[LUconn]

It's obviously Christmas season as most of the subjects in this forum are asking questions about consumable goods.

But anyway, I figure that since I live a half a mile from 30 miles worth of mountain biking trails, I should get in on it. But I haven't gone near a bike since before I was able to drive. Although, at that time, I rode a lot. So from my experiences, here's what I'm looking for:

1. Cheap, I'm acutally looking for a used first. I want something that will work well, but I also don't want to get laughed off the trail because I've got a banana seat.
2. Sturdy Rims. I had a pretty cheap bike as a kid and it was fine except I would always be bending the rims. I would run over the littlest rocks and the thing would be wobbly.
3. No weirdo pedals. I don't want to have to wear some goofy looking shoes that lock in. That might just be a Le Tour thing.

And also there's probably things I should be watching out for that I don't know about. Readyyyy go.

[Hold My Own]

There's nothing wrong with going used...although be careful about going cheap...When I first started I bought a Mongoose from Dicks and it broke on my first ride, I bent the frame...and it wasnt even that tough of a trail...after that I bought a Trek Fuel and havent looked back since


Key things to remember

1. Dont get dual suspension unless your ready to spend a minimum of $800 simply b/c the cheaper bikes that have dual suspension really just dont work correctly and you bounce as you pedal which means your losing energy

2. Double wall rims...this is becoming more common on the cheaper bikes, it just pretty much means it's a lot tougher to bend a rim

3. Theres not much wrong with a front suspension...what I said about the dual isnt really true for the front, and I think it'll help you out

4. Even though I do wear the "weird-o" shoes...there are times where you'll make a fool of yourself thinking you unlocked from the pedal when you never did...man I hate it when that happens

We have someone new on the board that will be able to help you out a lot more than me but that's a good start

[RubberMallet]

pick up an older trek or specialized...

i have a 10 yr old specialized that is awesome....i got it for 35 bucks...

[LUconn]

any suggestion for size? I'm about 6'1", some times 6'2" if I let my hair fro up enough.