Mountain Bike Purchase Advice
A friend of ours is looking at purchasing a mountain bike for their son and asked me for some advice. I know next to nothing about mountain biking, so I'm hoping I can get a little help.
He is a teenager, about 5'10" and still growing, so this will not be his last bike.
He is going to enter his first triathlon this Spring. The course includes trails and mountain bikes are mandatory.
The bike will be used for some competitions but also for getting about town (until he gets his drivers license in a year or two anyway!)
My suggestion was to visit a couple of local bike shops, think about buying used, and look up from Walmart, but not necessary to spend $5K.
I can talk a lot about road and tri bikes, but nothing about mountain bikes. What should he being looking for in a bike? What is the difference between a $500, $1,000, $1,500, and $2,000 bike? How about bike geometry; are there a variety of designs out there with pros and cons? What kind of questions should you ask at the LBS? How about pedals, do they clip in, do you need special shoes? Any other equipment that needs to or should be purchased?
Any advice greatly appreciated!
Tom
Comments
Tom- Ping Kitima about this. She is resident MTB oracle!!
Given all of your notes above, I think I'd recommend a loaner?
Did you just call me ORACLE?!! Ha!
Tom: The first question for anyone looking to buy a bike is What will it be used for? Sounds like he wants to race some off-road tris. Most off-road triathlon bike courses are not terribly technical so he could get by on a hardtail ( a mountain bike with suspension in the fork alone).
As far as mountain bike geometry/suspension/weight is concerned, all three factors determine what the bike is best used for. So XC bikes will have a more steep seat tube (a "race" geometry), less suspension (as in a hardtail and less travel in the suspension), and be lighter. A downhill mtb will have a very slack seat tube angle (for to get the weight of the rider aft of the bike for steep descents), a lot of suspension (typically full suspension with at least 8 inches of travel), and as a result will be more heavy. A dirt jumper bike will have a relatively slack geometry (and very low seat post and narrow wheel base--for maneuverability, like a trials bike), typically only front suspension, and will typically be made of aluminum or steel (because of the bigger hits it will take).
The price point differences: like road and tri bikes, you will pay $$$$ for lightweight frames and components. Yes, the more expensive parts do perform better. For example, I find hydraulic disc brakes far superior to mechanic ones (and yes, they are more expensive). Traditional (read: retro) canti brakes can be cheap; and their stopping power reflects it. Same goes with suspension.
For a first mountain bike, you don't need to spend $5K for sure. If he's thinking about getting into mtb, I wouldn't buy one at Walmart. There are high school mtb teams in your neck of the woods so talking to a knowledgeable LBS will worth it if someday he may want to get into that. As I said, hardtail is a good first xc mtb. It can really help him learn good bike handling skills. Full suspension would be nice and plush but more $$$ (and heavier if he's a budding weight weenie).
As far as wheel size...this discussion is like religion, politics, Ford vs. Chevy trucks. The tried and true wheel size is 26 inches. There are far more bikes, wheels, and tires to select for 26" wheels. However, 29" wheeled bikes do roll over obstacles better, have a larger contact patch so better traction, and hold momentum/speed better than 26" wheels. That being said, it does take more energy/watts to get the big wheels going but once they get going there's no stopping them! I'm a big fan of the big wheels for xc mtb's. There's also a 27.5" wheel (650b)---supposed to be the best of both worlds but there is less bikes, wheels, tire, and fork selection for those.
As for pedals, most xc bikes use clipless pedals. Mtb pedals are typically double-sided for easier entry. Mtb shoes look like road shoes with more tread. I like Crank Brothers Eggbeaters---they are awesome in mud and snow (probably not an issue in CA).
As for questions for the LBS, tell them what you want to use the bike for and how much you want to spend. A good LBS will steer you in the right direction and can be an invaluable source of mtb maintenance.
Let me know if you have more questions as I can talk about mountain bikes for DAYS on end.
@Rich, I think that may be a great suggestion.
tom