Which mountain bike do I really need? new or old?

[Huntso]

Id been considering GT/ Marin bikes but Kona look really good too, off to the classifieds

Beware buying a specific size, from experience GT and Marin come up a lot bigger than a Kona

I could probably get away with riding a 19in Kona, but would have no chance with that size in a Marin

You need either the c to top or c to c size and even then they won't be exactly the same

If you are not used to it alu can feel very harsh, but used to prefer the more direct ride (not sure my old body would these days)

Something like a steel Stumpjumper would be nice or if you can find one a Breezer, loved mine and wish I still had it

Maybe even one of the cheaper Ti frames such as an Airborne or one of the other non boutique brands, strong, light and less prone to corrosion

 

[mordorf]

Steel you say a kona explosif on ebay tho is marked
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/KONA-EXPLOSIF ... 1132wt_932
Own a 94 myself brilliant ride

 

[highlandsflyer]

Depending on where you are, perhaps you could make it along to a Retro meeting and check out some of the riders machines?

Someone like LGF or Mikee could basically give a martian a good idea of what is available.

£500? Me, I would be looking at a soft tail 853, Ti or similar.

£250, Orange Clockwork with a nice pair of lockout forks.

You could do worse than buy a bike from someone on here, and perhaps swap over saddle, stem, handlebars to suit as you get into it.

LGF has wise words about changing your existing bike to suit, but we all love getting a 'new' bike don't we?

 

[paininthe]

Where are you? In Leeds? come and raid my garage

 

[highlandsflyer]

Where are you? In Leeds? come and raid my garage

That is what is cool about this site. Right there.

 

[bianchiboyd]

Thanks for the offer painin, is that serious?!!, sounds like a good idea to stick with something like a stumpjumper or maybe a muddyfox courier.
Also toying with idea of just keeping the galaxy and fitting wider tyres, its on 25s at the moment but did have a set of 32 world tours on it which would of done nicely.
Thinking that changing to a steel mountainbike instead of a steel tourer will only have the difference of wider tyres anyway now, so maybe just order different tyres, I dont think itd have as big an impact as thought using it off road, visions of it falling apart probably greatly exaggerated.
Thanks for replies to this, interesting to see peoples views, cheers

 

[bianchiboyd]

second thoughts that Kona Explosif is tempting, very tempting, love columbus frames, great link ty, grr must resist

 

[legrandefromage]

before 'mountain bikes' existed, guess what people were riding round off road...

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=42540

 

[bianchiboyd]

Interesting article, yeah realised that mountain bikes were only popular from around end of 70s onwards, ive got the bike that preceded them, a sturmey archer townie.
Love the look of your 531 framed mountain bike btw and if ur ever looking for a buyer id be in the market well cant blame me for trying

 

[highlandsflyer]

Maybe what would suit you would be a crosser?

They don't come much crosser.