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Looking to buy my first mountain bike

abpanther

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
20,784
Any mountain bikers here?

My 10 year old son is really enjoying riding his bike and we live near are national park which has a large network of mountain bike trails. I'm keen to buy myself a bike and start riding with him.

I know nothing about mountain bikes, I've done a little research and determined that I need a hard tail with 29' wheels, light aluminium frame and hydraulic brakes, I don't want to spend more than $1000 and from what I've read that's about entry level. I was just going to pick one from this list - https://www.bikeexchange.com.au/blog/best-hardtail-mountain-bikes-2018-under-1000

If anyone has any advice/tips that would be great, I have considered picking up a second hand one from Gumtree but given I don't know much about bikes thought this could be a bit risky

Thanks
 

muzby

Village Idiot
Staff member
Messages
45,708
Any mountain bikers here?

My 10 year old son is really enjoying riding his bike and we live near are national park which has a large network of mountain bike trails. I'm keen to buy myself a bike and start riding with him.

I know nothing about mountain bikes, I've done a little research and determined that I need a hard tail with 29' wheels, light aluminium frame and hydraulic brakes, I don't want to spend more than $1000 and from what I've read that's about entry level. I was just going to pick one from this list - https://www.bikeexchange.com.au/blog/best-hardtail-mountain-bikes-2018-under-1000

If anyone has any advice/tips that would be great, I have considered picking up a second hand one from Gumtree but given I don't know much about bikes thought this could be a bit risky

Thanks
give these guys a look in.. https://www.bicyclesonline.com.au/bikes/mountain-bikes/mountain-hardtail/

they do their own 'brand' however the components you get on the bikes are excellent..

a mate of mine has one & loves it (he bought a dual suspension one)..

best part is, they offer you a 14 day trial period (if you ride it and don't like it, send it back..)
 

Mick Benson

Juniors
Messages
161
I've been riding for 25 years, current steed is a Trek Fuel EX 9.8.

I'd say $1,000 is about right for a quality entry level hardtail. The bikeexchange link seems like a reasonable list. Be aware, however, that if you get really into it you'll find yourself looking at upgrades way earlier than you expected. At that price point I'd stay away from dual suspension.

Look for the best quality frame and major components (suspension, wheels) and don't buy without a test ride and a proper fitting from someone who knows what they're doing. Some brands typically come better spec'd than their competitors for a given price point, Giant being the obvious example - in my experience there's a reason for this. Not saying they don't work for a lot of riders, but I don't get on with them.

Agree that second hand is risky unless you really know what to look for. Another thing to consider is that manufacturer warranty is usually limited to the original purchaser. If you buy second hand and the frame cracks (which is not rare), the distributor won't help you out.
 

retch

Juniors
Messages
739
Next Sat at Aldi...$350...probably rubbish...

WK36_PD_388x314_25a.jpg



  • 18 Speed Shimano Drivetrain
  • Suntour XCM Front Fork with Lockout
  • Direct Mount Rear Derailleur
  • Tektro Mechanical Disk brakes
  • Internally Routed Alloy Frame
  • Available in Medium or Large frame sizes
  • Available Blue or Red
  • 1 Year Warranty
“The Performance 29er is a great bike for taking your first journey into the world of off-road riding.” - Flow Mountain Bike.

To read a full review on this Mountain Bike, visit this link to Flow Mountain Bike
 

muzby

Village Idiot
Staff member
Messages
45,708
^ generally when it comes to bikes, cheap very rarely = good.
 

SpaceMonkey

Immortal
Messages
37,542
Yep wouldn’t touch an el cheapo bike. I bought a $600 mountain bike for a bike shop a decade or so back mainly for commuting and doing the occcasional trail, if I was buyin another now I’d spend at least a grand as I can see where I could’ve used that extra value (hydraulic disc brakes, better drivetrain and fork, more robust rims). Don’t be fooled by the name brand components on the Aldi bike either, Shimano and Suntour etc make cheap lines for big chains as well as their good gear.
 
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