Complete Novice just bought a MTB

enginesuck

Hi guys,

Im a complete MTB novice apart from taking my old ralieigh to the shop and back, Ive been looking for a new hobby while ive been stuck out here in afghanistan with the RAF (less than a week to go till i get home ) Anyway ive been fancying mountain biking for a while now and i live in Morayshire which has loads of decent trails nearby so in a moment of ebay madness ive gone and bought a Cube Acid 2010 hardtail for £500 , the bike is in as new condition and is only a few month old. I have a couple of questions so here goes,

Did i pay a good price for the bike ?
Are there any basic maintenance tools i should buy and where is the best place to get them ?
Any other tips greatfully received !

Regards ES

Holyzeus

Second hand prices are always subjective, it's certainly a very good bike you wont be disappointed.
There's lots of info on here regarding maintenance and cleaning, do a search and have fun!

c00lh4nd

Welcome Enginesuck

IMHO you have a good bike for a good price that'll cope with whatever us beginners will throw at them.. I would propose the following kit.

Small day pack (depending on how long you are out for) to hold drink, scoff, spare inner tube or tyre and the basic tools.

I would recommend a small multipurpose tool (bit like a Swiss army knife but for bikes), tyre irons, set of allan keys and some form of Teflon lubricant.

Next in my list would be gloves with padding on the palms are good and the essential helmet from Scott or Specialized. I would also recommend some glasses, sun or riding to keep the flies out of your eyes :-)

After that I would start to look at shoes.. Personally I prefer Merriel walking shoes, but I am still on flat peddles.

Finally as you have bought a used bike (though nearly new) maybe worth considering having it serviced at a pro bike shop.. This I'll give piece of mind as you leap of that 8ft high drop...

Hope this helps, I have looked at this as a fellow newbie, you will likely get other advice from those more experienced than I.

I wish you well on your journey back the the UK..

C00lh4nd

Hawmaw

Nice to see that you're planning ahead and finding something to do when they close the
bases !!!

nicklouse

the forum FAQs and Parktools cover most things also see the links at the bottom of every page.

mac_man

Padded shorts are a must, esp. if you haven't ridden a bike in ages.

Some bike shorts come with removable padded liners fitted, or you can buy padded lycra that will be fine with any pair of shorts. I've found that overly baggy shorts can catch on the QR clamp on the seatpost, or on the end of the saddle.... not ideal when flying down a hill.

whitestar1

mac man wrote:

Padded shorts are a must, esp. if you haven't ridden a bike in ages.

Some bike shorts come with removable padded liners fitted, or you can buy padded lycra that will be fine with any pair of shorts. I've found that overly baggy shorts can catch on the QR clamp on the seatpost, or on the end of the saddle.... not ideal when flying down a hill.

I second that! I am brand new to MTB just got my RockRider 8.0. I have tried riding in Nike/Addias bottoms but they just keep getting in the way. Only comfort was with padded cycle sorts - so get a pair!

enginesuck

Well ive been stuck waiting for a flight out of here for five days now so to pass the time ive been internet shopping, got most things on the list including the padded shorts ! all being well i should be picking the Cube up on Monday, i think my first out will be a hill climb up to Califer view point, then hopefully by the weekend a ride round the monster trails at Fochabers. Looking forward to getting out when i get back, I will probably post a few pics when i do.

RIDELINES

Some basic advice >
Always look as far ahead as possible and to your exit points if you are riding a feature or something technical. Don't ride sitting down, you can't manoeuvre properly. Understand gearing and cadence (make it easy on yourself climbing and descending), understand when NOT to brake (keep yourself from braining yourself on a tree or a rock). Learn to read and assess the trail to keep yourself safe. Start easy and build up your ability and confidence.

We're a coaching and tuition company so no cloak and dagger stuff from us. Get a lesson, any coaching will make a huge difference and gets you learning the correct techniques instead of just holding on and hoping for the best. It's amazing the difference it makes. Best of luck and hopefully your recreational career in mountain biking will be a long and happy one.

RIDELINES (Mountain Bike Tuition) Ltd
http://www.ridelines.co.uk

bartimaeus

Tools... a decent multitool for your pack, and some allen keys (you can get by without if you have the multi-tool). The usual screwdrivers and some sharp nose pliers come in handy. Other bike-specific tools you can get when you need them - e.g. pedal spanners - it depends on how much fettling you decide to do.

You should also get some Fenwicks FS1 (or other degreaser, which can be diluted for cleaning purposes) and a couple of plastic scrub brushes from your local pound shop - you can run your chain through these for a quick clean, which saves spending £25 on a purpose made tool!