• Welcome to AlpineZone, the largest online community of skiers and snowboarders in the Northeast!

    You may have to REGISTER before you can post. Registering is FREE, gets rid of the majority of advertisements, and lets you participate in giveaways and other AlpineZone events!

Finding Gary a new bike!

tjf67

New member
Joined
Sep 26, 2006
Messages
2,218
Points
0
Location
L.P.
OK

I like reading this thread but lets be frank.

Cunny if you only want to spend 500 to 600 bucks on a bike you are not going to get one any better than the current bike you are riding. Take a couple hundred get the old one spiffed up and put the rest in your pocket.
 

bvibert

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Aug 30, 2004
Messages
30,394
Points
38
Location
Torrington, CT
I like reading this thread but lets be frank.

Cunny if you only want to spend 500 to 600 bucks on a bike you are not going to get one any better than the current bike you are riding. Take a couple hundred get the old one spiffed up and put the rest in your pocket.

I disagree with that statement. $500-$600 will get a decent HT that's more than adequate for what he wants to do and will be way better than his rigid, 15 year old Schwinn.
 

o3jeff

New member
Joined
Mar 12, 2007
Messages
9,792
Points
0
Location
Southington, CT
Sounds to me that he is looking to do more recreational riding and seeing that he got 15 years out of his current bike, I would think that a $500 +/- bike would be sufficient without putting him way over his budget.
 

bvibert

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Aug 30, 2004
Messages
30,394
Points
38
Location
Torrington, CT
Sounds to me that he is looking to do more recreational riding and seeing that he got 15 years out of his current bike, I would think that a $500 +/- bike would be sufficient without putting him way over his budget.

Right, that's what I'm trying to say.
 

gorgonzola

Active member
Joined
Sep 13, 2007
Messages
1,058
Points
38
Location
Bleu Mt PA
giant and jamis have some decent offerings in that $ range. get a decent hardtail frame with a mediocre component package - if you end up just riding rail trail type stuff they'll be fine and if you end up beating your bike and body up on the rocks and stumps you can upgrade components (not so much the body!) when they break, and they will. a hard tail will build your skill set better than a FS. in a few years when you feel a FS suits your needs you'll have a decent bike quiver :beer:
 

tjf67

New member
Joined
Sep 26, 2006
Messages
2,218
Points
0
Location
L.P.
I disagree with that statement. $500-$600 will get a decent HT that's more than adequate for what he wants to do and will be way better than his rigid, 15 year old Schwinn.

500-600 bucks wont get him anything better than what he is already riding now. He could put a front shock on his bike get it tuned. 200 beans and he is in the same position. It just wont be a shiny
 

gorgonzola

Active member
Joined
Sep 13, 2007
Messages
1,058
Points
38
Location
Bleu Mt PA
won't it still have a severely malformed chainstay (isn't that the bike we're talking abuot)? http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-US/bikes/mountain/1280/29353/is better!

oh and drop a few hints to the wifey and kids, my '98 GT aggressor was a daddy's day present! I still ride it pretty often although the frame, stem, cranks and seatpost are the only original parts
 
Last edited:

MR. evil

New member
Joined
Nov 29, 2007
Messages
3,547
Points
0
giant and jamis have some decent offerings in that $ range. get a decent hardtail frame with a mediocre component package - if you end up just riding rail trail type stuff they'll be fine and if you end up beating your bike and body up on the rocks and stumps you can upgrade components (not so much the body!) when they break, and they will. a hard tail will build your skill set better than a FS. in a few years when you feel a FS suits your needs you'll have a decent bike quiver :beer:

+1
 

MR. evil

New member
Joined
Nov 29, 2007
Messages
3,547
Points
0
500-600 bucks wont get him anything better than what he is already riding now. He could put a front shock on his bike get it tuned. 200 beans and he is in the same position. It just wont be a shiny

No shop would install a new fork on that bike. Its just to dangerous. 15 years is a good run for one bike, time for a new ride.
 

bvibert

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Aug 30, 2004
Messages
30,394
Points
38
Location
Torrington, CT
won't it still have a severely malformed chainstay (isn't that the bike we're talking abuot)?

Yes, that is the bike we're talking about. We never got a clear answer on what exactly is going on there, but it sure does look screwed up to me.
 

gmcunni

Active member
Joined
Feb 25, 2007
Messages
11,500
Points
38
Location
CO Front Range
Yes, that is the bike we're talking about. We never got a clear answer on what exactly is going on there, but it sure does look screwed up to me.

without trying to sound too stupid, what part of the bike is the "severely malformed chainstay"? the bike works fine, shifts gears well.
 

wa-loaf

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 7, 2007
Messages
15,109
Points
48
Location
Mordor
the chainstay is the "arm" that runs from the bottom bracket (where your front gears and pedals are) to the rear wheel and rear derailer. Yours has a big bend in it.
 

gmcunni

Active member
Joined
Feb 25, 2007
Messages
11,500
Points
38
Location
CO Front Range
the chainstay is the "arm" that runs from the bottom bracket (where your front gears and pedals are) to the rear wheel and rear derailer. Yours has a big bend in it.

WOW, what an F'ing retard i am... never noticed that before. just ran out and checked, thought perhaps it was an optical illusion based on camera angle. nope, bent. the bar is scratched up pretty badly where it bends. i must have been hitting some gnarly terrain and pushed her beyond her limits ;-)

Now i really do need a new bike, i can't be seen riding that piece of crap! even on the rail trail they'll make fun of me. :lol:
 

wa-loaf

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 7, 2007
Messages
15,109
Points
48
Location
Mordor
WOW, what an F'ing retard i am... never noticed that before. just ran out and checked, thought perhaps it was an optical illusion based on camera angle. nope, bent. the bar is scratched up pretty badly where it bends. i must have been hitting some gnarly terrain and pushed her beyond her limits ;-)

Now i really do need a new bike, i can't be seen riding that piece of crap! even on the rail trail they'll make fun of me. :lol:

:lol: I don't know if it's that bad. It might have been a "feature". Companies try weird stuff with their bikes sometimes and I think I remember some bikes having something like that back in the mid-90s. If it was that bad I don't think you could ride it. The wheel wouldn't track correctly and would probably be rubbing on something.
 
Top