The Hounds of Zeus - View Single Post

XMEN Ashaman DTM · 09-01-2005, 10:48 PM

Okay. You're going to want a cross bike then. A road bike is ideal, but take it off-road a bit and you're likely to break spokes or twist something. And if you want suspension, you'll want to get front suspension only. Unless you plan on climbing lots of mountainous terrain.

A cross bike is more of a road bike than a mountain bike, but it retains a lot of the characteristics of a mountain bike to handle more types of terrain. You won't be as comfortable hitting the hard trails with it, and you also won't be able to go as fast as with a road bike without exerting quite a bit of effort (due to the aerodynamics of how you sit).

Here is the bike that I have:

http://www.giantbicycles.com/us/030....ch_text=iguana

And I have to say it's great for what I like to do (mountain bike). I have clipless pedals as well, so no toe clips on mine.

Your best bet is something like this:

http://www.giantbicycles.com/us/030....sp?model=11030

Note the frame, the geometry, and the tires. Those three things will determine what terrain you can ride the bike in comfortably.

You should probably try going for an all-aluminum frame. Skip the composites unless you like to spend cash.

Some good companies to check out:

Giant
Specialized
Cannondale (can be expensive, but great quality)
trek
Gary Fisher

The main thing is to look for quality. It's better to have a bike that lasts years, and requires a few parts now and then, than one that needs replacing after a few years. The things that you should have to change out on a bike are: brakes, cables, chain/sprockets, tires, hubs/bearings, and the occasional spoke. You shouldn't have to change out deraileurs, frames, or rims too often. The best bet for quality bikes is to look for an independent bike shop near you, preferably one that carries one or more of the companies I noted above. REI is a great place to start as well.

I got kevlar reinforced tires for mine. They seem to work a lot better than just rubber. And even though composites have come a LONG way for bikes, you're better off not getting a frame with composites for several reasons: cost, when they break they fail BIG TIME, and you can't fix them if they break or start to unwrap (but with an aluminum frame, you can get someone to weld it). I have personally witnessed a composite framed bike literally shatter while my friend was riding it. The top tube separated from the stem, and then the lower tube separated, and it was a messy accident.

09-01-2005, 10:48 PM	#6
XMEN Ashaman DTM Forum wh0re Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Seattle, WA Age: 47 Posts: 965	Okay. You're going to want a cross bike then. A road bike is ideal, but take it off-road a bit and you're likely to break spokes or twist something. And if you want suspension, you'll want to get front suspension only. Unless you plan on climbing lots of mountainous terrain. A cross bike is more of a road bike than a mountain bike, but it retains a lot of the characteristics of a mountain bike to handle more types of terrain. You won't be as comfortable hitting the hard trails with it, and you also won't be able to go as fast as with a road bike without exerting quite a bit of effort (due to the aerodynamics of how you sit). Here is the bike that I have: http://www.giantbicycles.com/us/030....ch_text=iguana And I have to say it's great for what I like to do (mountain bike). I have clipless pedals as well, so no toe clips on mine. Your best bet is something like this: http://www.giantbicycles.com/us/030....sp?model=11030 Note the frame, the geometry, and the tires. Those three things will determine what terrain you can ride the bike in comfortably. You should probably try going for an all-aluminum frame. Skip the composites unless you like to spend cash. Some good companies to check out: Giant Specialized Cannondale (can be expensive, but great quality) trek Gary Fisher The main thing is to look for quality. It's better to have a bike that lasts years, and requires a few parts now and then, than one that needs replacing after a few years. The things that you should have to change out on a bike are: brakes, cables, chain/sprockets, tires, hubs/bearings, and the occasional spoke. You shouldn't have to change out deraileurs, frames, or rims too often. The best bet for quality bikes is to look for an independent bike shop near you, preferably one that carries one or more of the companies I noted above. REI is a great place to start as well. I got kevlar reinforced tires for mine. They seem to work a lot better than just rubber. And even though composites have come a LONG way for bikes, you're better off not getting a frame with composites for several reasons: cost, when they break they fail BIG TIME, and you can't fix them if they break or start to unwrap (but with an aluminum frame, you can get someone to weld it). I have personally witnessed a composite framed bike literally shatter while my friend was riding it. The top tube separated from the stem, and then the lower tube separated, and it was a messy accident.