I <3 my Kona Cindercone…but it’s a bit out of your price range at ~$850 (got a last years model for ~$700) or so…I think the Kona Blast is the same frame, with downspecced components in the $500-$600 range…might be higher though.
- You will get junk for $500 new
- Read MTBR.com for reviews and look through their classifieds
- Find the local mountain bike club in your area
- Search their classified section for stuff for sale
- Look on Craigslist
- Look on eBay
- See if local bike shop has anything used for sale
- Buy the used one you’ll find on one of those places, you will be able to get easily 2x or more the bike you would get for $500 new
:tup: Full suspension will teach you how to ride wrong. Hardtail until it holds your riding back is the way to go. Once you go Full, you will be much better.
Not true. I have a Trek 4500. Bought it in 05 for about 500. I just recently changed the rear cassette, chain, cables and housings. It has lasted three trips to Moab and tons of abuse from sprague brook and holiday valley. It has been ridden hard and put away wet, nothing has been adjusted or lubed in 4 years until just recently.
:lol:
Ride something good and you’ll retract every single thing you just said above.
Take this for instance. A little more than you wanted to spend, but isn’t even in the same league a $500 bike from a bike shop. Full XTR drivetrain and a Rockshox SID fork. I’d take this over an equally priced new bike in a second.
not to hijack the thread, but it’s related… what do you pros here have for tire recommendations for riding around the single track trails in this area?
Panaracer FireXC Pro
They work awesome for WNY. Tried other tires, but always go back to the Panaracers.
500 is a tough price point, seems to be what everybody wants to spend though. It works for some people, not so well for others. Even mild xc trails can be pretty rough on a bike.
I’d suggest the used market too but its hard to find something unless you really know what you want.
As for tires I’ve had good luck with kenda nevegals. The stick-e rubber compound is awesome. I won’t go back to harder tires. Other companies make soft versions of several models too.
I have. I tried a Fuel ex9 in Utah and absolutely loved it, I feel that i have grown out of a hard tail but don’t want to plunk down for a full suspension yet. I stand by what i said, you should learn on a hard tail. It taught me to be smooth and rely on myself not the bike.
Didn’t get in to the store today, but plan to tomorrow.
500 is just ballpark depending on what I find, I don’t mind dishing a little more out but it was just a starting # to get a feel since the one time I was in the store most pricing was around 500.
So what should I be looking for in components?
Shimano XT/XTR if possible
What kind of suspension is good these days? Back in the day Rock Shox was good.
Disc brakes.
What else should I be checking into?
Thanks guys.
Disc brakes are nice. They are not REALLY necessary though. I do just fine without them. Also almost all new frames and forks are upgradeable. So you can get into a good bike a little cheaper sometimes, and spend the coin on disc brakes later.
Number 1 thing to look for I think is that the bike is beefy. Make sure the front forks will hold up. Make sure you won’t be bending your rims every time you go out.
Rock Shox are good, Fox seems to be a favorite these days as well. However, you’re probably not getting into Rock shox or Fox Shocks until you step over $800.
Good derailleurs will be needed for sure. You don’t want to have ANY issues getting in and out of specific gears. That is a huge pet peave of mine.
That is my take one, I am by no means an expert though.
Both shops down here all bikes only had Rock Shox, however I didn’t pay close enough attention to which model they were. Also noticed that any bike over 200 bucks also has disc brakes now too… hrmm.
Keep the info coming guys.
I have a Gary Fischer Piranha - 2008.
It has everything I want. Lockout on the shocks is quality. It’s a hardtail as I do not do any super hardcore trails, and primarily I am on a bike path or road GETTING to the trail…
Just an FYI : Full suspension bikes are great - but suspension also eats up a lot of your pedal…
Once you go discs, you’ll never go back. I highly recommend hydraulic discs as cables tend to need constant re-adjusting. Have it rain once on a trail and you’ll see what I mean.
I’d buy used though, if I did it all over again.
Rockshox, Manitou and Marzocchi all make entry level suspension lines all the way up to high end stuff, so it just depends on what model you’re looking at. Fox is the only one that makes top end stuff only. In your price bracket Fox is out of the question.
Most of those bikes likely have mechanical disc brakes. I’d try to stay away from Hayes if you can, I think their low end stuff is pretty shitty (I’ve had them before, they sucked, I now run Avid Juicys). If you can Avid BB mechanicals are probably the best mechanical discs out there.
I couldn’t find any bikes in the 500 range with rock shox or disc brakes.
Find out what kind of bikes they were and post up the info.
Specialized & Trek were the ones I remember.
models? prices?
All were 400-500 but don’t recall models. Going back in a bit to check em out again and will grab some specs/prices for you guys.
how tall are u. Ill sell u my specialized but its a big bike. I bought for almost 800, Barely used for 500. PM me if interested and ill send u a pic
If you are finding quality bikes with Rock Shox and Disc brakes for 4-500 dollars, buy it.
I’m short. 5’10.