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Old 14 April 2020, 07:21 AM   #1
jph4387
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Anybody mountain bike?

This social distancing drove me to buy a bike again to get out and ride in the neighborhood. However, the more I read about bikes the more I wish I'd gone higher end and now I find myself looking at bikes all day.

Any good places for reading to learn? I'd also love to get your recommendations on my next bike.
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Old 14 April 2020, 07:25 AM   #2
AshAP
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If you want a great mountain bike then look no further than either Santa Cruz & Yeti.


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Old 14 April 2020, 07:34 AM   #3
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Originally Posted by jph4387 View Post
This social distancing drove me to buy a bike again to get out and ride in the neighborhood. However, the more I read about bikes the more I wish I'd gone higher end and now I find myself looking at bikes all day.

Any good places for reading to learn? I'd also love to get your recommendations on my next bike.
What is your budget? Where do you ride?

Lots of info online
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Old 14 April 2020, 07:34 AM   #4
jph4387
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If you want a great mountain bike then look no further than either Santa Cruz & Yeti.


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I"m looking at slightly more affordable. Those are sweet but I'm currently looking at some offerings from Giant. The local dealer in my little town is a Giant dealer and I would like to shop local, especially in this economy.
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Old 14 April 2020, 07:34 AM   #5
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I bought a high end Yeti last year and have been loving it. I take it up to the mountains in the summer and then back to Denver in the winter!
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Old 14 April 2020, 07:43 AM   #6
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Was really into it about 15 years ago and rode a hardtail Cannondale and getting back into it slowly. Trek has a lot stores in my area, so thats my choice!
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Old 14 April 2020, 07:54 AM   #7
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I have an Airborne and it works well for me. Good price, good components etc.

https://airbornebicycles.com/
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Old 14 April 2020, 09:19 AM   #8
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Was really into it about 15 years ago and rode a hardtail Cannondale and getting back into it slowly. Trek has a lot stores in my area, so thats my choice!
Ditto! Canondale Killer V900 hard tail all the way. Still have it.
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Old 14 April 2020, 09:34 AM   #9
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Originally Posted by jph4387 View Post
This social distancing drove me to buy a bike again to get out and ride in the neighborhood. However, the more I read about bikes the more I wish I'd gone higher end and now I find myself looking at bikes all day.

Any good places for reading to learn? I'd also love to get your recommendations on my next bike.
It should be about the activity, and not the equipment. Granted, it's nice to have nice stuff. But in my opinion, if you're spending your ride time looking at bikes to buy instead of actually riding, you're doing it wrong. You'll learn by doing and being around other riders. Mountain bikers are some of the easiest athletes to get along with. Get out and enjoy yourself!
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Old 14 April 2020, 09:38 AM   #10
jph4387
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What is your budget? Where do you ride?

Lots of info online
I'm lucky being in the Charlotte, NC area and we have the National Whitewater Center loaded with trails. I'm not going to be doing major downhill riding but more riding wooded trails with beginner to medium difficulty and enjoying the outdoors. Budget I'd say is 3K.
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Old 14 April 2020, 09:39 AM   #11
jph4387
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It should be about the activity, and not the equipment. Granted, it's nice to have nice stuff. But in my opinion, if you're spending your ride time looking at bikes to buy instead of actually riding, you're doing it wrong. You'll learn by doing and being around other riders. Mountain bikers are some of the easiest athletes to get along with. Get out and enjoy yourself!
Understood. I'm waiting for my bike I ordered to be delivered later this week and will immediately get started riding. It's me researching in anticipation.
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Old 14 April 2020, 10:44 AM   #12
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Anybody mountain bike?

You can find slightly used tricked out Santa Cruz full suspension bikes on Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist for 3k all day long.

If you get serious about riding you’ll be sorry you wasted money on a Giant when you could’ve just gotten something really rad to begin with.

If you’re more novice, I’d look at a 5010.
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Old 14 April 2020, 10:55 AM   #13
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If you get serious about riding you’ll be sorry you wasted money on a Giant when you could’ve just gotten something really rad to begin with.

If you’re more novice, I’d look at a 5010.
I'll vouch for a Giant Anthem being quite the capable bike..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=db05M_lhymc
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Old 14 April 2020, 10:59 AM   #14
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I have a Trek Fuel EX-5 27.5 mountain bike. About $2,600. But my spouse sold her two year-old Trek Fuel EX-5 last summer for $1,400. It’s a decent bike and will get you well into the sport before you need to buy something better, if ever.
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Old 14 April 2020, 11:01 AM   #15
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I have a Trek Fuel EX-5 27.5 mountain bike. About $2,600. But my spouse sold her two year-old Trek Fuel EX-5 last summer for $1,400. It’s a decent bike and will get you well into the sport before you need to buy something better, if ever.
+1

Probably not something you'd outgrow for a while
A lot of good choices at the 3K and less price point
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Old 14 April 2020, 11:18 AM   #16
TheWatchmen
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Anybody mountain bike?

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I'll vouch for a Giant Anthem being quite the capable bike..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=db05M_lhymc
You could ride that trail on a hardtail dude lol.

No question about it’s capability, which as always really just depends who is riding it.

Santa Cruz just makes better bikes IMO - and if the budget is 3k...that’s what I’d look at.

As long as you’re out riding, the rest is semantics.
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Old 14 April 2020, 11:20 AM   #17
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No question about it’s capability, which as always really just depends who is riding it.

Santa Cruz just makes better bikes IMO - and if the budget is 3k...that’s what I’d look at.

As long as you’re out riding, the rest is semantics.
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Old 14 April 2020, 01:57 PM   #18
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You can get a decent bike at that $3000 price point.

The Giant is an excellent entry as you should make sure you like the sport and also get a few component damaging/destroying crashes under your belt before you start plunking down cash for the Yetis and Santa Cruz bikes.

You will also come to understand your personal style of riding over 1-2 seasons and this will dictate what features you need in a bike down the road. For example, I prefer more efficient mid travel dual suspension bikes because I like long climbing rides and more moderate downhills.

I have gone back and forth from off the shelf Specialized to high end custom builds as technology has advanced and my wife’s tolerance for my bike budget waxes and wanes. I have never had a bike that I disliked, only ones that I loved more than others.
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Old 14 April 2020, 09:01 PM   #19
beshannon
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I'm lucky being in the Charlotte, NC area and we have the National Whitewater Center loaded with trails. I'm not going to be doing major downhill riding but more riding wooded trails with beginner to medium difficulty and enjoying the outdoors. Budget I'd say is 3K.
That is a nice budget, lots of bikes in that range. It appears you have made a choice but like anything else, looking at and test riding would be a good start.

I ride a Specialized Epic S-Works mountain bike



And a Pinarello Rokh roadbike


In any case good luck
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Old 14 April 2020, 09:44 PM   #20
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I am biased but one the best bikes available in that price bracket would be an ibis mojo HD3, you should be able to source one with decent spec, they climb brilliantly and can cope with anything with exception of full on downhill.

If you buy a ‘decent spec’ bike there will be no limitations on your learning curve because the bike will be more capable than you and as you get more skills and confidence the bike will take you further

Have a search on tinternet for Ibis Mojo HD3, watch the videos of what some folk can do on them, amazing

If you are buying a used bike, like anything else, be aware that they. An be a bit of a money pit if you need to start replacing chains / cassettes / bearings / tyres etc etc

Obviously I am biased towards the ibis but I have never read a bad review anywhere


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Old 14 April 2020, 10:03 PM   #21
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I used to Mt. Bike. I enjoyed it. But I haven't been in quite a while. I ride a circa 2001 Jamis steel frame hard tail. I love that bike, but it if I were to buy something today it would probably be whatever the current Specialized Stumpjumper hardtail equivalent is.
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Old 14 April 2020, 10:13 PM   #22
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I had a number of 26” Mbikes – trek, orange, specialized.

My latest bike is a Santa Cruz Tallboy (about 4 years old now) This bike brought on my skill level and enjoyment immensely. It climbs well and descends superbly.

At the time of purchase this bike got rave reviews (and probably still does) but I like the bike so much, I have no plans of swapping and if I did, I would purchase the same again – only the latest model!
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Old 14 April 2020, 10:19 PM   #23
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Been to look at this entry level Yeti this morning, the shop says they’ve never been so busy.


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Old 14 April 2020, 10:50 PM   #24
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I used to Mt. Bike. I enjoyed it. But I haven't been in quite a while. I ride a circa 2001 Jamis steel frame hard tail. I love that bike, but it if I were to buy something today it would probably be whatever the current Specialized Stumpjumper hardtail equivalent is.
Was it a Dragon? Nice steel frames. I’ve got in excess of 13 bikes, and my favorite is still a hardtail
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Old 14 April 2020, 10:50 PM   #25
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Your new bike

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Originally Posted by jph4387 View Post
Understood. I'm waiting for my bike I ordered to be delivered later this week and will immediately get started riding. It's me researching in anticipation.
Please tell us what are you getting? You mentioned your local shop is a Giant dealer. Giant makes great bikes and it's very important to support your local shop. My advise is get a full suspension bike. The Anthem is a very capable trail bike. If you need more travel for gnarlier trails then the Trance and Reign are good options.
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Old 14 April 2020, 10:59 PM   #26
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You could ride that trail on a hardtail dude lol.
...and I have.
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Old 14 April 2020, 11:01 PM   #27
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...and I have.

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Old 14 April 2020, 11:08 PM   #28
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Was it a Dragon? Nice steel frames. I’ve got in excess of 13 bikes, and my favorite is still a hardtail
No, it is the Dakota XC - nearly identical to the Dragon but Reynolds 631 steel all XT components vs 853 and XTR... the bike shop owner (a friend of mine) had the Dragon. Sweet bike, just a little out of my budget at the time. Hind sight, I should have stretched for it. Oh well.

Hard tail is my favorite as well. I'll never ride a dual sus.

My first real riding was done on a GT backwoods with a rigid fork (it was my brother's, I borrowed it a lot)... some of my best memories of riding on that bike.
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Old 14 April 2020, 11:13 PM   #29
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My boy’s learning that trail on his 20” hardtail.....
94788958-A4CE-4575-8A13-9A423F0E1F55.jpeg

14DE6621-1868-48AD-9D14-C40821E30E0F.jpeg
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Old 14 April 2020, 11:23 PM   #30
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You’ll mentioned your local shop is a Giant dealer. Giant makes great bikes and it's very important to support your local shop.
I agree completely. I buy all of my tools and accessories from our local bike shop, even though I could get them cheaper online.

I don’t know if you’ve mentioned your age or your level of risk acceptance. I’m 64 and three years ago crashed skiing, shattering a collarbone and breaking seven ribs. My level of risk-taking has dropped markedly, and I can happily get by with a bike like a Trek. I’ll likely never exceed its capabilities, at least on purpose.
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