukon has 32mm stanchions? Just looking for clarification. In any event, the Yukon is definitely a much better bike than the Boulder. Like Jwiffle said, if you can afford it, definitely buy it over the Boulder.

Bob
 
#4 ·
What do you mean by stations? The physical size of the part of the fork that goes into the shock or the part around it, the body of the shock. Sorry, I'm new to this stuff.

I just bought a 2006 Yukon, I can measure whatever it is when I get home if I can find my calipers. That is if someone can't find the info somewhere on the net.
 
#9 · (Edited)
Although I'm new I feel I can offer some insight because I just bought a Yukon. Also someone on a local car forum is selling a Boulder SE that a friend was looking at, but it was a 19" and he's 5'6". I can't offer any expert advice on either bike or any other choices, but I can tell you what I expect out of the Yukon and what I would have expected out of the Boulder SE for him.

I could go on for a while but I'll summarize what I was going to tell my friend my feeling on the Boulder SE was. Keep in mind that I plan to do some 'pretty serious' mountain biking (for someone who's new) and so does he. I was going to tell him that for $100 he's buying the frame. Even with the Yukon I fully expect that I will break things this year and get upgrade-itis on a few other things. As someone else said, the Yukon has better components all around. If I make it the year without breaking anything I'll be very happy and surprised. I just wasn't willing to shell out any more than what I did for the time being and I'm willing to upgrade as needed. When I said something to a big mountain bike guy I know, he said the same thing "stuff is going to break if you really mountain bike that thing".

BTW I can go check this bike out if you want and are willing to buy something shipped, sight unseen. I can even take some pictures. He's asking $100 right now, it's an 06'. He said it's full running except for a broken chain, which he said if it's that big of a deal, he can replace. I was honestly a little hesitant for my friend (before I found out the bike size) about this, not knowing what the bike has been through to break a chain. I'm not sure what store he got it from, but if my friend were to buy it I was going to suggest that he have the seller replace the chain and take it to the LBS he bought it from to get everything adjusted before my friend bought it (if it's still in the 'free tuneup period'). I can suggest the same thing in this case. I live in Columbus Ohio if that matters, and I'm sure the guy lives in the central Ohio area.

Also, I'm a little confused, what are the prices on each? I see a $340, but the retail on the Boulder SE is $290. I got my Yukon for $380 and feel that I got a great deal on it, so if you can get it for $340 and can swing it, I would say go for it. Just understand buying online your either going to have to figure out how to adjust everything or pay some $$ for at least one tune up once everything settles in. I felt much more comfortable buying from an LBS for my first mountain bike with free tuneups for the next year. I'm very mechanically inclined and have put together BMX bikes from the frame up, and I still feel this way. Derailleurs scare me. : )~
 
#10 ·
i don't know mucha bout the Yukon, but the bike i started riding on was a Boulder SE that was originally my brothers and is now about 7 or 8 years old. So far the only thing that i've seen go bad on the boulder are the pedals are getting bent cause i jumped mine, and the fork has worn out a bit, i think going from washington to nevada hurt it with the seals drying out and every thing, also i had to replace the rear derailier (spelling on that) cause i broke mine. other then that, I love the bike, its great, and I still ride it from time to time
 
#11 ·
Thanks for all your replies.
Trouble_Maker: could you post some pictures of your new bike? The Internet Seller is offering the Boulder SE, the Yukon, The Rainier, the Pistol and other Road bikes. For my budget the maximum I could go for is the Yukon, but I would have to save money to be able to buy it. I'm fed up on using cheap low-end bicycles.
 
#12 ·
Just be realistic about what kind of riding you will be doing, and don't buy more/less than you need. Not a damned thing wrong with the Boulder SE, pretty in Raiders' colors.
If you are buying online anyway, look at ibexbikes.com, and bikesdirect.com.
 
#13 ·
RHEL said:
Just be realistic about what kind of riding you will be doing, and don't buy more/less than you need. Not a damned thing wrong with the Boulder SE, pretty in Raiders' colors.
I forgot to add something in there about this. I completely agree with this post, except for the pretty in Raiders colors part. :p

Off topic again, the stanchions on mine are 30mm.

I took a ton of pictures last night but didn't have time to resize and upload them, sorry about that. Hopefully I'll have some time this weekend.
 
#14 ·
RHEL said:
Just be realistic about what kind of riding you will be doing, and don't buy more/less than you need. Not a damned thing wrong with the Boulder SE, pretty in Raiders' colors.
If you are buying online anyway, look at ibexbikes.com, and bikesdirect.com.
I use my primary cheap bike commuting from home to my uni (which BTW is not even 2 km far away). I will occassionaly use the new bike in rough terrain, very rocky mountain, my cheap bike has survived last weekend but I don't thing it's meant to serve as a extreme MTB ride.

I'm more inclined to buy the Boulder SE because of the cranks/cassete ratio, the Yukon biggest crank is 42 whereas the Boulder SE has a 48 teeth crank (I use to go high speed on my town, as I regulary use the bike for recreational purpouses on the pavement).

Another bonus is that because the Boulder SE is cheaper than the Yukon I can buy more accesories like new gloves, helmet, Camelback, etc.
 
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