Hey all, I went mountain biking the other day for the first time in a couple years. My bike was getting a bit long in the tooth a couple of years ago and I think I am finally ready to make the plunge into full suspension. (My old mountian bike is a rigid.) I am not looking for a downhill bike or anything too agressive. I will be using it for XC mostly, but I don't want to be afraid to try a couple jumps here or there.
Ilike going uphill, so I don't want something too squishy. Anyone have any ideas?
I've been riding full suspension for years now because of a bad back, and the technology has come a long way. With shock technology the way it is now you don't have to worry as much about pedal bob so you can go with a suspension system that is less complicated and that would be my recommendation, stay simple. I have a Santa Cruz Blur, and its a great bike but it has 4 pivots and 8 different bearings to maintain. I don't have to tell you that gets old after a while, not to mention expensive. There are tons of different designs and brands out there do lots of research and test ride as many different ones as you can and go with the one that fits the best and feels right to you. Check out mtbr.com there is a ton of good info there. hope this helps.
Mountain Bike Action magazine just published a review of 5 bikes in the $800 range. Most were hardtails, but they raved about Giant's Yukon FX, which is full suspension. I'm sure that there are better bikes available, but I doubt in that price range.
I've been considering a MB purchase too, and I am going to check this bike out. Looks like an inexpensive way to get started, and a platform worthy of future upgrades.
for someone getting back into it i would suggest doing a bit of research into second hand bike shops in your area. as long as you're getting a proven brand with well known parts everything can be tuned to run as new and is a great way to get to know your bike. i got a 2 year old GT for a fraction of the price and am delighted with it. lots of people out there are obsessed with having the latest models with the lightest parts but at the end of the day, unless you are taking part in competitions none of this really matters...also a brand new shiny bike catches the eye in a bike stand and is a lot more likely to get robbed/ vandalised.
a discreet beast will last you longer in my experience.
I would recomend a Kona Coiler...
I have recently bought one and am over the moon with it,
I am 5,10" and i bought a 15" one.
They get zero pedal Bob and the suspension is fully adjustable, Excellent fun on downhill runs and great on the road too as i comute to work on it..
I got mine for £480 off ebay as it was 2005, they range on ebay between £500 and £850...RRP£2200
If you dig the cross country type of riding I highly recommend the Cannondale Rush or equivalent. I've ridden mine for two years now and I love it. It's tackled everything from the Whistler Bike Park (not too much air though) to the Stanley Park Seawall and everything in between. My regular riding is on various North Shore trails and I like to earn my downhill the old fashioned way, riding up. The Lefty front shock is light and works beautifully. I just put a Michellin DH rear tire and a cross-country front on and it's fantastically light, lighter than my brand new Kona Dr. Dew urban bike.
Specialized Stumpjumper - awesome climbing bike and IMO the best rear shock placement around - no other company spends as much time on body geometry research as Specialized does
i'd have to say that i am very satisfied with my kona dawg, i payed $850 for a 05' used and it handles the biggest jumps and drops amazingly, i highly recomend any kona product, also, its great for climbing with a simple and easy to adjust rear suspension, you can make it feel just like a hardtail if you so choose or you can set it so it feels like your riding on pavement on even the roughest terrain, love life, ride hard, peace