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Starter bike advice


JH Weideman

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9 hours ago, Rolf Hansen said:

If the prices are similar, take the one with the best fork and secondly the best groupset. 

Agree, also in my experience for the same price i will definitely go for the air shock option first if there is one.

 

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I have novice eyes but looks like that fork on the white Specialized is the better one. Not sure about the groupset. Open to be corrected 

Edited by Jay F
Corrected
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3 hours ago, Jay F said:

I have novice eyes but looks like that fork on the white Specialized is the better one. Not sure about the groupset. Open to be corrected 

The fork on the Specialized looks like Suntour coil fork. The fork on the GT is also a Suntour but looks like an Suntour XCR Air as I can see the rebound adjuster on the bottom of the right lower leg

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3 hours ago, Jay F said:

I have novice eyes but looks like that fork on the white Specialized is the better one. Not sure about the groupset. Open to be corrected 

Corrected ????

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Hi All.

And still here I am, I have finally narrowed it down to the GT karakoram and a giant talon 

GT 2014 air shocks. Tubeless and hydraulic brakes. Still good condition 

Giant 2016. Air shocks, tubeless and hydraulic brakes. Still good condition and a cockpit fitted lockout system

Both in my price range, but...which do I take ???? , please assist with a last vote of confidence in either before I loose my mind

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1 hour ago, KIDWEIDEMAN said:

Hi All.

And still here I am, I have finally narrowed it down to the GT karakoram and a giant talon 

GT 2014 air shocks. Tubeless and hydraulic brakes. Still good condition 

Giant 2016. Air shocks, tubeless and hydraulic brakes. Still good condition and a cockpit fitted lockout system

Both in my price range, but...which do I take ???? , please assist with a last vote of confidence in either before I loose my mind

The condition and life left in the drivetrain would probably determine that. If there is not much in it, takes the one that looks the best to you. You are going to be riding it.

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Both is similar, then go with your gut on which one you like best.  u like it u buy it,
Like my daughter, got her a decent bike and she did not like it, ended up buying a much lower specced bike because she liked the bike more.

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6 minutes ago, Jensie said:

Both is similar, then go with your gut on which one you like best.  u like it u buy it,
Like my daughter, got her a decent bike and she did not like it, ended up buying a much lower specced bike because she liked the bike more.

Agree, how you "feel" about it is also important, go for the one you personally like.  The specs on them are close.

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On 11/15/2021 at 8:49 PM, KIDWEIDEMAN said:

Hi All.

And still here I am, I have finally narrowed it down to the GT karakoram and a giant talon 

GT 2014 air shocks. Tubeless and hydraulic brakes. Still good condition 

Giant 2016. Air shocks, tubeless and hydraulic brakes. Still good condition and a cockpit fitted lockout system

Both in my price range, but...which do I take ???? , please assist with a last vote of confidence in either before I loose my mind

Have I not replied to this thread? Weird! Ok so here's my opinion: 

  • Buy the bike with the frame you like the most, if you buy a bike based on the kit bolted onto it and you do not like the way the bike looks then you won't ride it as much as you would if you did.
  • Everything on a bike can and will most probably be upgraded / replaced at some point during your riding life.
  • It is not just about air versus coil forks which you need to bear in mind. You also need to take into account whether or not it is a straight or tapered steerer. This bit is important because if you want to keep a bike for longer than a few months then going with a tapered steerer is more desirable. This allows for easy upgrades in the future. 
  • Personally I always opt for building a custom bike over a longer period rather than buying off the shelf (even if 2nd hand shelf). My reasoning for this approach allows me to put the parts onto the bike which I am happy with and also it allows me to spread my spend over the whole duration rather than having to fork out a lump sum. 

If you need assistance in building a new machine send me a dm and I will get you rolling  

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