I used to ride bmx (dirt) and race motocross. Im getting into mountain biking so im new at this stuff. I found 2 used bikes for sale, one is a 2008 specialized hard rock the other is a 2006 GT I- Drive both are in like new condition. I need some help with which one I should go with and why?
How much are they asking for the i-drive and what is the frame size?
How tall are you?
The Hardrock is a hardtail, ie no rear suspension, the i-drive is full suspension. Being a fellow MXer myself, I'm pretty sure you'd be much happier with the i-drive as it has rear suspension.
Once we know exactly which models you're looking at (so we can compare component specs), and which frame sizes they are (and your height), we can better answer your question.
i have an 06 i-drive 4.0, i've upgraded most parts on it, race face atlas cranks, revelation fork, thompson stem etc. i love the bike.. it climbs great, the only thing i've disliked so far is the "Creak" which i found was my rear dropouts, nothing a little grease couldn't fix.. that being said i love the bike, it performs great on the downhills as well.
let us know what trim your looking at (1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0) (i-d, 4, 5, 7")
pay the money and get some decent components right off the bat, i've ended up upgrading almost everything, next is brakes and wheels
I bought an 06 (I think it was '06) I-Drive 4 5.0 last Christmas. Since then, I have hated every thing about it. The shock blew out in just a few months, although I admit I was probably too hard on it, however, it coudlnt even be replaced because no companies even make that size shock anymore and finding a used one was out of the question.
The wheels are extremely cheap.
The bike makes a terrible loud creaking sound from the bottom bracket/idrive area, which was all greased and rebuild with no help to the sound.
I dont know much - or anything - about the hardrock, but I'll go ahead and say get it.
The shock blew out in just a few months, although I admit I was probably too hard on it, however, it couldn't even be replaced because no companies even make that size shock anymore and finding a used one was out of the question.
Apparently that size shock isn't as rare as one would think...check this thread out...there is also a link in there to a 6x1.25 for $180 in-stock from Cambria bike: http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=469956
Getting the correct size is the primary concern! If there's a way you can actually ride the bikes or at least check out a similar build, you'd be better suited to finalize your decision. The Hardrock, without rear-suspension, will beat you up more than the I-Drive. Conversely, because the I-Drive has more moving parts (namely suspension pivots), it will require more diligent maintenance than the Hardrock.
Those retailed for $2200 back in 2005, considerably more money than the Hardrock or I-Drive 4, which means it has better components. The Hardrock you were looking at was $400, the i-Drive was $600, what price is the Liquid 25?
What size is the Liquid 25 you're looking at? The 19.5" size would probably be best for your 5'10" height, but you need to ride it to make sure it's a good fit for you.
Is that the one you're looking at? FYI, it's the same bike that I linked above from ebay. It didn't sell, so you should be able to get for less than $800. I also note this is a size 18". According to Trek's guidelines, your 5'10" falls between their 18" and 19.5" sizing: http://www.trekbikes.com/faq/questions.php?questionid=33
As others have mentioned, a bike that fits you best is important. The 18" might work for you depending on your inseam and such, so again, suggest you ride it and check the fit.
Another vote for the GT. I bought the Idrive 4 5.0 about a year ago and have ridden it hard for about a year now and have had no issues with it at all. I did replace the front shock with a Reba and the ride is even better.
I see that now on the ebay auction (by clicking their 'me' thing)...they take 'only' 30% of the final value (!), so if someone bought that for $800, the shop would only give the original owner $560 of the proceeds, wow!
18" is perfect for someone around 5'10 to 6. I'm 5'11 and I ride a 17.5. Bear in mind you can put the seat up, 18 is its minimum. If you are 5'10 I would say its probably perfect if you have average leg length for your height.
I bought an 06 (I think it was '06) I-Drive 4 5.0 last Christmas. Since then, I have hated every thing about it. The shock blew out in just a few months, although I admit I was probably too hard on it, however, it coudlnt even be replaced because no companies even make that size shock anymore and finding a used one was out of the question.
The wheels are extremely cheap.
The bike makes a terrible loud creaking sound from the bottom bracket/idrive area, which was all greased and rebuild with no help to the sound.
I dont know much - or anything - about the hardrock, but I'll go ahead and say get it.
you do any research? i too developed a creak shortly after i bought it (used) greased up the rear hangers and no issues now, have to re-grease every couple rides but not a big deal, just remove the wheel, little lithium grease on the slots, wheel back on, good to go
what is your weight? i ride pretty aggressive and go out of my way to hit rocks/jumps, i weigh 185-190
I went through this same GT or specialized debate a few years ago. I ended up with a specialized rockhopper and no regrets. From the research I did I noticed that GT generally hooks you up with a nicer frame, but worse components, and Specialized usually has a slightly heavier frame but nicer components. What are your plans for the bike? It's usually wise to go with the nicer frame and upgrade the components as you improve, however, since both bikes are entry level it may be worth it to just get the specialized, and upgrade to whole new bike in a couple years.
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