Any mountain bikers?

[rondon]

well I dunno jeanie ... I mentioned it was a mongoose.... not top of the line but not the worst either...

I bought one years ago at a bike shop in west palm beach... still going strong over 10 years later... It was $300 then with no shocks, steel frame .

bikeshops have huge mark ups... might be worth it to anyone who expects to need service .. although that can be expensive...

variety is a good reason for the shops though..

but for anyone who ventures out to browse .... check the prices on even the low end aluminum bikes with front and rear shocks...

under $200 might be a good way for those not sure how long their interest will remain.

cheap enough to give away later... either way

as I approach 60 those old style "beach cruisers" start looking good... sitting upright.. fat tires ... not for speed but then... the race was over years ago... those can have a few gears too for the hills..

RonDon

[gland]

I'm waiting for a bicycle report back from Greg.
Good? Bad? You've gotta be crazy to do this.

[G. Couch]

Have not had the chance to get the bike yet...too cold to ride anyway! I'm looking at a used Trek. My wife has a very basic Giant - Boulder SE that seems to be decent quality for the price...might go with one of those as well. I'm not going to be leaping off cliffs anytime soon, so no need to spend thousands on a Titanium bike or dual suspension...

Rondon - Anything with front and back suspension for under $200 has to be of suspect quality. I doubt it would last long even on an easy track!

Chris - No riding on the road for me! I'm more afraid of cars than I am of rocks and trees!

[gland]

This sounds like a "I'm waiting till spring" excuse. Nice thing about the Dallas area is that I can bike year round.

A couple of years ago I was in Iowa for a week to take care of an aunt of mine. She'd just gotten out of the hospital and needed a little help. Anyway one morning I was driving over to her house and it was -10 degrees with about a foot of snow on the ground. I see some guy all bundled up riding his mountain bike. Now that's too COLD.

[rondon]

well jeaniesa .. yours was the 3rd little bit of snobbery I've
run across here... and call it my weakness if you will, but with little I can do about it ... I vote with my feet...

in truth my little mongoose wasn't a mountain bike it was a hybred... mt/racing bike... in the few short months I traversed the rocky slopes of west palm with it .... few passed it... and no one stayed ahead of it..

but in earlier years I fashioned (but alas didn't patent) a truely superior mt. bike... attached you'll find a photo of me just prior to my decent of mt. awakening..

RonDon

[jeaniesa]

Rondon,

I apologize if my post came across as snobbery. I respect your experience with your bike and did not refute it. I was only passing along information that I'd received from experienced bike mechanics (in social, not sales, situations) in the hopes that it might save someone else the headaches that had been told to me. I'm sorry if that came across as snobbish. It was not intended.

Jeanie

[Sharon Brunson]

Hey Greg,

I'm getting into this discussion when it's probably over. But I am trying out biking also. I wanted something new. I got a Trek 4100 which is a hybrid bike for Christmas and am having a blast with it. There are some trails a couple of miles from home that I ride to. I have fallen a few times but it is mostly from inertia when going uphill. I look like Arte Johnson, just ride halfway uphill, lose momentum and fall over.

But it is fun. I did what Jeanie suggested...went to a bike shop. The salesman tried to sell me a comfort bike and cautioned me about mountain biking, but he did a great job of fitting the bike to me and didn't try to oversell me. My bike cost $320 on sale (reg. $425). It rides like a dream.

If you do it at your own speed it doesn't feel dangerous. I'm thinking of joining one of the DFW bike clubs so I'll have someone to ride with. None of my friends here are into it.

Sharon

[jeaniesa]

Congrats Sharon! Sounds like you're having fun.

It's a good idea to look into bike clubs. See if there are any that are for women only - or at least have a significant number of women. In my area there is "Team BOB" (Babes on Bikes ). They have members at all skil levels and sometimes have "skills" days where you can practice certain skills that make riding easier. Nothing against riding with guys, but when you're first starting out, it can be a little intimidating.

Also, check to see if any local bike shops or city recreation departments offer classes for beginning mountain biking. I took one through my city Parks & Rec department and it improved my confidence (and skill) on my bike immensely! They will explain the most efficient body mechanics to climb hills, how to "bunny hop", how to position yourself on your bike for downhills (to prevent you from going over the handle bars if you hit a bump!), etc. These are all things that can make your rides more enjoyable - not just for someone interested in "racing".

Most of all (as Danny says ): HAVE FUN!!

Jeanie

[Sharon Brunson]

Jeanie,

I think that's good advice about the women's club. I should be able to find something here. I also like the class idea. I never would have thought of that.

It's a fun sport.

Do you have any recommendations on gloves?

Thanks,

Sharon

[G. Couch]

Originally posted by Sharon Brunson
I have fallen a few times but it is mostly from inertia when going uphill. I look like Arte Johnson, just ride halfway uphill, lose momentum and fall over.

hehehe...that's what my wife said happened to her on her first time out! But, she also said she felt a great sense of accomplishment when she finally conquered those hills!

The class idea is a great one. My wife took a class at the local university and it really helped her gain valuable skills and gave her confidence.

[jeaniesa]

Re: gloves. I don't really have any recommendations other than they are good to have - for two reasons that I can think of:
1. The padding can soften some of the jarring that your hands take when going downhill. I prefer gloves with a lot of padding in the palm for that reason. But realize that it can make your grip a little smaller if you have a lot of padding, so your brake levers might need to be adjusted. (Not a big concern, just something to be aware of.)
2. If your hands are sweaty, they can slip off the handle bar grips when going downhill. (That's never good. ) The gloves prevent that.

A tip for going up hills - always be in first gear (smallest gear in front, largest gear in back). For the least wear and tear on your body (esp. your knees), it's best to "spin" the pedals. You won't be spinning going uphill, but first gear gives your legs the most leverage for the least amount of work. Also, be sure to shift into first before you need it! It almost never works to try shifting down just before you're about to fall over.

Jeanie

[BigAl]

Totally OT:
nice to see you back Sharon!

[Sharon Brunson]

Thank you, Al

I appreciate that.

I had an unnerving biking experience this afternoon. Some teenagers in a passing car threw water balloons at me. Fortunately, they were horrible shots.

Sharon

[gland]

Sharon that happened to me last summer when I was riding with a group here in Texas. It was so hot no one really complained. A little cool water felt pretty good.

I have had people throw glass bottles and other missiles at me. Fortunately they all missed.

Edit: Sharon I just noticed you're from Texas too so you know what the summers are like.

[jeaniesa]

Sharon, I think just about anyone who cycles can tell you stories of jerks on the road. Don't let it scare you off! (I agree, it is unnerving though!) Water balloons must be a TX thing - I've never heard that one before.

Jeanie