New MTB- spend big now or upgrade
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New MTB- spend big now or upgrade
Postby swaz » Mon Sep 09, 2013 7:23 am
So, in people experience. Is it better to spend the cash up front on say something with XT everywhere, or spend what I have and upgrade when things wear out? And do things like cranks really wear out? I really like the look of the double XT crank, hate the black deore triple look.
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Re: New MTB- spend big now or upgrade
Postby Calvin27 » Mon Sep 09, 2013 10:59 am
Go nuts getting as much as you can to save the dough later on. $1.5k will get you a pretty sweet hardtail branded or not. At that price range I would definately be going local bike shop as opposed to polygon tc. because you will want to ride the thing and at this price level specs are similar, but how it rides is what makes the difference. Also first service is nice as it is when all the things will wear in and cables stretch etc.
Cushy dirt bike
Very cushy dirt bike
Bike crushed by car (RIP)
No brakes bike
Ebike
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Re: New MTB- spend big now or upgrade
Postby silentbutdeadly » Mon Sep 09, 2013 2:35 pm
Focus on what frame and fork fits you best and suits your riding needs. Secondary issues are the quality of the fork and wheelset and the capacity for the bike to be upgraded (many big brands such as Giant, Cannondale and Specialized have frames with bespoke sizing issues) at a later date. Final part is the brakes - if you can swing XT here then that'd be the winner. Unlikely though..
Driveline components are a dime a dozen and not exey in the scheme of things - XT shifters go for about $80 - $100 for the pair. Brakes though are pricey - XT brakes with rotors are over $400.
As a result (with your budget) you may get a Deore crankset with XT shifters/deraileurs and Formula brakes, an RS Recon Silver fork and some house brand wheels. If you go down range in the same bike series...the fork and the wheels are where the real costs are cut and you'll never make these costs up trying to upgrade later - you might make it shift like lightning but it'll still ride and handle like a badly sprung cart. Spend what you afford now and save more for blinging up later...
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Re: New MTB- spend big now or upgrade
Postby swaz » Mon Sep 09, 2013 2:49 pm
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Re: New MTB- spend big now or upgrade
Postby env1romelza » Sun Sep 15, 2013 11:25 am
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Re: New MTB- spend big now or upgrade
Postby singlespeedscott » Sun Sep 15, 2013 11:57 am
You can scrounge up the XT bits from various online retailers and build it yourself. Very rewarding.
I have gone through 6 frames in the last 10 years but some of the parts I bought back then I'm still using because I bought descent quality. MTB frames get trashed so there's no point in splurging on a flash one IMO.
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Re: New MTB- spend big now or upgrade
Postby swaz » Mon Sep 16, 2013 9:24 am
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Re: New MTB- spend big now or upgrade
Postby singlespeedscott » Mon Sep 16, 2013 10:57 am
I do like the look of the giant XTC 29ers. Not so sure on the wheels though.
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Re: New MTB- spend big now or upgrade
Postby silentbutdeadly » Tue Sep 17, 2013 9:58 am
For the money the superseded XTC 29er is a good deal but as Singlespeedscott points out...the wheels are a weak point. They are fine and are as good as any other at this price point but they do hold the bike back as they aren't the stiffest things out there (it might be sorted with a post buy wheel tune).swaz wrote:Thanks for the advice. Currently considering the Giant XTC 29er 2013 model for about $1200 or the Trek Super Fly AL for $1500.
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Re: New MTB- spend big now or upgrade
Postby barefoot » Tue Sep 17, 2013 11:48 am
By the time I wore the rings out on my old crankset, the mounting interface had become well obsolete [1] and I couldn't source a new big ring.Calvin27 wrote:Cranks will take awhile to wear out. I forget what ratio people normally quote (4 chains, 2 casettes and 1 cranks or something like that?)
So I bought a new bike
I reckon the OP is right in his assessment that alloy hardtail frames are pretty much commodity, and there's not much to recommend one ahead of another except for minor geometry details (along with aesthetics and brand snobbery, if they're your thing). I pretty much bought a well-priced XT-ish groupset that came with a frame attached.
You'll get more bike for your money if you go 26". If you can still find any, that is.
tim
[1] early XT 4-arm, with the big ring mounted to the crank on a kind of spline.
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Re: New MTB- spend big now or upgrade
Postby swaz » Fri Sep 20, 2013 2:17 pm
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Re: New MTB- spend big now or upgrade
Postby singlespeedscott » Sat Sep 21, 2013 7:15 am
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Re: New MTB- spend big now or upgrade
Postby andione1983 » Sat Sep 21, 2013 7:30 am
Sent from my Galaxy far far away....
MTB - Boardman Team Pro (2013)
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Re: New MTB- spend big now or upgrade
Postby Lukeyboy » Sat Sep 21, 2013 7:23 pm
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Re: New MTB- spend big now or upgrade
Postby swaz » Tue Sep 24, 2013 2:15 pm
Narrr, I would have kept my 26er if I was going to 650bLukeyboy wrote:If you want a combo of both why not go for a 650B?
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Re: New MTB- spend big now or upgrade
Postby trailgumby » Tue Sep 24, 2013 4:38 pm
Looked pretty sweet, actually. Looked a lot less of a kiddie BMX than those 26ers do.
Isn't it funny how your perceptions change when you get used to the big wheels?
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Re: New MTB- spend big now or upgrade
Postby Bramston » Tue Sep 24, 2013 5:13 pm
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