New to MTB -please help !!

[Just Keep Pedaling]

Full suspension. There are ways to get away with not have a full susser.

 

1) Big soft rubber tyres pumped at a lower pressure. Beware of pinch flats (tubes) or burping (tubeless).

 

2) More aggressive seating position (leaning forward) puts more weight on your legs and less on your ass. (use saddle adjustments and stems for this).

 

3) Buy a better fork for the front.

 

4) Suspension seatpost - a last resort - generally frowned upon but I used it for a while and it helps.

 

5) Adjust your riding style.

 

Fulls susser have downsides too - less bike skills learned, lost pedaling power, weight, maintenance, reliability.

[slowpoke]

as jkp says - there are ways around the suspension thing. when i upgraded i got an HT - a lot lighter than any FS in my proce range, and better components. since going tubeless i can ride softer tyres and that has improved comfort. the fork on my mongoose is so much better than what the mesa had. if i KNOW i'm heading towards badly corrugated roads then i have my thudbuster seatpost.

[Just Keep Pedaling]

Another option instead of full suspension is a 29er (29 inch tyres - much larger). This is the latest craze and it works similar to a suspension system because of the larger tyres. There should be a lot of cheaper 29ers coming through in 2011. 29ers require more skill to ride as you have to keep the momentum of the big wheels going.

[hboli4]

@hboli4 - don't you get punctures with tubeless? What then?

 

Never had punctures when out on a ride YET - just using normal tubes plus 'puncture free'

 

You might still get them, obviously terrain dependant, but I can honestly say that I haven't had one in about 14 months...Benefit is also in the pressure you can run,you can generally get away with lower pressures.

[Smiles]

some saddles are darn uncomfortable no matter how fit your ass is - i got a planet x saddle form kiwi abour R200-R300 and it made a huge difference for me

[kanigit]

Hmmmm, ok. SO lots to think about there.

 

From the little reading and talking I've done, i thought having lockout on a FS bike will stop power loss.

 

Can somebody explain what is a bib please ?

 

I think I made the right decision not to get the Specialised, even if it was a great price.

 

ANother thing - I'd really like to do my own maintenance, so practicing on the Schwinn is probably a better idea than on something with expensive components LOL

[Smiles]

 

Can somebody explain what is a bib please ?

 

 

A "bib" is a very complex piece of equipment that you can only buy if you are part of a bicycle gang and have enough street cred. one day when you are old enough you may also be invited to learn the secrets of a "bib", but only when you are really hardcore at riding

[Smiles]

or i could be lying

[slowpoke]

bib shorts - don't have a waist band - instead have straps that go over your shoulders.

 

if you are in jhb go on johan bornman's maintenance course - www.yellowsaddle.co.za

[kanigit]

or i could be lying

 

LOL, ok, I'll google....

[kanigit]

bib shorts - don't have a waist band - instead have straps that go over your shoulders.

 

 

Thought they are dungarees ?

[kanigit]

 

if you are in jhb go on johan bornman's maintenance course - www.yellowsaddle.co.za

 

SOunds like what I need - never get to JHB though.

Anybody to be recommended in Cape Town doing the same?

[slowpoke]

johan does go down to CT every so often. i've just checked his site - 2011 dates aren't up yet... he'll most prolly post in january... keep an eye on his site

[covie]

@hboli4 - don't you get punctures with tubeless? What then?

 

Never had punctures when out on a ride YET - just using normal tubes plus 'puncture free'

 

Punctures will come dont worry about it they will come, but like previously said, the biggest benefit of tubeless is not the puncture resistance since it works on exactly the same principle as slimed tyres.

 

The benefit is the pressure, my riding, and gripped improved immensly with running my tyres at 1.8bar, they grip anything and everything, i now corner like I am on rails, its confidence inspiring like you will not beleive.

[Catatonic_Joe]

I started MTBing year, so i wanted a Full Suspension, i looked on the Hub/Junkmail/Gumtree for a while and eventually I found a guy selling a Full suspension Merida AM800D frame and fork for R2500.

 

My plan was to then build up the bike from second hand parts. Being so excited, i didnt realise how expensive it would be to to do this and got a shock when I worked out what it would cost me.

 

Aching to start riding, I decided to check whether I could get a bike shop to sell me a bike wthout the frame. So Cajee's Cycles in Woodmead decided to help out by selling me a Ragliegh Nomad without the frame, and they fitted all the parts to my frame for me for R3000.

 

At the end of the day i spent R5500 on a decent Full suspension bike. Now I wanna start upgrading the components. Might cost me a bit more at the end, but it worked for me. I guess when I'm done upgrading all the components, ill start shopping for a new frame again.

 

Just thought I'd share my 2 cents

Edited December 14, 2010 by Catatonic_Joe

[covie]

some people buy a cheapy ride it for two years without thinking of upgrading,

 

I bought a silverback reno in march, a phoenix in april, and anthem in august depends how badly this sport gets hold of you i guess.