The Down Range Forum
Member Section => Down Range Cafe => Topic started by: Timothy on October 21, 2012, 01:06:35 PM
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Thinking about a bike for next year to continue my pursuit of living longer!
Recreational, not extreme, though I will go off-road on groomed trails on occasion. My BIL uses Specialized and they seem reasonable for what I'm looking for in the < $500.00 range.
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You can probably get something in the 650cc used bike class for what you want to spend. :P Much less than that, and it won't have the power to carry your butt up any hills. :'(
Still, even a 250cc scooter would be better than courting a heart attack by getting something you have to pedal. ;D
I tried exercise once. It made me tired.
Crusader
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Buy used. I don't know about your area, but locally you can pick up a 1000+ bike here that is a few years old for about 200.
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I rode the "powered" bikes for 34 years Mr. Rabbit! Nearly lost my life for my hobby...not that riding a peddler is any safer really but at least I can get the ancillary benefit of exercise from the bicycle! Miles and miles and miles of trails around here and plenty of folks my age willing to let me tag along.
Used is most certainly an option TAB.
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You're not going to wear those queer looking shorts are you ?
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You're not going to wear those queer looking shorts are you ?
Nope...I'm thinking nothing but a banana hammock Tom!
;D
I'm not going to succumb to the "bike" wear.... I'll be wearing shorts, t-shirt, shoes, socks, belt, holster, gun, knife....
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Nope...I'm thinking nothing but a banana hammock Tom!
;D
Can you use eye bleach for mental images? :P
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Can you use eye bleach for mental images? :P
Not recommended! I prescribe a good dose of neked redheads of the college coed variety! ;)
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I prefer the naked redhead wife kind... :) then aggain. There is alot more then just pics lol
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I road Marins for years, if you get a hard tail, they should be in the $600 range and fit your needs. TAB is right though. Hit Craigslist and buy used. I'd recommend one with Grip shifts, and if it doesn't have them buy some toe clips. They're about $12. They make it much more efficient as you're applying force on the upswing as well as the down swing, you just need to remember to jerk your feet out backwards rather than sideways or you'll face plant. ;D Two other things.
First, Go to a bike shop (not a sporting goods store but a dedicated bike shop) and look at new ones so they can tell you what size frame you want, heck, they might have some good used ones as trade ins or on consignment).
Second: Once you buy it, if its used, take it back to that shop for a tune up. This will set you back about $70, but they will lube the gears, cables, tighten the chain and align the breaks, You should do it every year or two anyway, just like a car. If you're going to ride it off road, buy tire liners that will protect the inner tubes and get them to put some "Goop" or something similar into the tubes. Also spring for a small frame mounted pump, a little bas that fits under the saddle with a new tube, the tools required to install it. (all this is cheap, maybe $50-$70 total, because I speak from experience that walking 15 miles back to the truck with a bike over your shoulder sucks ass). Also spring for a good front light (or mount to put you tac light) and one of those blinky red ones on the back, as getting run over at dusk is no fun.
Good luck.
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if you are going to ride boulevards, the rear suspension systems use up a lot of energy....I like the Shimano Rapid Shift (thumb shift) over the twist grip, but that is a personal opinion.....good front suspension like a RockShock can save your butt....my bikes are older and have cantilever brakes ...chrome moly frames flex a little more than aluminum...heavy duty thorn proof tubes ( I use what the local bike shop supplies to the police bike unit)...if you are close to my age (65) you will probably want to ride more upright, and I find that a BMX type handlebar works well if you have a cheaper bike without clamp on handlebar neck ... after spending a fortune on stems and risers over the last 10 or so years...unfortunately my GT was stolen, so I now use a cheaper frankenbike of left over parts.....I use a skate board/roller blade type helmet..
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I've put about 7000 miles on my Specialized Rockhopper. It's been worth the $600 I paid but the next bike I get I'm going to go ahead an pay the $1500 I think for the next level. IF you are doing dual suspension pay the $5000 and get the "Brain" set up. Basically is a one way valve that doesn't activate the rear suspension if you are pushing down on the bike
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I used to have a Huffy I'd ride to deliver morning news papers....
http://www.huffy.com/Default.aspx
;D ;D ;D
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I've put about 7000 miles on my Specialized Rockhopper. It's been worth the $600 I paid but the next bike I get I'm going to go ahead an pay the $1500 I think for the next level. IF you are doing dual suspension pay the $5000 and get the "Brain" set up. Basically is a one way valve that doesn't activate the rear suspension if you are pushing down on the bike
$5000? Dude, for that I'll hire an attractive "escort" to pedal me around in a rickshaw. ;D
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Got it narrowed down to something along these lines.
http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bikes/mountain/hardrock/hardrockdisc29
http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/mountain/dual_sport/ds_series/8_3_ds/#
http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-us/bikes/model/roam.2/11508/55859/
Thanks for the input folks. Keep them coming!