What do think is the best entry level hardtail for under $500. I'd like to have disc brakes and looking for a frame that would be worth upgrading component on once things start to break.
That's exactly what I was told a few weeks ago before I made my purchase and I completely agree. I really liked the look of my Trek over the GF Marlin anyway so I bought it based on appearance and the ride was good enough for me. I know that's opposite of what I'm advising and what everyone else says to do but I just really had my heart set on that burnt orange Trek. Sometimes, love at first sight is a force to be reconed with!Keatan said:Well I didn't make it here before the fan boys but the real answer is there isn't one. Go to the local shops in your area and ride every bike in your price range. Then buy the one that feels the best to you.
Not a bad summary of entry level bike shopping.Ozark-XCrdr said:That's exactly what I was told a few weeks ago before I made my purchase and I completely agree. I really liked the look of my Trek over the GF Marlin anyway so I bought it based on appearance and the ride was good enough for me. I know that's opposite of what I'm advising and what everyone else says to do but I just really had my heart set on that burnt orange Trek. Sometimes, love at first sight is a force to be reconed with!
I spoke with my co-worker who has been a very serious road biker for over 25 years and a serious mountain biker for over 10 years. He has been around the biking industry for a long time and he completely agreed with what my LBS said, "frames in that price point are all about the same, if you can determine the quality and trade off with the components themselves, you've got it made".
He explained it to me like a curve on a graph. If the curve starts at the bottom left corner and rises steep to the $600 range, the benefits gained overall are dramatic. Thus the steep inclined curve. Once you start getting over the $600-700 price point, the curve eventually starts to taper off and you get into the higher end components like carbon fiber frames, high end shock forks, etc. The benefits gained overall are less dramatic to the novice/beginner but the expert can see more differences over time. NO beginner should go out and buy a $3,000 Full Suspension bike if they are not positive this is THE sport for them. More than likely, they could not tell the difference between a $3,000 bike and a $1,000 bike give or take an item or two.
SO the point is, the price point is pretty much at the $600-700 range. If $500 is your budget, look for the remaining 08 models and DO YOUR RESEARCH!:thumbsup: I read many reviews on my bike and many other bikes to see what average beginners said about them. Study the components, ask around at LBS, search the reviews, etc.
If you don't want to spend the time with the research, just go buy the best you can find and be happy with what you get. Doing the research will give you a peace of mind and confidence that you bought the best you could within a given price range.
Good luck! SHOPPING IS FUN!
Let me parse this out:EnglishT said:These threads have a somewhat limited use...
Its mostly about knowing how best to interpret and use the posts you get in response.
You want to use informations in these threads to make your own shortlist of bikes to find in the flesh - when you see them in person, and feel the cockpit positions, the decision will often make itself.
You can do worse than to (mostly) ignore peoples opinions on bikes in threads like this one. Not because the opinions are wrong, or not worth listening too - but you should have a vague idea already of what is most important to you.
Alot of people get overly hung up on other peoples opinions, some things that are said are helpful, some are not - however, your own opinion is the most important because its YOUR hard earned thats being spent.
Youll ofcourse get a few "fanboy" posts, and ofcourse everyone's recommendations are based on what matters most to them: Some will think that "value" is the most important, some care more for components, some for different components, some who care more for geometry, and then those who care most for the name.
The priorities of people posting are not neccessarily the same as yours.
The thing to remember, is that very few bad bikes become popular - if you get alot of people recommending the same bike - its unlikely to be a bad one.
What that means is, that its worth finding more information - and if the specifics fit what you want, then its definately worth adding to a shortlist of bikes to find in the flesh.
If you simply write up a list of suggested bikes from the thread, and do some quick research on them (parts lists, basic geometry, specific pricing etc), you'll find its not overly difficult to knock up a basic shortlist of bikes that are worth going to look at.
Good luck.
I wholeheartedly agree.Keatan said:Well I didn't make it here before the fan boys but the real answer is there isn't one. Go to the local shops in your area and ride every bike in your price range. Then buy the one that feels the best to you.
This may sound really dumb, but here goes...if you have an 08 SJ FSR Comp why are you looking for an entry level hard tail? One for the little women, maybe? Just curious.10sballs said:Thanks for the great summary Ozark and jeffj. I've been doing some looking around and I'm leaning towards an 08 GT Avalanche 2.0. This will actually be my second bike, I ride an 08 stumpy fsr comp.
Logical responses that come to mind:mtbikernc69 said:This may sound really dumb, but here goes...if you have an 08 SJ FSR Comp why are you looking for an entry level hard tail? One for the little women, maybe? Just curious.
To add to this, the 08 model of the Marlin mentioned above was listed around 580, or so. You might be able to find one of those on closeout somewhere in the sub-500 category.Ozark-XCrdr said:Here's an example of research. I took a few minutes and researched what gear set comes on the Specialized Hardrock disc that lists around $460. The rear der. is a Shimano Altus.
Hre are the reviews for the Shimano Altus:
http://www.mtbr.com/cat/drivetrain/component-group/shimano/2000-alivio/PRD_350852_113crx.aspx
The Trek I bough comes with Shimano Alivio. Here are the reviews for the Alivio:
http://www.mtbr.com/cat/drivetrain/component-group/shimano/2000-alivio/PRD_350852_113crx.aspx
The Alivio is slightly (and I mean slightly) better than the Altus based on a very close price comparison per the reviews above. So when it comes to buying a bike around $500-$600, every little thing matters. Get the best you can for the money. Believe me, I've been there. I was just there a few weeks ago.
The Shimano Deore is slightly better than the Alivio because it's lighter but you pay for that weight difference. From what others have said here, it maynot be worth the price difference overall. The GF Marlin has Deore, Rock Shox Dart fork (not much better than RST or Suntour from what most say) but that bike is about $800. So for more money you get a slightly better set of components overall. Again, the price point curve of $600 is about the min. to see the best "bang for the buck". So go find yourself an 08 model $600 range bike (whatever brand) on sale for about $500-550 and you'll be happier and feel like you got a great deal.
I REALLY hope this helps you. Forums are a great resource. If you're like me and you only plan on riding on weekends, get the best you can in your price range and don't look back. Sure, the bike will be heavier, lesser quality gear, and not as durable as a $2,000 full suspension bike but if it's your first bike.......who cares! You paid 300% less than they did for a bike that is only 5-8% lighter than theirs and requires 3-4 months less maintenance with only a front suspension. When ridden side by side, the bang for the buck is obvious. Once you get bitten by the mountain bike bug, trade-in your bike or upgrad the components.
Honestly, when buying a bike in this range, I wouldn't even bother comparing components. You're going to get junk regardless. Best bet is to buy the cheapest model with v-brakes and a junk fork, then buy a set of BB7 discs and a better fork. Overall you save money for other things like a better drivetrain. Well, that's worked for me atleast. :thumbsup:Ozark-XCrdr said:Here's an example of research. I took a few minutes and researched what gear set comes on the Specialized Hardrock disc that lists around $460. The rear der. is a Shimano Altus.
Hre are the reviews for the Shimano Altus:
http://www.mtbr.com/cat/drivetrain/component-group/shimano/2000-alivio/PRD_350852_113crx.aspx
The Trek I bough comes with Shimano Alivio. Here are the reviews for the Alivio:
http://www.mtbr.com/cat/drivetrain/component-group/shimano/2000-alivio/PRD_350852_113crx.aspx
The Alivio is slightly (and I mean slightly) better than the Altus based on a very close price comparison per the reviews above. So when it comes to buying a bike around $500-$600, every little thing matters. Get the best you can for the money. Believe me, I've been there. I was just there a few weeks ago.
The Shimano Deore is slightly better than the Alivio because it's lighter but you pay for that weight difference. From what others have said here, it maynot be worth the price difference overall. The GF Marlin has Deore, Rock Shox Dart fork (not much better than RST or Suntour from what most say) but that bike is about $800. So for more money you get a slightly better set of components overall. Again, the price point curve of $600 is about the min. to see the best "bang for the buck". So go find yourself an 08 model $600 range bike (whatever brand) on sale for about $500-550 and you'll be happier and feel like you got a great deal.
The frame geometry, fit and the feel of the cockpit layout are far more important than components.Ouroboros said:Honestly, when buying a bike in this range, I wouldn't even bother comparing components. You're going to get junk regardless. Best bet is to buy the cheapest model with v-brakes and a junk fork, then buy a set of BB7 discs and a better fork. Overall you save money for other things like a better drivetrain. Well, that's worked for me atleast. :thumbsup:
Absolutely! This is a pretty cool bike with an upgrade worthy frame.acefrehley said:
There are some great deals out there right now at $50010sballs said:What do think is the best entry level hardtail for under $500. I'd like to have disc brakes and looking for a frame that would be worth upgrading component on once things start to break.