Looking to enter the MTB world..... :D

tom22180
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Feb 22, 2018 11:39 pm

Looking to enter the MTB world..... :D

Postby tom22180 » Fri Feb 23, 2018 12:15 am

Looking at buying my first "decent" MTB - mainly looking at doing suburban streets and the occasional trail nothing to hardcore. Have been looking for a few weeks now and have become interested in a bike - http://www.merida.com.au/en_au/bikes/mt ... -7258.html - have found a pretty good price $674 when retail is $749. Would love to hear any opinions on such bike or other options around the same $ mark. Thanks

User avatar
bychosis
Posts: 7244
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2012 1:10 pm
Location: Lake Macquarie

Re: Looking to enter the MTB world..... :D

Postby bychosis » Fri Feb 23, 2018 6:56 am

For the price, you are getting what you pay for, it is reasonable value for money.
For what you describe using it for it will do the job but is a basic bike and the forks are a bit ordinary.
If you want to start tackling rougher single track stuff you might start finding the limits of the components. They should survive, but better stuff is worth it.
bychosis (bahy-koh-sis): A mental disorder of delusions indicating impaired contact with a reality of no bicycles.

User avatar
Mububban
Posts: 3033
Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2008 12:19 pm

Re: Looking to enter the MTB world..... :D

Postby Mububban » Fri Feb 23, 2018 2:12 pm

tom22180 wrote:Looking at buying my first "decent" MTB - mainly looking at doing suburban streets and the occasional trail nothing to hardcore. Have been looking for a few weeks now and have become interested in a bike - http://www.merida.com.au/en_au/bikes/mt ... -7258.html - have found a pretty good price $674 when retail is $749. Would love to hear any opinions on such bike or other options around the same $ mark. Thanks
It looks fine for the money and for beginning. Personally, I've found MTB to be enormous fun, I'm riding a 15 year old hardtail and having an absolute blast on the trails. So be prepared that, if the bug bites, you'll very quickly look to upgrade that bike :)

But the Merida is a great way to have a go and see if you like it without breaking the bank. And if you upgrade, you can keep it as it'll still be a great everyday bike if you chuck some slicker tyres on it.
When you are driving your car, you are not stuck IN traffic - you ARE the traffic!!!

User avatar
ValleyForge
Posts: 1831
Joined: Tue Jan 27, 2009 5:37 pm
Location: Brisbane

Re: Looking to enter the MTB world..... :D

Postby ValleyForge » Fri Feb 23, 2018 3:02 pm

Cheap hardtails are the most unloved bikes in the world IMHO. They are the ones left behind at park & rides & parks.

I'd suggest given the turnover rate - a second hand one will be great value. Just my thoughts.
Ha ha ha! Cookies on dowels.

Calvin27
Posts: 2435
Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2013 5:45 pm

Re: Looking to enter the MTB world..... :D

Postby Calvin27 » Fri Feb 23, 2018 3:29 pm

Doesn't matter what you buy, pretty soon you will want to upgrade - especially on a mountain bike.

The technology differences on mountain bikes are much greater than road cycling. You could move from tiagra to ultegra and not really notice, but the same cannot be said for things like mtb brakes, and forks for example.
Heavy road bike
Cushy dirt bike
Very cushy dirt bike
Bike crushed by car (RIP)
No brakes bike
Ebike

User avatar
bychosis
Posts: 7244
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2012 1:10 pm
Location: Lake Macquarie

Re: Looking to enter the MTB world..... :D

Postby bychosis » Fri Feb 23, 2018 4:05 pm

Calvin27 wrote:Doesn't matter what you buy, pretty soon you will want to upgrade - especially on a mountain bike.

The technology differences on mountain bikes are much greater than road cycling. You could move from tiagra to ultegra and not really notice, but the same cannot be said for things like mtb brakes, and forks for example.
It is the brakes and forks that have a lot of difference. The rest is much the same until you start including rear suspension. ie there isn't much difference in a functioning acera derailleur to an XT.
bychosis (bahy-koh-sis): A mental disorder of delusions indicating impaired contact with a reality of no bicycles.

Calvin27
Posts: 2435
Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2013 5:45 pm

Re: Looking to enter the MTB world..... :D

Postby Calvin27 » Fri Feb 23, 2018 4:28 pm

bychosis wrote: It is the brakes and forks that have a lot of difference. The rest is much the same until you start including rear suspension. ie there isn't much difference in a functioning acera derailleur to an XT.
The major difference with gearsets, say acera vs xt is actually quite a bit. It gets you clutched RD and a cage that can hack pretty large cassettes. Compared to road, all it gets you is more gears in between.

But who cares, because gears are pretty much consumables in mtb world. Prioritise brakes first and then fork second imo.
Heavy road bike
Cushy dirt bike
Very cushy dirt bike
Bike crushed by car (RIP)
No brakes bike
Ebike

User avatar
ValleyForge
Posts: 1831
Joined: Tue Jan 27, 2009 5:37 pm
Location: Brisbane

Re: Looking to enter the MTB world..... :D

Postby ValleyForge » Fri Feb 23, 2018 6:36 pm

Calvin27 wrote:But who cares, because gears are pretty much consumables in mtb world. Prioritise brakes first and then fork second imo.
Yup. But a clutched RD is a big yes. And good rubber.
Ha ha ha! Cookies on dowels.

User avatar
Duck!
Expert
Posts: 9848
Joined: Tue May 21, 2013 8:21 pm
Location: On The Tools

Re: Looking to enter the MTB world..... :D

Postby Duck! » Fri Feb 23, 2018 8:29 pm

Calvin27 wrote: The major difference with gearsets, say acera vs xt is actually quite a bit. It gets you clutched RD and a cage derailleur geometry that can hack pretty large cassettes. Compared to road, all it gets you is more gears in between.

But who cares, because gears are pretty much consumables in mtb world. Prioritise brakes first and then fork second imo.
Fixed it. I'd also pick a better fork over brakes at supplied spec, because that's the most expensive single component to upgrade. Good brakes do make a hell of a difference, but are a lot cheaper to buy than a vaguely decent fork.
I had a thought, but it got run over as it crossed my mind.

NASHIE
Posts: 1193
Joined: Tue Jun 04, 2013 9:16 pm
Location: Perth, WA

Re: Looking to enter the MTB world..... :D

Postby NASHIE » Fri Feb 23, 2018 9:16 pm

tom22180 wrote:Looking at buying my first "decent" MTB - mainly looking at doing suburban streets and the occasional trail nothing to hardcore. Have been looking for a few weeks now and have become interested in a bike - http://www.merida.com.au/en_au/bikes/mt ... -7258.html - have found a pretty good price $674 when retail is $749. Would love to hear any opinions on such bike or other options around the same $ mark. Thanks
Ignorance is bliss mate, so if this is your budget, don't go testing $1500-$2000 bikes. Yep they do things a little better and 'feel' better, but they still do exactly the same job.

User avatar
foo on patrol
Posts: 8987
Joined: Sat Dec 19, 2009 11:12 am
Location: Sanstone Point QLD

Re: Looking to enter the MTB world..... :D

Postby foo on patrol » Sat Feb 24, 2018 9:44 am

Have a look a good used ones, because you can get a very well specced bike for the cost of a new lower end bike. :idea:

Foo
I don't suffer fools easily and so long as you have done your best,you should have no regrets.
Goal 6000km

KristianJ
Posts: 16
Joined: Tue Feb 13, 2018 7:53 pm

Re: Looking to enter the MTB world..... :D

Postby KristianJ » Sun Feb 25, 2018 11:06 am

+1 for the buying second hand idea. A couple of years ago I bought that year's Giant Talon 4 from a guy who bought it new, rode it about 100km (all on paths and roads) and decided that he needed a road bike. Saved about 1/3 on retail and it did a fine job until I upgraded a couple of weeks ago. FWIW I only lost 20% on the Giant once I sold it.
On the sealed stuff: Orbea Vento
On the loose stuff: Merida MATTS TFS-300D

User avatar
rokwiz
Posts: 270
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2012 4:14 pm
Location: Eastcoast Australia
Contact:

Re: Looking to enter the MTB world..... :D

Postby rokwiz » Sun Feb 25, 2018 4:03 pm

New, I would look for a good quality frame and forks first, components second. They can always be upgraded later.
Used, I would look for a good quality well looked after frame and forks first and upgrade the components second.

If you start into more serious MTBiking later you can either sell on the quality frame or further upgrade to better quality tech stuff for it.
In order that the labour of centuries past may not be in vain during the centuries to come... D Diderot 1752

NASHIE
Posts: 1193
Joined: Tue Jun 04, 2013 9:16 pm
Location: Perth, WA

Re: Looking to enter the MTB world..... :D

Postby NASHIE » Sun Feb 25, 2018 4:32 pm

I agree on the second hand bikes, but for people new to MTBs and even roadies these days it can be a minefield looking at second hand gear with the vision of upgrading ie thru bolts, tappered steerers, gearing speeds, 1x, rim sizing etc etc. Unfortunately with all the new gear and changes over the past decade, its not that straightforward to upgade in many instances.

User avatar
ValleyForge
Posts: 1831
Joined: Tue Jan 27, 2009 5:37 pm
Location: Brisbane

Re: Looking to enter the MTB world..... :D

Postby ValleyForge » Sun Feb 25, 2018 10:32 pm

NASHIE wrote:... it can be a minefield looking at second hand gear with the vision of upgrading ie thru bolts, tappered steerers, gearing speeds, 1x, rim sizing etc etc.
I don't think buying a new bike is any easier!
Ha ha ha! Cookies on dowels.

User avatar
ldrcycles
Posts: 9593
Joined: Thu Oct 28, 2010 3:19 pm
Location: Kin Kin, Queensland

Re: Looking to enter the MTB world..... :D

Postby ldrcycles » Sun Feb 25, 2018 11:19 pm

Another vote for second hand, I actually bought a 2017 Big Nine 20 (the model below the one in the link) a few weeks ago for $450, with fortnight old Maxxis Ikon tyres and a set of rechargeable lights.

It rolls beautifully, the forks work just fine for a cheapy, the brakes are great (easily good enough for a 40% downhill this morning) and the gearchanging is excellent. Only one issue- weight. It's every bit of the 15.5kg Merida claim, and uphill that is really noticeable. I've already swapped the cranks for 25 odd year old STX RCs I had in the shed which saved about 250g, and swapped the Acera RD for an M952 XTR (can't remember off the top of my head what that saved). Problem is, having stripped it down and weighed everything, the only place for really significant weight savings is the wheels and forks, and that means $$. Sure it still goes uphill, just not as quickly or enjoyably as a lighter bike.

The number one reason I got mine was for riding rail trails, which it will be fantastic for. The difference in rolling speed between 29" and 26" is mind boggling, so if you have a significant proportion of flat riding I would take the weight penalty and stick with 29".
"I must be rather keen on cycling"- Sir Hubert Opperman.

Road Record Association of Australia

Calvin27
Posts: 2435
Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2013 5:45 pm

Re: Looking to enter the MTB world..... :D

Postby Calvin27 » Tue Feb 27, 2018 10:56 am

+1 for second hand - although maybe get an experienced MTBr to help.

he reason I prefer second hand MTB even for myself is because I will invariably crash them and it hurts when it's brand new and mint condition haha.
Heavy road bike
Cushy dirt bike
Very cushy dirt bike
Bike crushed by car (RIP)
No brakes bike
Ebike

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users