By: R. Cunningham
The March print edition of Mountain Bike Action (out in early February) will feature our annual Buyers Guide. Mountain bikes are expensive purchases for most of us. In fact, it?s common to see hard core enthusiasts driving cars that cost less than the bikes that grace their roof racks. When the March issue does reach your hands, you?ll find over 800 models to choose from?and that doesn?t count color choices or custom options.
Leaps in suspension, shifting and braking technology have made this season?s mountain bikes a must-see affair. Anyone who has ridden one of these third-generation machines can tell you that 2005 represents the beginning of a new world order, at least for the hardware side of the sport. This year?s designs are easier to pedal, more comfortable over rough ground and handle measurably better.
So, if you are in the market for a new bike, or just want to check out your options, then nab a copy of the MBA?s Buyer?s Guide. While you are waiting for it to reach your mailbox (or the magazine rack), take this five-question personality test and find out exactly what kind of a new bike buyer you are?and just how far you should be willing to go to find the perfect match.
QUESTION ONE: WHAT DO I WANT FROM THIS NEW RELATIONSHIP?
Before you get started, you?ll need to be clear about your new bike?s job description. After all, you plan to be riding together for a few years, at least. Write a fictitious personal ad to your potential purchase like:
?Hot blooded and 25 seeks hardtail with long-travel fork and durable chassis for extreme jumping and possible short-term trail-riding relationship.?
Or: ?Thirty-something female with legs of steel in search of comfortable lightweight suspension bike for epic mountain adventures. Under 24 pounds and a stable platform are a definite plus.?
A downhiller might write: ?Fifteen and fearless youth is ready to try anything once. Must be willing, reliable and have lots of travel. Weight is not a concern?drop in any time.?
Or perhaps: ?Sidetracked by Single-speed wants to get back into the mainstream with an honest handling dual-suspension cross-country type.?
The point is, if you can express your needs in one or two sentences, you are well on your way to making the right purchase. You won?t confuse the shop sales person with conflicting information, and you will know right away if you are being steered in the wrong direction.
QUESTION TWO: AM I STILL SHOPPING AROUND?
Initially, most enthusiasts are flighty and shop the field; switching from a hardtail to a dual-suspension bike, then back again?or experiment with a single-speed or a freeriding sled. Some abandon the back country altogether in favor of urban assault rides or jumping parks. You can save a lot of cash while you are playing the field by buying mid-priced or used mountain bikes. At some point, however, you?ll discover one aspect of the sport that you love more than all the others.
At the least, novice mountain bikers will buy three bikes as they get hooked into the sport: an affordable new or used bike to get started; then they?ll upgrade to a new, mid-priced bike that gets good reviews. Finally, when they realize that their hobby has become a lifestyle, they become willing to commit to an expensive pro-level machine. If you are a new enthusiast, simply omit the middle-priced step and you?ll save $1200 to $1600 that would be better spent towards a pro bike.
QUESTION THREE: WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO COMMIT?
Pro-level mountain bikes are equipped with the best of everything from the get go, and will cost from $2300 to $3800 for cross-country and up to $5500 for a gravity machine. If you invest the time to maintain your fitness and to hone your riding technique, don?t sell out your efforts by settling for a mid-priced mount. You don?t have to be a pro to enjoy the feel and performance of a pro?s ride. Even if you have to sacrifice to afford it, if you put in eight to ten hours a week, you?ll appreciate the differences that quality hardware makes. Better still, you will get more enjoyment from every ride knowing that your bicycle?s performance is equal to or better than your abilities.
QUESTION FOUR: WHAT IF I?M NOT READY TO SETTLE DOWN?
Impulse buyers and weekend warriors can reap almost the same benefits and save gobs of money by buying a mid-priced version of the pro-bike. The difference between the price of a model sporting Shimano XTR-level components and the same chassis outfitted with Deore XT-level parts can be $1000. The difference in actual performance between the two is usually quite minimal. If you aren?t ready to commit to one aspect of the sport, you?ll get the same enjoyment and save a lot of money if you buy the sport/racer version instead of the pro-level steed.
If, however, you need to be seen aboard a trophy bike, and you have unlimited funds, buy the best. Everyone knows who we?re talking about: the guy who quit riding cross-country last year and bought a downhiller?and now is trying to convert all his buddies to single speeds. In either case, avoid caching a dozen unused mountain bikes in your garage and sell your latest love as soon as you tire of riding it. The fresher it looks, the faster it will find a new owner.
QUESTION FIVE: CAN A POOR PERSON EVER EXPECT TO GET A GOOD MOUNTAIN BIKE?
If you are a downhiller or a freerider with the desire to go big, then you are playing with the James Bond set. Marzocchi Monster T forks cost more than most entry-level mountain bikes. The bottom price for a true downhill or freeriding machine is upwards of $2500. A respectable big-hit model will cost you $1800 or more. True, there are some tantalizing deals out there?Iron Horse offers a long-travel downhill rig for a bit more than $800?but it will only get you into the party. If you want to dance, you?ll have to pony up for the real thing. If you are strapped for cash, buy a high-quality used freeride or downhill bike, from a reliable friend, so you know that it won?t be completely thrashed. Got $600 to $800 handy? Cash-strapped cross-country riders and sport racers can find a cheap date easily, but you have to shop smartly. Assess your needs. Cross-country racers will find that choosing an $800 hardtail instead of a dual-suspension bike for the same price will net a lighter, better-outfitted and more-competitive machine. Trail riders who can put up with a few extra pounds can still find a sharp-performing machine with rear suspension for the same money. If you are a dirt-jumper, spend your cash on a hardtail with dedicated, super-strong components, rather than trying to use a fragile cross-country-type mountain bike for the wrong purpose. Specialization is the key to making a low-buck purchase, because product designers have to make huge component compromises in order to hit the affordable price points. Your money will be well spent if you buy a bike that is specifically designed to fit the way you ride the majority of the time.
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