Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

What MTB should i get ?

liketom

liketom

macrumors 601
Original poster
Apr 8, 2004
4,191
68
Lincoln,UK
Been starting out with MTB'in around Sherwood Pines near Nottingham on my crappy Halfords Carerra with Rock Shox Dart 2 forks and so far i've been loving it !

So i'm gonna need a new bike - do any of you fellow Macrumors bike ? and what are your thoughts on these bikes -


Kona Kikapu Deluxe 2006
Specialized FSR XC 2006
Specialized Rockhopper Disc 2007
Trek Fuel EX6 2006


question is full sus or hard tail ? mmm and i want to do the MTB trail's and also cross country riding as well as the commute to work.
 
Its been a long time since I actively followed what was on the market for MTBs or road bikes, but one piece of advice: if you're doing cross country riding, skip the full suspension bikes. They're designed for downhill riding and you waste lot of energy with the suspension flexing all the time.
 
but they all have lockouts on them - i use the lockout on my dart now and that makes a big change.

so you would say the Rockhopper ?
 
If you are commuting you probably want a completely different bike to that which you would ride around Sherwood Pines on.

I'd think the best options would by the Trek or the second Specialized machine. That said I much prefer on road to off road, so maybe am not the best person to answer.

I'm not a big fan of suspension, I think it just adds unnecessary weight with very little . That does seem to be the way everything is going on the MTBs.
 
elppa said:
If you are commuting you probably want a completely different bike to that which you would ride around Sherwood Pines on.

I'd think the best options would by the Trek or the second Specialized machine. That said I much prefer on road to off road, so maybe am not the best person to answer.

I'm not a big fan of suspension, I think it just adds unnecessary weight with very little . That does seem to be the way everything is going on the MTBs.
Click to expand...

you have a point about commuting - i do have a cheapo racer that's pretty quick on tarmac - in fact it only takes me 17 min to get to work compared to 24min on the MTB.

i like full suspension because behind my house there is a old quarry fully of big rocks and hill's -- much fun to be had there :cool:
 
liketom said:
Been starting out with MTB'in around Sherwood Pines near Nottingham on my crappy Halfords Carerra with Rock Shox Dart 2 forks and so far i've been loving it !

So i'm gonna need a new bike - do any of you fellow Macrumors bike ? and what are your thoughts on these bikes -


Kona Kikapu Deluxe 2006
Specialized FSR XC 2006
Specialized Rockhopper Disc 2007
Trek Fuel EX6 2006


question is full sus or hard tail ? mmm and i want to do the MTB trail's and also cross country riding as well as the commute to work.
Click to expand...

Ahhh, i love bike shopping. My bro used to have a Kona Cinder Cone 10 years ago. Great bike.

If you get a front suspension bike, its going to be alot lighter then a full suspension, and you can probably get a better spec as well. Having had a Specialized Hardrock (before bastards nicked it) I'd say you couldn't go wrong with a Rockhopper.

I now bash about Epping Forest on a Marin Muirwood. OK, but I miss my old Specialized. snif.
 
liketom said:
you have a point about commuting - i do have a cheapo racer that's pretty quick on tarmac - in fact it only takes me 17 min to get to work compared to 24min on the MTB.

i like full suspension because behind my house there is a old quarry fully of big rocks and hill's -- much fun to be had there :cool:
Click to expand...

Yes, i wouldn't do what i did and get an all-round bike.

My Marin Muirwoods, nice bike, but not sufficiently mental enough for london commuting, not awesome MTBing either. Think i'm gonna sell it soon, and buy a road bike, and then build my own MTB with a 2nd hand frame.
 
geese said:
Yes, i wouldn't do what i did and get an all-round bike.

My Marin Muirwoods, nice bike, but not sufficiently mental enough for london commuting, not awesome MTBing either. Think i'm gonna sell it soon, and buy a road bike, and then build my own MTB with a 2nd hand frame.
Click to expand...
not a bad idea building your own - like iGav say's - but i want to roll with an off the shelf before i start down the road of expensive part's like forks for £300 brakes for £170 ect ect...

it's the big question for me at the mo , i really want the Rockhopper but am tempted by the full sus Trek - but i am still a amature and do not want to make a 600-750 mistake by buying the wrong bike -
 
I'm in the same boat - and i've been lusting after the Kona King Kikapu or Hei Hei. I ride a hard-tail now, but i am looking forward to a lockable rear shock.
The Specialized and Kona probably have fairly different geometry, so you might want to ride each before you decide.
 
liketom said:
you have a point about commuting - i do have a cheapo racer that's pretty quick on tarmac - in fact it only takes me 17 min to get to work compared to 24min on the MTB.

i like full suspension because behind my house there is a old quarry fully of big rocks and hill's -- much fun to be had there :cool:
Click to expand...

Fair enough.

Too many people have unsuitable bikes for commuting / road / general purpose use normally sold to them by twits in shops like Halfords who don't really know what they are talking about.

You don't need tractor tyres, full suspension and 100s of gears!

I often feel quite sorry for them and wonder what they must think when people cruise past them barely putting any effort down. That's probably for another thread though.
 
smueboy said:
I'm in the same boat - and i've been lusting after the Kona King Kikapu or Hei Hei. I ride a hard-tail now, but i am looking forward to a lockable rear shock.
The Specialized and Kona probably have fairly different geometry, so you might want to ride each before you decide.
Click to expand...

yep i've been keeping an eye out for demo day's
 
Well, if you're going rock-hopping I'd stick with a MTB, but if it's just a rocky area, and you'll be commuting as well, maybe you should consider a cyclo-cross bike? You get a bit of both the road and MTB worlds, though it couldn't handle big jumps or anything too severe.
 
i've just narowed it down to the Rockhopper and the Trek - as i can get a demo on both these bike local to me

:)
 
Hi liketom- didn't realise there was another Lincolnite on the board!

Personally, I'd go for the Rockhopper- hardtails are lighter and tend to feel more chuckable. But I'd still look into getting a cheaper 2nd hand full sus, maybe just a frame, from the ads in MBUK. Then you'll have the best of both worlds.

Or I have a nice 2001 Saracen X-ile you may be interested in... :rolleyes: :p
 
Lunja said:
Hi liketom- didn't realise there was another Lincolnite on the board!

Personally, I'd go for the Rockhopper- hardtails are lighter and tend to feel more chuckable. But I'd still look into getting a cheaper 2nd hand full sus, maybe just a frame, from the ads in MBUK. Then you'll have the best of both worlds.

Or I have a nice 2001 Saracen X-ile you may be interested in... :rolleyes: :p
Click to expand...
yep there is a few of us from lincoln on the boards -

gonna take both bikes out on saturday and then ponder which one i want the most:cool:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back