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Bike Suggestions for Former BMX/Freestlye Rider

632 views 12 replies 8 participants last post by  faultyscrew 
#1 ·
I'm a BMX/Freestlye rider and I'm unsure of where to start. The reason I need a mt. bike is for transportation at college. My tiny Haro Mirra is not nearly sufficient enough for long distance transportation or rough terrain. At the moment I'm not necessarily going to "get into" mountain biking as a sport, however I will need a mountain bike at school. I would like to however get into the sport some day.

I'm unsure of where to start on the bike search sicne I've always been a BMX/Freestyle kind of guy and there weren't as many options. I've had my Haro since about 1999 and it's held up like a tank through lots of abuse. In fact it's still in great shape. When I look for Mountain Bikes the options seem limitless.

My budget for this bike is small. I would say imy budget is from $350-$500 (at the very maximum) - hopefully somewhere near $400 however. I need something that's not overkill for just commuting and some light mountain biking. My budget will surely not cover a fully-suspended bike so it looks like it will be a hardtail. It also must be a considerably light since it's being used mostly for transportation.

Any suggestions for a good commuter bike on the cheap that can handle the rigors of any terrain and can put up with a hard cycling style???

Thanks in advance!
 
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#2 ·
It would be really tough to get something new in that price range that is rugged and light. You might want to check out used bikes. check the classifieds here on mtbr of ebay.

Otherwise, check around at bikeshops for deals on leftover 04' models. February is a tough month for bike shops, they have to pay for 05' bikes and are looking to clear out the 04's.
At a real bike shop you can ride different types and find what feels right.
 
#3 ·
moonraker said:
It would be really tough to get something new in that price range that is rugged and light. You might want to check out used bikes. check the classifieds here on mtbr of ebay.

Otherwise, check around at bikeshops for deals on leftover 04' models. February is a tough month for bike shops, they have to pay for 05' bikes and are looking to clear out the 04's.
At a real bike shop you can ride different types and find what feels right.
Yeah - I was kind of hoping to get a response like that. I was just wondering if there were any specific make/model considerations. I have not yet visited my Bike Shop, however they usually do have some good deals on older models and I'm sure they would be happy to sell them as quick as they can. My shop actually has a course in which you can give a bike a test ride.

If I looked for 04' models or any used bikes - do any specific bikes come to mind?
 
#4 ·
faultyscrew said:
Yeah - I was kind of hoping to get a response like that. I was just wondering if there were any specific make/model considerations. I have not yet visited my Bike Shop, however they usually do have some good deals on older models and I'm sure they would be happy to sell them as quick as they can. My shop actually has a course in which you can give a bike a test ride.

If I looked for 04' models or any used bikes - do any specific bikes come to mind?
Trek 4300 for about $350.00......Awesome starter bike for the price.

http://www.trekbikes.com/bikes/2004/mountain/4300.jsp
 
#5 · (Edited)
cmaz44 said:
Trek 4300 for about $350.00......Awesome starter bike for the price.

http://www.trekbikes.com/bikes/2004/mountain/4300.jsp
I've found the 4300 in my recent research and it seems like a good match for me. If I were to purchase one, is the disc brakeset option a good investment? Are there any noticeable advantages that the Trek 4500 would offer for my usage?

How is the Trek 4300 in comparison to the Haro V2 and V3, the Specialized Rockhopper, and the Specialized Hardrock?

Trek 4500
Haro V2
Haro V3
Specialized Rockhopper
Specialized Hardrock
 
#7 ·
Techfreak said:
Seems to me that if you are already riding a Haro, why not just stick with them. They do one called the Zero which is a singlespeed - basically a 26" BMX bike with fron suspension. Maybe that will do the trick?
I looked at that but I don't really want a singlespeed, especially for climbs and such. If I want to ride BMX or Freestyle I'll just ride my Haro.

I've never ridden a Haro mtb so I'm unsure if they live up the standards of their BMX bikes. I'm sure they do - I'm jsut unsure as most people I know ride Trek, Specialized, Cannondale, etc...

I must make it down to my bike shop to take a test ride - only way to find out which bike is right for me. Every bike I'm looking into seems to be a great bike for the price so it's really down to which feels best. My shop has some really helpful sales people so they should be able to guide me in the right path. The sop was actually recognized on the 100 Best Bike Retailers list from Internation Cycle Works. They also have a huge selection, and hopefully some good deals, however I doubt I'll find anything great on a 2005 - perhaps they'll be clearing out some 04's.
 
#9 ·
I'm gonna get mobbed for this but...

Lynch away. Mongoose...yes I said it!!! Makes a bike called the ritual I have seen on Ebay...why not freak out and piss off your Freestyle buddies by doing grinds on a gyro'd mountain bike with disc brakes??? Personally I wish I could be there!!! I came from the same background and started with a Mongoose Hardluck...I hucked around on it for a bit until I fell into cross country endurance riding. You may be more the freeride type of guy or even a black diamond trailbiker...find a happy medium jack of all trades master of none bike...maybe a solid aluminum hardtail (read :WAAAY overbuilt) with a 1x9 setup and a bashguard, 4" fork etc.Trek sells the Bruiser again now...The P1 from Specialized or the Haro 8.3 (I think that's what it is now)let us know what you get and how you like it!
 
#12 ·
faultyscrew said:
I've found the 4300 in my recent research and it seems like a good match for me. If I were to purchase one, is the disc brakeset option a good investment? Are there any noticeable advantages that the Trek 4500 would offer for my usage?

How is the Trek 4300 in comparison to the Haro V2 and V3, the Specialized Rockhopper, and the Specialized Hardrock?

Trek 4500
Haro V2
Haro V3
Specialized Rockhopper
Specialized Hardrock
If you are looking at Treks......find the equivilent bike with Gary Fisher. You will get a little more bike for the same amount of money. My local bike shop carries both and we have compared models between the 2 companies.

mtnbikej
 
#13 ·
The idea of a singlespeed doesn't really excite me, however the idea of a rugged do-it-all bike does. If I take this route I think I'll take a look at the Trek Bruiser 1 and Brusier 2 since neither are singlespeed. Also the Haro Escape 8.1 seems good and has disc brakes as does the Bruiser 2 and the Giant STP 3. I'll have to see if I like this or the more traditional mtb better.

I don't think my shop sells Gary Fisher - I'll have to double check that though. I could always go to another shop and check it out, but I have a good history with my current shop and I don't think I would buy anywhere else.

I can't wait to get out to the shop, however I doubt I'll be able to get there in the near future since I have a lot going on at the moment. Perhaps I'll get there in the coming two to three weeks (hopefully sooner) so I can test out some of these bikes rather then just keep talking about which is theoretically better for my needs.

Well, I've got my line-up of bikes to test - hopefully one of them will strike my fancy when I try it out. I'll keep you all posted once I get to my local shop.
 
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