Ideal MTB (See requirements)

Gordo
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Re: Ideal MTB (See requirements)

Postby Gordo » Sun Jan 29, 2012 1:39 pm

kunalraiker wrote:Gordo, the problem I face is enquiring for a test ride without any commitment to buy, are the retailers ok with that ?
well...the bikeshop i go to is. they've been great. u prob wont get to take a new mountain bike out (cept up and down the street?) but they tend to have different demo bikes in at different times of the year + store employees have their own bikes which seem to double up as demo's. I could go ride a camber 26 or and epic anytime it seems (current demo models). but i just waited for the spesh demo day (btw search for specialized + 'test the best' on facebook where they have a page and u can find out where they will be next). It all shouldnt be a prob for a good shop. I actually went back today to re-ride the camber and epic. Changed a few things on the camber: flipped the stem and dropped some spacers. made a diff. cant approach the geometry of the epic. The camber is just a little more backwheel. but felt much better. wasnt slow. climbing and cornering wasnt bad. Coz the bike has ur weight a little to the rear i actually felt more stable, and less likely to go over the handle bars than the epic when going down hill. The more i rode it the more i liked it. camber aint a bad bike after consideration. I always find it difficult transitioning from one bike to another, and thats why long test rides are so valuable for me..... And, yeah, i like the 29er thing too.

Gabe
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Re: Ideal MTB (See requirements)

Postby Gabe » Sun Jan 29, 2012 2:12 pm

I expect a bike shop to let me test their rides. If they don't make any effort then I'll go somewhere else - they're supposed to provide service and if they don't, you might as well buy online. But many bike shops *do* let you ride, and on top of that they'll be extremely helpful trying to find the best bike for you. So if they don't do that then go elsewhere.

Re. riding on bike paths etc., I almost always ride my anthem around the city because it means I can bunny hop curbs and ride up and down stairs, and basically have way more fun than on something "more suitable". You need the bike that suits YOUR riding style, NOT someone elses. The terrain is not the only consideration, and IMO not even the most important consideration.

Another very important consideration though is security. Don't ever leave a nice bike locked up somewhere where there is any chance of it getting nicked, because eventually it will happen. That's when you fork out maybe $200 for a good 2nd hand commuter, it's less appealing to a thief and even if they do go to the trouble, your loss will hurt much less. I kept my old '04 rigid for that very purpose, and I still enjoy riding it.

kunalraiker
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Re: Ideal MTB (See requirements)

Postby kunalraiker » Sun Jan 29, 2012 3:29 pm

Gordo wrote: well...the bikeshop i go to is. they've been great. u prob wont get to take a new mountain bike out (cept up and down the street?) but they tend to have different demo bikes in at different times of the year + store employees have their own bikes which seem to double up as demo's. I could go ride a camber 26 or and epic anytime it seems (current demo models). but i just waited for the spesh demo day (btw search for specialized + 'test the best' on facebook where they have a page and u can find out where they will be next). It all shouldnt be a prob for a good shop. I actually went back today to re-ride the camber and epic. Changed a few things on the camber: flipped the stem and dropped some spacers. made a diff. cant approach the geometry of the epic. The camber is just a little more backwheel. but felt much better. wasnt slow. climbing and cornering wasnt bad. Coz the bike has ur weight a little to the rear i actually felt more stable, and less likely to go over the handle bars than the epic when going down hill. The more i rode it the more i liked it. camber aint a bad bike after consideration. I always find it difficult transitioning from one bike to another, and thats why long test rides are so valuable for me..... And, yeah, i like the 29er thing too.
That is interesting, maybe camber isn't as bad as we thought it was :shock:
I will head down to my local specialist store for a demo.....keep you posted.

Again need to find Merida amd Marin Stores, the bikes look awesome, would like to demo them too... 29ers ie :)

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Kenzo
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Ideal MTB (See requirements)

Postby Kenzo » Sun Jan 29, 2012 3:51 pm

Go to Goldcross Cycles for Marin and Merida. There are plenty around Melbourne.
Look up bikeexchange.com.au and search on Marin or Merida.

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Mugglechops
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Re: Ideal MTB (See requirements)

Postby Mugglechops » Sun Jan 29, 2012 4:39 pm

Gordo wrote:Wouldnt that be more like a trance to an anthem? But yeah, the camber was very different than i thought (maybe part to do with the setup). i was expecting to get something slower than an epic but the difference was really big i felt. not what i expected at all. i was a bit dissapointed and was hoping id like the camber due to its price. now it just leaves near 1000k short on the epic which aint going to happen. test rides are great value non-the-less

Yeah your right that would be a closer comparison.

Danton
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Re: Ideal MTB (See requirements)

Postby Danton » Mon Jan 30, 2012 11:55 am

Gordo wrote:
kunalraiker wrote:Gordo, the problem I face is enquiring for a test ride without any commitment to buy, are the retailers ok with that ?
(btw search for specialized + 'test the best' on facebook where they have a page and u can find out where they will be next)..
Thanks for the tip. I have been looking for info about these demo days and have not been able to find them! I'm looking for a new bike and I'm unsure about a dually and 26v29er. The only way to know is to ride in the correct conditions looking forward to this day..

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Re: Ideal MTB (See requirements)

Postby kunalraiker » Thu Feb 02, 2012 7:17 am

Gordo wrote:
kunalraiker wrote:Gordo, the problem I face is enquiring for a test ride without any commitment to buy, are the retailers ok with that ?
well...the bikeshop i go to is. they've been great. u prob wont get to take a new mountain bike out (cept up and down the street?) but they tend to have different demo bikes in at different times of the year + store employees have their own bikes which seem to double up as demo's. I could go ride a camber 26 or and epic anytime it seems (current demo models). but i just waited for the spesh demo day (btw search for specialized + 'test the best' on facebook where they have a page and u can find out where they will be next). It all shouldnt be a prob for a good shop. I actually went back today to re-ride the camber and epic. Changed a few things on the camber: flipped the stem and dropped some spacers. made a diff. cant approach the geometry of the epic. The camber is just a little more backwheel. but felt much better. wasnt slow. climbing and cornering wasnt bad. Coz the bike has ur weight a little to the rear i actually felt more stable, and less likely to go over the handle bars than the epic when going down hill. The more i rode it the more i liked it. camber aint a bad bike after consideration. I always find it difficult transitioning from one bike to another, and thats why long test rides are so valuable for me..... And, yeah, i like the 29er thing too.

The next one is in Gealong on the 11th Feb.
Hopefully I should be able to convince my wife, why we need to be going to Gealong :roll:

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Mugglechops
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Re: Ideal MTB (See requirements)

Postby Mugglechops » Thu Feb 02, 2012 8:08 am

Where is Gealong??

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Kenzo
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Re: Ideal MTB (See requirements)

Postby Kenzo » Thu Feb 02, 2012 11:40 am

Mugglechops wrote:Where is Gealong??
To the South West of Mealburn.

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MattyP
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Re: Ideal MTB (See requirements)

Postby MattyP » Thu Feb 02, 2012 3:53 pm


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silentbutdeadly
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Re: Ideal MTB (See requirements)

Postby silentbutdeadly » Thu Feb 02, 2012 10:59 pm

Kenzo wrote:
Mugglechops wrote:Where is Gealong??
To the South West of Mealburn.
Somewhere near my dining room..
Ours is not to reason why...merely to point and giggle

kunalraiker
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Re: Ideal MTB (See requirements)

Postby kunalraiker » Thu Feb 02, 2012 11:12 pm

Awesome, exactly what I was looking for :D

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Re: Ideal MTB (See requirements)

Postby kunalraiker » Fri Feb 03, 2012 11:23 am

I visited the BSC Cycles store yesterday, and they had these Focus bikes, seemed to be very beautiful frames with decent equipment, any one here with dually's from Focus that could comment?

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Re: Ideal MTB (See requirements)

Postby Mulger bill » Fri Feb 03, 2012 6:39 pm

Damn! Working :( Woulda been a perfect chance to get a proper look at a 29er HT.
...whatever the road rules, self-preservation is the absolute priority for a cyclist when mixing it with motorised traffic.
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kunalraiker
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Re: Ideal MTB (See requirements)

Postby kunalraiker » Fri Feb 03, 2012 9:37 pm

kunalraiker wrote:I visited the BSC Cycles store yesterday, and they had these Focus bikes, seemed to be very beautiful frames with decent equipment, any one here with dually's from Focus that could comment?
Visited the Beasley Cycles today, checkd some specialized bikes :)
B***dy H**l the carbon bikes are so light.
They had one at a giveaway price, the stump jumper

Gordo
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Re: Ideal MTB (See requirements)

Postby Gordo » Sat Feb 04, 2012 10:29 am

^^ plus free shoes and helmet i believe? been told its hard climbing on a stumpjumper though

trying to get rid of last years cambers and stumpjumpers

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Mugglechops
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Re: Ideal MTB (See requirements)

Postby Mugglechops » Sat Feb 04, 2012 11:18 am

Gordo wrote:^^ plus free shoes and helmet i believe? been told its hard climbing on a stumpjumper though

trying to get rid of last years cambers and stumpjumpers

They always have massive sales on old stock. But try getting a discount on new stock and they will say there is no margin in it :evil:

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Re: Ideal MTB (See requirements)

Postby kunalraiker » Sat Feb 04, 2012 9:10 pm

Gordo wrote:^^ plus free shoes and helmet i believe? been told its hard climbing on a stumpjumper though

trying to get rid of last years cambers and stumpjumpers

Spot on !

Anyway, the search continues...... :o

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Re: Ideal MTB (See requirements)

Postby kunalraiker » Sun Feb 05, 2012 3:50 pm

Went down to the GIANT demonstration at You Yangs, demo'ed the Anthem X1 29er and the Trance X0.
My wife demo'ed the same except the Trance was an X1.
I was great fun all in all, the experience with both bikes was nothing less of spectacular.
The 29er was so smooth uphill that I almost dedided to go down and try that uphill bend again :P
The Trance was extremely nimble coming downhill, and was a little more fun bike to ride.

Did anyone else get up there today, let me know what your views were.

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Ideal MTB (See requirements)

Postby toolonglegs » Sun Feb 05, 2012 6:20 pm

I have a mate selling his Anthem x advanced sl ( I think that's what it is called)... Anyway 7k bike... Raced 7 or 8 times only... New sponsor says he has to ride Scott. Medium I think for 3800. Keep telling him to list it here!... Poor bugger has to sell his Cervelo S5 as well ;-).

Danton
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Re: Ideal MTB (See requirements)

Postby Danton » Sun Feb 05, 2012 7:09 pm

kunalraiker wrote:Went down to the GIANT demonstration at You Yangs, demo'ed the Anthem X1 29er and the Trance X0.
My wife demo'ed the same except the Trance was an X1.
I was great fun all in all, the experience with both bikes was nothing less of spectacular.
The 29er was so smooth uphill that I almost dedided to go down and try that uphill bend again :P
The Trance was extremely nimble coming downhill, and was a little more fun bike to ride.

Did anyone else get up there today, let me know what your views were.
I took my 26" Steel SS Avanti Kiss bike for a spin. I'm normally a roady so I used to run my MTB SS with too much pressure. Today I got the pressure right so I was in the zone on the SS and having lots if fun.

I then got to ride a 29er Anthem 0. At first the ride seemed very similar to my SS I felt like I was riding a hardtail. Then I thought well that's pretty good! No hint of unwanted bounce when pedaling. After some time I realised that I could go places on the 29 that I wouldn't on the 26", there were ruts that I would stop or go around if I was on the 26 but on the 29 I just rode over these ruts. I think on my hardtail I tend to stand up to soak up the bumps on the dually I don't need too.
The 29/dually apsect also make things much more forgiving, sometimes of the 26 a big patch or sand will stop me in my tracks but on this bike the bike just catches enough so that you can roll on. The more I rode it the more I liked the anthem. Should be interesting to compare it to an Epic which I hopefully will ride next week.

kunalraiker
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Re: Ideal MTB (See requirements)

Postby kunalraiker » Sun Feb 05, 2012 7:39 pm

Danton wrote: I took my 26" Steel SS Avanti Kiss bike for a spin. I'm normally a roady so I used to run my MTB SS with too much pressure. Today I got the pressure right so I was in the zone on the SS and having lots if fun.

I then got to ride a 29er Anthem 0. At first the ride seemed very similar to my SS I felt like I was riding a hardtail. Then I thought well that's pretty good! No hint of unwanted bounce when pedaling. After some time I realised that I could go places on the 29 that I wouldn't on the 26", there were ruts that I would stop or go around if I was on the 26 but on the 29 I just rode over these ruts. I think on my hardtail I tend to stand up to soak up the bumps on the dually I don't need too.
The 29/dually apsect also make things much more forgiving, sometimes of the 26 a big patch or sand will stop me in my tracks but on this bike the bike just catches enough so that you can roll on. The more I rode it the more I liked the anthem. Should be interesting to compare it to an Epic which I hopefully will ride next week.
It seems to me that you are heading to the Specialized Demo day!
by the way what are the details of that place.
I might be interested in going.

The 29er would definitely be a pick for me, the questions in which one now!

It would be nice if all the bike manufactures would have similar demo days, its a great way to find out whether the bike is for you or not.

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Re: Ideal MTB (See requirements)

Postby Mulger bill » Sun Feb 05, 2012 8:34 pm

kunalraiker wrote:The Trance was extremely nimble coming downhill, and was a little more fun bike to ride.
IIRC, I've been saying this for a while now :wink: What's stopping you?
...whatever the road rules, self-preservation is the absolute priority for a cyclist when mixing it with motorised traffic.
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WarrenH
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Re: Ideal MTB (See requirements)

Postby WarrenH » Sun Feb 05, 2012 8:48 pm

bychosis wrote:Dual suspension is good, but you'll get a much nicer bike for that money in a hardtail.


The best thing that happened to me mountain biking, was that my hardtail was stolen.
bychosis wrote:Something that makes MTBers get excited is likely to cost in the region of $3000 minimum and won't be a Giant, they are like Toyota - well built, well spec'd but everyone has one.
Why do you think that Giant are the largest manufacturer of bikes on the planet ... because their bikes are suitable for sheep?

On my cheap Giant boing-boing, an Anthem something-or-other, I don't think that the Great Dividing Range has been so comfortable or looked so good.

Warren.
"But on steep descending...Larson TT have bad effect on the mind of a rider" - MadRider from Suji, Korea 2001.

"Paved roads ... another fine example of wasteful government spending." - a bumper sticker.

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Re: Ideal MTB (See requirements)

Postby Mulger bill » Sun Feb 05, 2012 9:01 pm

Don't forget that Giant build a large proportion of the other brands bikes too...

Hmmm, a Toyota that can be used comfortably everywhere, every time or a Ferrari that is pretty much useless away from the track.
A fancy name and rich heritage is nice but...
...whatever the road rules, self-preservation is the absolute priority for a cyclist when mixing it with motorised traffic.
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