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Do You Mountain Bike?

Got in two Downieville runs on Friday. The trails were amazingly tacky as it rained a bit the day before. Totally awesome day.

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I also rode the South Yuba trail a bit the next day.

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Hi guys! I'm tryign to get in to the hobby. figured i'd go against my usual route and avoid the department store bike this time around. last one lasted me for 10 years but i was a kid and used it strictly for city transport on pavement. i feel like a dept. store bike would get destroyed at the slightest bump.

I'll be going to performance cycles in dublin and having them measure me out and set me straight. i initially had a $300 budget but looks like $600 +/- $100 seems to be a more suitable entry point.

also, i used to have full suspension on my steel mongoose dept. store bike. looks like full suspension on a "serious bike" runs you instantly into 1500+ bucks. makes me wonder what kind of design decisions/compromises go into those full suspension dept. store bikes.
 
A page or so back I was helping someone else through the same scenario and I listed what I thought an extremely competent bike for the money would be (Specialized Stump Jumper FSR) and Fawndog had a couple of great suggestions listed as well.

You'd be far better off going with one of these used bikes. What you will get for $600 new is dirt. Actually, it's less than dirt.

If you are looking to get a mountain bike to be a "mountain biker" then pony-up, bit the built and get a bike that will last longer than one miserable ride. If you are just commuting on it than yes, $600 should do fine.
 
Harpo said:
A page or so back I was helping someone else through the same scenario and I listed what I thought an extremely competent bike for the money would be (Specialized Stump Jumper FSR) and Fawndog had a couple of great suggestions listed as well.

You'd be far better off going with one of these used bikes. What you will get for $600 new is dirt. Actually, it's less than dirt.

If you are looking to get a mountain bike to be a "mountain biker" then pony-up, bit the built and get a bike that will last longer than one miserable ride. If you are just commuting on it than yes, $600 should do fine.
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initially, the majority of my riding will be city streets, iron horse trail, and not much else.

depending on how i feel about the hobby, i can invest more in the future. for now i just want to get some form of exercise into my life that i actually have fun doing.
 
I started off on a 2005 specialized rock hopper from craigslist. I think I paid $150 for it and later added disc brakes and stronger and lighter wheelset. Had a lot of fun on the mtb. Later bought a Ginat iguana and then an older raleigh m800 hardtail frame and built on it. All where used and in the $~200 range. If you can find a decent used hardtail that's the way i'd go.

$600 will buy you a lot of bike if going used hardtail. Bike's that originally retailed for ~$1000-$1200 is the sweet spot I think. All the components ( even the one's that are not superficial) are likely to be of decent quality. Find out what size frame fits you and go shopping. Once you have the bike go to a good bike shop and have them fit you. Seats, stem, handle bar etc can be changed to fit better. A good fit is the difference between love or hate. Spend $200 on the bike and have enough left over to fit the bike to you and or upgrade necessary part or buy accessories.

I use a trunk mounted carrier, but my car was old and did not really worry about light scratches
 
Silence said:
Anyone use this shuttle service before? Was the experience good? Are there better alternatives in the area?

http://shuttlesmithadventures.wordpress.com/

We closed out Mammoth's biking season and the missus keeps nagging me about riding 'til the snow starts falling so I have to figure something out. :laughing :laughing
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I've always just pedaled up, but have seen him many times. The groups always seem to be having a lot of fun and give him good reviews.
 
I'm not a huge fan of doing a lot of ups on my rig and the missus is just flat out spoiled by lift service. :laughing :laughing
 
I do! But I'm slow. Gotta love EBRPD!

Takes me almost 3 hours to complete 16 miles in the hills with about 2400ft of elevation. Some of those fuckers you just gotta walk up...
 
Silence said:
Anyone use this shuttle service before? Was the experience good? Are there better alternatives in the area?

http://shuttlesmithadventures.wordpress.com/

We closed out Mammoth's biking season and the missus keeps nagging me about riding 'til the snow starts falling so I have to figure something out. :laughing :laughing
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I see that bus all the time when I'm riding up eureka canyon on my road bike.
 
I need a night riding partner, I'm up in Placerville and ride every other day around the sly park /fleming area and surrounding trails at night.

Let me know if interested.
 
I have a friend that does a lot of night stuff, probably mostly around Brentwood though.
 
I don't know what trails he hits in the area, just know that is where he lives. He has a rack on his Ninjette to carry his bike so he probably travels a lot. I haven't paid attention to the locations of his rides on Strava. I do know he does a lot of long ass nights, he likes endurance racing.
 
wankerboy said:
So nobody lives up here and rides night stuff, I can't believe it.
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I ride night stuff in the Oakland hills. Placerville - well, that might be tough considering this is a Bay Area forum.

Sidewalk said:
I don't know what trails he hits in the area, just know that is where he lives. He has a rack on his Ninjette to carry his bike so he probably travels a lot. I haven't paid attention to the locations of his rides on Strava. I do know he does a lot of long ass nights, he likes endurance racing.
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Ah, Perez. Dude is pretty much a pro caliber single speed XC racer, there's pretty much no place on the West Coast he won't go. We road tripped to Oregon last summer (Whiskeytown / Ashland / Bend), may try to carpool / caravan to one of the big Oregon endurance races next year.

Silence said:
Anyone use this shuttle service before? Was the experience good? Are there better alternatives in the area?

http://shuttlesmithadventures.wordpress.com/
Click to expand...

The shuttle didn't make much sense to me initially. I didn't think he could take you all the way to the trailhead at the top, or pick you up from the deepest part of the park - both areas are gated and inaccessible to cars. Guess he has the key to the gate.

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FourT2Infinity said:
Outta shape bastard = ME
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Nice wheels ;)
 
MrCrash said:
Ah, Perez. Dude is pretty much a pro caliber single speed XC racer, there's pretty much no place on the West Coast he won't go. We road tripped to Oregon last summer (Whiskeytown / Ashland / Bend), may try to carpool / caravan to one of the big Oregon endurance races next year.
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He is looking at putting on some shifters soon though, so watch out for that.:wow

I've only raced minis with him. Though I may try out the Temecula 12 in January so I will (sorta) race against him on a bicycle :laughing

I've been lucky enough to always be on a slightly faster motorcycle, so I actually raced against him :D
 
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