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New Bike-New Rider

1K views 5 replies 5 participants last post by  eb1888 
#1 ·
I used to ride a lot about 30 years ago. I turned 47 this year and realized I was getting out of shape and ...old.

I went and bought a bike this week, and kept it within a newbie's budget. If I tell what I know about the bike, I would appreciate any feedback as I start to learn what is good and what is not.

The Bike is a 29" Mongoose Stat 4.2 21 speed hard tail.

I ride mostly back country gravel roads here in the Flint Hills of Kansas, and I am doing about 7 miles a day after work.

I am a 6' tall male at about 190 lbs, and a lot of that is leg. The one thing I have found is that my foot rubs the tire when I turn sharp while pedaling, like in the driveway.

I've never had disc brakes on a bike before, and am not used to them yet.

Either the seat is tiny and heard or my .... never mind. I'll figure that one out myself.

So far I like the bike a lot, and since it is working, see no reason to change. But I also see it as an opportunity to start learning, by asking and getting feedback.
 
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#3 ·
It will end up a money pit if you think about upgrading it. If you really do enjoy mtbing, I would start a mtb fund and try to save 600 or so for your next one.. The problem with the walmart one side fits all bikes is that you rarely end up with one that fits you and comfort is the ultimate sacrifice when buying a big box bike. Try to stand up when making exaggerated turns where your feet will rub the wheel.. That might help a bit because your foot will be further back on the pedal.

Sent from my 831C using Tapatalk
 
#4 ·
Either the seat is tiny and heard or my .... never mind. I'll figure that one out myself.
I used to have a Mongoose, and I'll be the first to tell you it's more the seat than anything. I haven't sat on a Mongoose since I got mine, but I remember it being a medieval torture device with just enough padding to be considered a cruel joke. The only upgrade I did on that bike was to get a better quality seat, and I think of it as money well spent. (my rear end certainly appreciated it!)

Other than that, I wouldn't recommend spending any more money on the bike itself. Everything on it is sub-par (speaking from personal experience). I never minded much, because I mostly used it to bike to and from campus when I was in college, but it definitely wasn't a bike I'd take on any kind of rough trails. -The bloody front fork bottomed out just going off a short curb. Lord only knows how bad it would have been on an actual MTB trail.

Get a better saddle so you're at least comfortable, and as TenSpeed said, ride it into the ground.
 
#5 ·
I appreciate the feedback and advice. No, I have no intention of upgrading this bike (except for the seat), I'm just using it as a learning tool for when I do move up. My riding right now is pretty calm. No, that's not right. My riding is REAL calm, I like doing long miles alone on back roads, but I'm in no hurry to get anywhere. So It'll probably last me a long time if I maintain it. I'm getting back in shape, but at a rate I that don't put the old guy in bed for a week :)
 
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