What mistakes do noobs make when buying first MTB?

jeepie

OK. Here goes. I'm a roadie. Please be gentle.

Commute to work on a battered ridgeback hybrid every day and ride a Bianchi road bike for pleasure at weekends. Cos the weather is so bad, and the italian stallion gets very very twitchy in the wet, I'm going to start mountain biking. Will use it for an off road commute sometimes, and also biking in south oxfordshire, wales and the lakes. Nothing too ridiculous, just solid trail fun.

Fear not, this isn't a what bike post, but I am hoping to engage the experience of the forum to help me choose one!

I've read as much as I can when planning this post and I'm going to buy this:

http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/?fn=produ ... egoryId=38

I want a rock solid ride. From what I can make out - though it's not easy, this is why I choose it:

MERLIN - read supersonic's what bike post and started looking at the Merlin Malt but wanted a tougher bike as I'd like to keep it for ages. Merlin sounds like a great company, super value and great comments/reviews on here. Rock Lobster frame seems tougher alloy than the Malt.
FRAME - good choice as alloy blending the benefits of steel and aluminium. I want a tougher frame than Aluminium only for my mountain bike as my alu road bike is showing the knocks after 3 years. I must admit I am finding it very hard to understnad the differences between frame materials as they are complex alloys, rather than just steel for example.
GROUP SET - XT is solid and reliable. Have Shimano on my road bike so should be ok doing basic maintenance here.
SIZE - I reckon I'll be a 19". I'm 6 ft 1 and my Ridgeback is 21". I have tried some off roading on it and it's hard to steer at real pace, so I think a smaller frame size will help me have more control. I am planning to go up to Chorley to try it out! 400 mile round trip but everything on this forum suggests it's worth it.
FORKS - don't know that much about these, but I'm assuming the ones it comes with will be suitable given the other specs e.g. groupset.

So I'm a noob. This is what I've researched and planned so far. I had thought about a Scandal 29er as these get great press and are superb value, but ruled it out cos I can't try it. Also coming in at a bit > than my 1k budget.

So I'm a noob to MTB, what mistakes or other considerations should I make?

If you were buying a road bike I'd say:

1) Don't worry about the weird Shimano shifters if you've not used them. You'll get used to them in an hour on the road.
2) Don't obsess about weight too much as your water bottles will weigh you down.
3) Get a bike that looks great as you'll want to ride it more and it will motivate you on massive hills
4) Try to find out about the wheels as this is one of the first areas to upgrade - are they any good?
5) Be aware that if you commit to a Dura Ace groupset and go a lot of miles, because the chain and rear cassette need to be replaced regularly (every 3000 miles) this can be costly.
6) If you are keen, try to find the optimum price point that you can afford e.g. < 500 bit low for a road bike, and above 1.5k the law of diminishing returns kicks in.

What do you think? Do you think I should just start with the GT Avalance, or go for something better specc'ed given I'm already a committed cyclists and will be using a lot. Any thoughts on my decision process or advice like I give to prospective roadies as an example. Anyone got a Scandal 29er and reckon this is we way to go? Are my thoughts on the Malt v. RL correct?

Cheers for your help, J

.blitz

Jeepie wrote:

If you are keen, try to find the optimum price point that you can afford e.g. < 500 bit low for a road bike, and above 1.5k the law of diminishing returns kicks in.

I think that pretty much summarises the situation with MTBs. When I'm looking at new bikes, I look at the other models in the range that use the same frame. One will be off the scale on the bling-o-meter and another one will be weighed down with porky wheels, basic drivetrain and leaden finishing kit. The one to go for is the one in the middle.

nicklouse

Jeepie
the main thing is size. you will want a smaller frame than you think. Top tube length is more important followed by stand-over clearance.

the rest of it does not matter.

and that bike is a very very good "starter" bike.

Insurance and a lock a must.

Water bottles what are they!

jeepie

Cool. Cheers for the advise! Got some BEEFY locks for my roadie so will not have to shell out for these again mercifully.

So if I'm keen on it sounds like go for it. Very interested about the comments about sizing as I'm definitely going to try it out which rules out On One....I'll try out 18-19 for starters and take it from there. Great stuff! Thanks.

With my roadie I wish I'd spent just a little more so been saving hard for this MTB and trying to get the optimum point of entry....

salsarider79

Why be a proper MTB'er and go for a hydration bag? You can carry pump, multi tool, food, etc in a rucksack, and you'll be able to carry up to 3liters of water. It's the best way to go MTB wise.
P.s. Don't tell anyone, but I'm a roadie too....
p.p.s. What about this http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12588586. Get rid of the commute bike, have two bikes....?

jeepie

Hey Salsa,

Yeah - but nervous, in fact very nervous, being on here and being at this point an very committed roadie!

Yeah - I did think about a cross bike. I think it was a question of whether to get one bike that does everything or a specific bike for each job.

The more I ride, the more I love riding, so I thought about getting something really different from my road bike (Bianchi via Nirone) which is why I thought that a On One 29er might be the ticket....

Two of my mates have crossers though and luv 'em, but I think I'm going to do the pure MTB thing for a complete change from my road bike.

Cheers for the post!

Yrs

J

supersonic

Testing and trying for size is a must - huge variation in sizing and geometry compared to roadbikes.

Water bottles are fine for short blasts!

I think the law of diminishing returns sets in at 500 quid for mtb hardtails. However the Merlins are very good value. Quite short top tubes though.

HansRoaming

supersonic wrote:

Water bottles are fine for short blasts!

That's what the smaller Camelbaks are for.

jeepie

Just had a chat with a mate about this last night who has potentially put a spanner in the works.

If I buy an MTB I will use it every day - yeah I will commute on it, but also I'll use it at the weekends too. I will not be able to clean it up during the week and will only really be able to give it a good clean once a week. If I leave muck and cr@p on it over the course of the week will it be ruined quickly? I mean from what he was saying this is a seriously bad idea....

Any thoughts? Is this why people get single speed MTBs?

nicklouse

Ah, you need a rat bike for the commute. Police auctions and get something cheap.

Unless you can keep the bike inside at work.

jeepie

Hi Nick,

OK. We have dedicated cycle parking at work and a security team. There have been a few recent thefts but I am confident that my BEEFY locks + the security team will avoid the same fate befalling my new MTB.

I am SO bored with my rat bike, but I will use the rat bike when going in to town in the future. As I ride the bike to work every day (and want to join my mates on a few MTB rides) I was thinking of getting a bike I actually enjoy riding rather than a gruesome heavy hybrid.

So this is my thinking.....Also my hybrid cannot do the byway lane commute as it's pretty rough and muddy, so hence thinking of an MTB. What do you think about the cleaning/maintenance issue raised in convo with my friend last night? Should I get something more basic you reckon then?

Cheers

J

shin0r

I wouldn't worry too much about the muck and grime, the bikes are designed to cope with it; unlike road bikes, which crumble to dust if they so much as hit a pebble

tate743

A pebble.
Its pretty easy to keep an MTB nice and protect it from grime. Simple stuff like regular chain lube and using things like Muc-off bike spray should keep it easy to clean and protected. Plus vasaline on bolt heads keeps rust off em a treat if a bit messy to maintain. but most MTBs arnt shy of a bit of neglect if you at least keep it up once every week or 2.

jeepie

Cool. Cheers guys. Don't have water at the front of the house so cleaning bit of a hassle + will be pitch black too when I get back from work + I'll be frazzled and knackered. So may be I can go geared? Decisions, decisions.........

xtremedash

A cheap solution to not having a hose, a garden flower sprayer. Get them from Wilko's for less than a tenner. Pump them up will lift most dirt off, a quick sponge off to get it shiny and a quick lube of the chain and you're ready to go. I do this after each ride (unfortunately on;y get to ride at the weekends), it's a pain when you get home and all you want to do is chill, but once in the habit it won't take long. Then every few weeks give it a good strip down and thorough clean.

Chaka Ping

Jeepie - You say you want to keep the bike for years and years - so have you considered the 853 steel version of the same bike?

jeepie

Hi Chaka,

I was hoping to get a steel bike yeah...

On this review > http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/ ... -853-10644

It suggests it is steel, but yeah - v. good point - I'd like steel as it wears well!

Cheers

Greg

andrewjoseph

5) Be aware that if you commit to a Dura Ace groupset and go a lot of miles, because the chain and rear cassette need to be replaced regularly (every 3000 miles) this can be costly.

3000 miles? you'd be lucky! and don't forget middle chainrings at least once a year.

I ride the Afan area several times a week and get (roughly):
600-800 miles per chain, 2000 miles per cassette, ~ 300-500 miles per brake pad set (depends greatly on the weather), 2000-3000 miles for the middle ring (this has improved greatly since I bought a titanium middle ring 18 months ago).

Tyres might be an issue as well, soft compound knobblies are great on the trail, but don't last long, especially if commuting on them as well and cost ~£30 each.

Cheaper tyres last longer, but don't have good grip on the trails.

The Spiderman

My mate has a Scandal 29er in his bike stable,aswell as his Spesh Enduro full susser and his Enigma Eulogy road bike.
He uses the 29er when he rides off road,but needs something that will still cover the ground fast.

I have ridden the 29er and even compared with my fairly light 26" wheeled Giant XTC hardtail,it really shifts.If you want a bike that can go off road but still maintain the easy rolling speed of a road bike,I`d definitlely reccomend trying one.

They get good reviews and the On One site has lots of info on what size to buy.My mate bought his unseen,and rant at On One has a good reputation for customer service and a very loyal following.

twebeast

NooB mistakes:
1. Going for an "expensive" bike first.

Whatever you think is expensive now, if you really get hooked you will probably recalibrate what is expensive. After 12-18 months you could want a new more capable bike (like a full suss), and if you go for something mid-price now then you just lose more money when you trade it in.

So go for something cheap, get to know what sort of cycling you enjoy and what you are looking for in a bike.

2. Not listening to the mates you are going to ride with

They will know better than anyone what sort of bike suits the riding you are likely to be riding for the foreseeable future.

3. Living in London and thinking it is safe to leave your pride and joy outside for more than 5 minutes, even locked up with BEEFY locks.

There are folk with vans and alot of tools in the back. I've even heard of one unfortunate fella having his frame sawn in two just to take the parts. A rat bike makes sense if you seriously intend on cycling around town and locking it up anywhere for a period of time.

Happy MTBing!

jeepie

Fair play twebeast. Yeah - I will only ride the MTB on my commute where there is much better security at the destination, and when I take it away with me at weekends. There are so many variables to consider. Certainly with my road bike which I've used absolutely loads I wish I'd spent a little more so I'm trying to pre-empt that now with the MTB by entering the market at an optimum price point. I've been saving ages and thinking about it even longer. Took me ages to pluck up the nerves to post on here!!!

Spiderman - v interesting points about a 29er. I certainly am interested if they are quick over variable ground. Sounds like a lot of fun. So will definitely try one before I buy.

Thanks guys and grills. I'll keep you posted.

batesey

There are a lot of good bikes out there at the £500 mark.My advice is to search the net for a good deal on a 2007 or even 08 bike,that way you can get nearly a grand`s worth of bike for about £600.Best of both worlds.A lot of the time there are only very minor changes between one year and the next,and trust me the first time you come off and throw it down the trail you will be glad you didn`t spend a thousand pounds on it. :oops: