Want bikes in WA, learning what kind?

[Amanda]

I'm from the dinosaur era of ten speeds and need to learn what good all around mountain bike I should shop for. My husband and I want to tour back roads mostly and like the whole suspension idea. What brands and styles would any of you guys recommend? Also, a bike might be a good thing to strap on next to the spare tire on my 66 Land Cruiser...at least for the first few runs to make sure I can get home!
Thanks for any ideas and the wisdom of the board!

[rockalot]

If you're not going to do any aggressive MTBing or long road rides then you should probably get what's referred to as a Hybrid (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hybrid_bicycle).
Within that style of bike there are a lot of options and manufacturers. Basically you want one that will feel comfortable for the length of time you'll be on it and that's designed to perform on the terrain you'll be riding most. If you're thinking full suspension then maybe a an entry level MTB will work for you since most hybrids don't have rear suspension. A substitute for rear suspension is a suspension seat post.

I recommend hitting your local bike shops. A good employee should inquire about what type of riding you will be doing to help narrow the bike style down. At a shop you could at least test them out in the parking lot or nearby streets to help you determine if you want a hybrid or MTB. Also at a "real" bike shop you could swap out the stem/handle bar combo, the seat, tires or whatever comes on the bike you've chosen to help refine it for your comfort and riding style. There are so many options here its hard to narrow down what will be best for you without more details.

I have both an aggressive MTB and a basic road bike. I often ride my MTB on the road where the better choice would be the road bike but I like the freedom to roam on my MTB better than just going in a straight line fast. So you see there are tradeoffs no matter what you decide but just try to narrow down the facts of your riding style/habits and let that guide your bike purchase.

Stay away from department store bikes unless you now what you're doing!

Good luck!.

[mgfabpd]

I do have a GT for sale on this page, it makes a great all around MTB, but better on dirt than pavement. If you are going to do alot of road riding, I would go for the hybrid, just so you would have the capabilities to go offroad if you so desired. On the other hand if you were going to do, say 50/50 road/dirt, I would go for the MTB - you could always air up the tires 4 the road! :)

[christyle]

An entry level mountain bike like a Specialized Hardrock will do you fine for most types of riding. If you can change tires, then get a mountain bike and get a spare set of slick/semi slick tires to swap on for extended road times. I have a Hardrock that I turned into my urban assault/jumping bike, my cross country bike, to my Dual Slalom racer, to my class beater, now single speed class beater and its been a great bike for all of them.

The GT mentioned previously would be a great entry level ride, with time and money invested in good parts. Shy away from new GT or schwinn bikes due to the fact that they have been bought by Pacific (of department store junk bike fame) due to bankruptcy. Ive built a few of the newer GT entry level bikes and am very unimpressed.

If you want to get serious about mountain biking, a full suspension bike is a very good, expensive, route to go. They make riding much more comfortable, and with today's technology, mildly more difficult than a front suspension fork. Plan on spending around 600 for anything resonable with full suspension. Specialized is a good brand to buy from. I own 2, and have owned 5 others, no problems with any of them. They are mass-produced but still maintain great quality, although in being mass produced, it leaves little room for customization. PM or aim me with any more questions, i work at a shop in Ca here.

p.s. - a word on bike shops, make sure it is a dedicated shops, not a bike department in a larger store, you get better advice and service from a "real" shop I believe.

[Amanda]

Wow, thanks for all the info/ideas! Time to go nose around some local shops I s'pose...

[KKno]

I would advise against a hybrid. Hybrids typically use a 700c wheel and dont really allow for a wider tire. However there are such things like known as comfort mountain bikes which are similar to a Hybrid, but they use the standard 26" wheel. We sell alot of these at the shop that I work. The advatage to them is that they have a longer head tube, riser bar and adjustable rise stem which puts you in a very upright position. Its primarily a great around town, campground, or older folks bike. It does utilize a suspension fork and suspension seatpost. The gears are typical mountain bike gears, and not road bike like many hybrids. Its kind of lengthy to go into the entire setup and so on. But if your looking to avoid being bent over like you would be on a mountain bike, look into a comfort bike. Trek does a really good job with theirs. If you looking for a mountain bike.. once again Trek does a very good job. But Trek also owns Gary fisher and many of their bikes are simliar prices and components but different frame designs.

If your ever in Longview, WA let me know and I can show you some advantages and disadvantages to each style of bike as well as test riding some and so fourth.

[Amanda]

Thanks, we're about 90 min north of Longview...might be worth a drive for education and shopping. Nothing moves very fast around here as we're just starting to learn about bikes. Lots more involved than when we were teens!! When shopping classified, what would let me know a "comfort bike" from others? Would they actually be advertised that way or are there certain models to look for? I'm out for the rest of the week but will pick this up next Monday. Thanks again!

[KKno]

Trek's comfort bikes come from the Navigator series. Gary Fisher is going to be bikes like the Capitola.

A comfort bike is going to have 26x1.5" wheels with a smoother tread tire, adjustable stem, riser handle bar, suspension fork, suspension seatpost, and a long headtube for a very upright ride.