Beginner biker

S

smh

Member
Hey guys, before I go make a pinkbike account and ask questions there I was curious if anyone here was into all mountain biking and could offer some advice! Looking for that summer sport that'll give the a workout for ski season and a similar rush. Don't have a bike or any real trail experience, was curious what tech is outdated or I should avoid and also what a good price/year/setup would be for an entry level guy like myself!
 
"Hey guys, before I create an account on a biking-specific website where everyone can easily answer my bike questions, I've decided to ask a ski-specific website instead!"
 
What do your local trails look like? Fairly flat and flowy with a little bit of tech or more janky and downhill?

If flatter, I'd say go for a hardtail 27.5+ bike. Will be a bit rougher that a full suspension but the high volume tires will dampen a lot of the trail. It will will also be the most economical option.

If the trails are rough and aggressive, go for a full suspension. The travel the bike has will depend on what kind of trails you ride. These bikes will be more expensive but may be necessary in your location.

If buying used:

Be sure the bike is legit. A lot of shitty people will try to sell you a cracked frame or a bike with a seized fork. Just be aware.

Things to avoid:

26 inch wheels. Unless you're buying a dirt jumper don't go for a 26 inch wheeled bike. The industry has long gone past this former standard and they are fully outclassed by a 27.5 inch or 29 inch wheel.

If you can, go for a 1x drivetrain. Not only does it look cleaner, it's also more mechanically simple.

Hopefully this helps and good luck
 
14034507:skierman said:
"Hey guys, before I create an account on a biking-specific website where everyone can easily answer my bike questions, I've decided to ask a ski-specific website instead!"
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Thought some people here may offer good advice and want to talk bikes that are like-minded in the realm of my main hobby
 
14034512:Bdoobz said:
What do your local trails look like? Fairly flat and flowy with a little bit of tech or more janky and downhill?

If flatter, I'd say go for a hardtail 27.5+ bike. Will be a bit rougher that a full suspension but the high volume tires will dampen a lot of the trail. It will will also be the most economical option.

If the trails are rough and aggressive, go for a full suspension. The travel the bike has will depend on what kind of trails you ride. These bikes will be more expensive but may be necessary in your location.

If buying used:

Be sure the bike is legit. A lot of shitty people will try to sell you a cracked frame or a bike with a seized fork. Just be aware.

Things to avoid:

26 inch wheels. Unless you're buying a dirt jumper don't go for a 26 inch wheeled bike. The industry has long gone past this former standard and they are fully outclassed by a 27.5 inch or 29 inch wheel.

If you can, go for a 1x drivetrain. Not only does it look cleaner, it's also more mechanically simple.

Hopefully this helps and good luck
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Tha is for the advice! Looking at an '08 Santa Cruz nomad with a new fork or a '16 ns surge evo hardtail...both under $1000 and local, very undecided haha
 
If you didn't know already Blister has bike reviews and also "Bike 101" articles on the basics of geometry and other factors that go into choosing a specific bike for your needs.
 
14034507:skierman said:
"Hey guys, before I create an account on a biking-specific website where everyone can easily answer my bike questions, I've decided to ask a ski-specific website instead!"
Click to expand...

Slit my throat please just make me bleed all over and lick it up
 
Greg LeMond's introduction to cycling came in 1975 thanks to freestyle skiing pioneer Wayne Wong, who recommended the bike as an ideal off-season training aid.

Freestyle skiers are the go to if you need advice on this topic or pretty much anything else.
 
14034507:skierman said:
"Hey guys, before I create an account on a biking-specific website where everyone can easily answer my bike questions, I've decided to ask a ski-specific website instead!"
Click to expand...

Funny thing is a lot of people on here bike, and the one who probably knows a lot is a huge dick and posts immature responses. Op was fine to start here
 
Any thoughts on a 2011 GT Force 2.0....found one in great shape for only $450 and was curious if this is something I should jump on as a good beginner bike...
 
14034674:tyler1719 said:
Any thoughts on a 2011 GT Force 2.0....found one in great shape for only $450 and was curious if this is something I should jump on as a good beginner bike...
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Seems like a really good deal, just make sure it's in good condition. If it is possible for you to try to check it out in person before you buy.
 
14034518:tyler1719 said:
Tha is for the advice! Looking at an '08 Santa Cruz nomad with a new fork or a '16 ns surge evo hardtail...both under $1000 and local, very undecided haha
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go for the surge if your trails are less gnarly and more flow
 
14035150:Poindexter. said:
Get a used hardtail even if your trails are rough and gnarly. Will show you if you like mountain bikes enough to spend more.

Full suspension off the bat will just make you a lazy rider with bad habits
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Another piece of horrible advice given by some jackass on a ski website.

Great idea creating this thread on here instead of Pinkbike.
 
Young children wanting to buy a tricycle gets brutally murdered with words by a dylan manley lookalike
 
14035152:skierman said:
Another piece of horrible advice given by some jackass on a ski website.

Great idea creating this thread on here instead of Pinkbike.
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What’s the reasoning behind buying a FS off the get go? I’d say a hardtail is a great beginner bike
 
Funny thing is that the Pinkbike forum is a full on ghost town so you'll easily get better answers on here as strange as it is.
 
14035152:skierman said:
Another piece of horrible advice given by some jackass on a ski website.

Great idea creating this thread on here instead of Pinkbike.
Click to expand...

started out on a hardtail, then moved to a full suspension, made me a lot better of a rider. Do you even mtb? doesn't seem like it
 
Update, got the GT force a couple days ago...my buddy took me out on a trail wayyyy beyond my ability and had the time of my life beating the shit out of myself!!Oh and @skierman, tried this thread on pinkbike too and got a fraction of the advice I received here if that says anything
 
14035233:tyler1719 said:
Update, got the GT force a couple days ago...my buddy took me out on a trail wayyyy beyond my ability and had the time of my life beating the shit out of myself!!Oh and @skierman, tried this thread on pinkbike too and got a fraction of the advice I received here if that says anything
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good stuff

can u post a photo of the bike cause i really wanna see it

also skierman is one of the most useless people on this site
 
Here it is! I actually was primarily looking at hardtails but couldn't pass up the deal on this one. Need wider handlebars and maybe a dropper but she'll do for now!

**This post was edited on May 21st 2019 at 5:00:11pm
 
14035193:tastybarrels said:
started out on a hardtail, then moved to a full suspension, made me a lot better of a rider. Do you even mtb? doesn't seem like it
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"Full suspension off the bat will just make you a lazy rider with bad habits"

Again, baseless and horrible advice. Let me guess, you only started riding in the past 5 years and mainly ride lift-serviced bike parks? Yeah, I thought so.
 
14035722:skierman said:
"Full suspension off the bat will just make you a lazy rider with bad habits"

Again, baseless and horrible advice. Let me guess, you only started riding in the past 5 years and mainly ride lift-serviced bike parks? Yeah, I thought so.
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wOw SkIeRmAn U aRe SuCh A pRo MoUnTaIn BiKeR
 
14034507:skierman said:
"Hey guys, before I create an account on a biking-specific website where everyone can easily answer my bike questions, I've decided to ask a ski-specific website instead!"
Click to expand...

Skierman is just worried you'll find his skiing videos on pinkbike. Shreds tho
 
FS was definitely the way to go if you got a good deal on it, especially if that’s the kind of terrain you want to be riding. Pinkbike can be dope but I’ve had much better luck interacting with people in the DH scene just by local Facebook groups!
 
14035722:skierman said:
"Full suspension off the bat will just make you a lazy rider with bad habits"

Again, baseless and horrible advice. Let me guess, you only started riding in the past 5 years and mainly ride lift-serviced bike parks? Yeah, I thought so.
Click to expand...

Haha yah man OP is a newb and everyone except you in this thread sucks.
 
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