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Purchasing Dh/free ride bike, would love feedback/advice

1K views 7 replies 7 participants last post by  motochick 
#1 ·
Hello all!

Just wanna say that this forum has served me great in the past year with my current set up. As of now I'm ready to move from My xc bike to a free ride Dh.

A little about me: I'm 63 205. Love everything about mountain biking. I go roughly 3-5 times a week depending on schedule. Always been a little envious of the guys who were able to hit these huge jumps and trails with ease. I now think I am ready to move on to the next step and purchase a used bike.

I have a budget of 1000-1500. Obviously the cheaper the better but that is where my budget stands. I've gone around on eBay Craigslist pink bike and all the rest. They certainly offer some great deals and the bikes do look somewhat good, even those roughly five years old.

What I'm asking for in this thread is a little advice from a seasoned rider who has experience. I am by no means a beginner in the mountain bike community. I've been educating myself and searching for reviews and deals for about a month now.

Here is a website which has enabled me to search for a specific set of bikes deemed favorable : blistergearreview.com/recommended/best-used-bikes-for-your-buck/3]Best Used Bikes for Your Buck | Blister Gear Review - Skis, Snowboards, Mountain Bikes, Climbing - The most honest, and in-depth reviews of ski, board, bike, and climbing equipment on the planet.[/url]

As you can see they give a few bikes which I should be looking for with the price to match.
If any of you can comment on the bikes above or advise me on another brand, please do not hesitate.

I live in the Bay Area and Im willing to travel around 4 hours to pick up my purchase.

Thanks!
 
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#2 ·
cruise the classifieds and craigslist like a troll looking for anonymous sex. Good deals on just about any bike can be had if you look hard enough and get lucky with timing. In the game of buying a used good bike cheap, I'd say get the best that you can comfortably afford, and don't be tied to any brand.

Kona seems to be the king of inexpensive
Spesh, trek, giant, nukeproof can sometimes be had for good prices depending on how hard you look
 
#4 ·
Thanks for the BIO, makes it a lot easier for people to help you.

next question: are you looking for something you can plow through everything (ie. rocks roots drops) or something more for getting up in the air? certain bikes do these things better or worse.
Thanks for the replies.

I will continue the Craigslist searches. It's almost Xmas so I'm sure some people will be getting new bikes and getting rid of their older ones. Fingers crossed.

I'm looking for something that can go through everything. No questions asked. Just having the ability to go through a trail w/o the fear is something I'd like to have. Getting up in the air not so much, more focused on drops and height as well as rough terrain.

Thoughts?
 
#5 ·
Are you 63 years old or 6'3"? You can also check over at Mountain bike news, photos, videos and events - Pinkbike and there are a few Turner Highlines in or just a little above your stated budget. There are a large number of bikes that would work. A couple of things to keep in mind would be age, cond., and what kind of support is there for the frame. If you need it to be repaired or serviced you don't want to be stuck with something that is not still supported by the manufacture. Also one thing to keep in mind is more travel is not an excuse for lack of skill. I would point you in the direction of something with about 6" of travel (give or take).
 
#6 ·
While I myself am new at this, I'd say for what you describe you want 7" or more of travel. Sure, 6" will work but will likely be harder and won't be as much fun. You also may get older-style steeper HT angle with such shorter travel too.

When I did a class with Shaums March this summer, he laughed at my FR / DH 2009 Kona Coiler Deluxe 7" travel front + back and called it a "small bike." I was the only "student" without a double crown, etc. The bike worked well for this class and I didn't feel like it was limiting me. (Still, now I have purchased another used DH-specific bike with more travel to take my riding to a higher level.)

If you are interested, I am looking to sell my Kona in your budget - it was a $4K bike, has upgrades like Thomson post, twenty6 stem, Sunline bars, etc. and is in great shape.
 
#8 ·
Check Pinkbike. I have bought a nice frame/shock for myself, and a complete bike for my hubby there. His complete bike with gear was $1250, sure it is a few years old but it was hardly ridden and the geometry was what he wanted. Sounds like you want a double crown, 8in, plow bike, somewhere around a 64 degree head tube angle. Good luck in your search!
 
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