Anyone into mountain biking?

[Midswat]

Anyone ride mountain bikes?

I've been tossing around the idea of getting one. I'd want something that is suitable for riding on roads, as well as trailes. Not a lot of mountains in my area, so the mountain bike might be a little misleading.

I don't know anything about them.

How much do they run? What are the quality brands/makers? What sizes do they come in?

Basic generic questions... Educate me please.

 

[Jon88]

I just bought one two days ago from Target - $88. I've been needing to do some cardio and trim down a little but I can't stand running. I've been hitting the weights hard for the past five months and I'm down from 200 lbs to 175 lbs, but I'd like to lose about five more pounds of fat and gain ten more pounds of muscle.

Anyway, I would reccomend going the route I went. Buy something cheap. If you get into it, get something nicer. If it's not your thing, you'll only be out $88. They're about all the same, IMO, unless you're competing in a triathlon. I'll try to find the one I bought and post a picture of it.



It's 26''. I don't know how tall you are but I'm 6' and it's plenty big.

 

[SixisBetter]

I prayed for a bike.
Then I realized that isn't the way God works.
So I stole a bike and prayed for forgiveness.

 

[Midswat]

Thanks Jon88. Fuck off sexisbetter.

 

[SixisBetter]

Thanks Jon88. Fuck off sexisbetter.

Well,all right then.

 

[ZeroClub]

I bought a very nice one, a Bianchi, a few years ago while overseas. Bianchi are overpriced in the U.S., I think.

A downside of having a nice bike is that I don't feel like it is safe to leave it locked up somewhere outside (such as riding it to the gym and leaving it outside for an hour). Quick release wheels are easy to steal. locking cables are easy to cut. etc.

Anyway, I recommend that you go to a good bike store and get yourself measured to see what what size bikes fit you best (frame size). That way, even if you decide to buy a more basic bike from a mass retailer (WalMart, Target), you'll be more sure about which of their stock fits you best.

As far as accessories --

I'd go with upgraded self-sealing inner tubes (flats aren't much fun). These tubes aren't perfect, but they help.

They also sell handle bar extenders that fit on the outside of the mountain bike's straight, flat bar. The extenders poke out about 4 or 5 inches or so. I like them because they give you another position while you are riding ... to stretch out more .. giving your arms and back a slightly different angle.

 

[Cythim]

You want a cyclocross bike, they are road bikes that are sturdy enough for off road trails.

http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/uno.htm

but don't spend the money until you know you want to do it. You can always craigslist your old bike to some fat sucker who thinks he is going to lose weight.

 

[cmd34]

the $88 bike is a bad accident waiting to happen.

You can get a "cheap" mountain bike for around $400 that will get you through the initial transition. If you want to ride it casually/occasionally it will last you a long time. If you go crazy you will want to upgrade in about a year.

Is there a Performance Bicycle Shop by you? They have a wide variety and have a ton of sales.

I am riding the crap out of my bike now and I've realized I want to upgrade to a "road bike" soon. I'll be spending about 2 grand on that but I know that's what I need to spend to take my riding to the next level.

As far as size of the bike and stuff like that I'm still a rookie. I have a close friend who works at Performance and I just do what she says. She hasn't steered me wrong yet.

 

[Jon88]

the $88 bike is a bad accident waiting to happen.You can get a "cheap" mountain bike for around $400 that will get you through the initial transition. If you want to ride it casually/occasionally it will last you a long time. If you go crazy you will want to upgrade in about a year.

Is there a Performance Bicycle Shop by you? They have a wide variety and have a ton of sales.

I am riding the crap out of my bike now and I've realized I want to upgrade to a "road bike" soon. I'll be spending about 2 grand on that but I know that's what I need to spend to take my riding to the next level.

As far as size of the bike and stuff like that I'm still a rookie. I have a close friend who works at Performance and I just do what she says. She hasn't steered me wrong yet.

Then they'll have lawsuit waiting to happen.

I'd recommend doing what I did unless you have that much money to blow.

 

[cmd34]

Then they'll have lawsuit waiting to happen.

I'd recommend doing what I did unless you have that much money to blow.

I saw that bike at Target. It doesn't look like it could hold up to much more than a very casual ride. You are right though, riding something is better than not riding at all. I just know that Midswat has bigtime money from DCU, so he should be able to spend a little more.

 

[marionbarberthe4th]

Stay off the roads ******

 

[superpunk]

make sure you get a nice one so that it looks nice hanging up in the garage for the next four years.

 

[Jon88]

I saw that bike at Target. It doesn't look like it could hold up to much more than a very casual ride. You are right though, riding something is better than not riding at all. I just know that Midswat has bigtime money from DCU, so he should be able to spend a little more.

I'd go the cheap route in case he hates it or quits after a few weeks and I think it'll hold up. And yeah I forgot about all the money he's made here.

 

[Midswat]

make sure you get a nice one so that it looks nice hanging up in the garage for the next four years.

lol


I'll ride it. I run now, but want to find an alternative cardio exercise. And my kids are getting to that age where they ride bikes, so I'd like to take them to the nearby lakes and rivers and ride around some of the trails with them.

It's something I've wanted to do for a while have been mostly waiting till the kids got older to get into.

 

[Midswat]

Also, I met this fly ass honey who's into mountain biking, and I want to be on that.

 

[superpunk]

god running is the fucking worst.

 

[Sheik]

My wife and I go through this phase every 3 or so years.

We go out and buy a couple bikes, ride them once or twice, then we end up giving them away.

Get a treadmill and a nature DVD.

 

[ZeroClub]

Stay off the roads ******

Absolutely.

On the way to work this morning, traffic on the very busy and crowded two-lane county highway (with no shoulders) backed up maybe 30 cars; the traffic was going 20 mph.

What happened? A semi was stuck behind two bicyclists. The trucker couldn't pass because there wasn't enough room, given the oncoming traffic.

There's this weird, strange sense of entitlement that some bicyclists get ... like they are an oppressed minority group who have a basic civil right to ride their bikes where ever they wish, no matter how hazardous the situation.

Hey you -- you in your silly, tight Lance Armstrongs and the color coordinated euro-helmet: Riding in traffic doesn't make you Rosa Parks.

 

[dbair1967]

Anyone ride mountain bikes?

I've been tossing around the idea of getting one. I'd want something that is suitable for riding on roads, as well as trailes. Not a lot of mountains in my area, so the mountain bike might be a little misleading.

I don't know anything about them.

How much do they run? What are the quality brands/makers? What sizes do they come in?

Basic generic questions... Educate me please.

No

 

[bbgun]

If by "mountain biking" you mean Brazilian fart videos, then yes.