Mountain Biking - beginner bike?

fitbethlin

I live in gorgeous Denver CO, and I'm thinking about trying out mountain biking. Since I'm a not a strong cyclist and don't own a bike and am not entirely sure about this whole thing....I was going to set a limit of $500 for the bike and paraphernalia (helmet, shorts).

REI just changed the name of their line of mtn bikes and has one that will put me over that by around $100 (https://www.rei.com/product/106332/co-op-cycles-drt-11w-womens-bike-2017) and they also sell a Diamond back Lux (https://www.rei.com/product/112799/diamondback-lux-275-womens-bike-2017) that costs the same. I think I'll have to accept $600 for the total package at this point. (The local bike shop I checked out only had muuuuuuuuuuch more expensive bikes, and I'm just not willing to invest yet.)

Anyone have any experience with the REI Co-Op brands? The main difference between the REI bike and Diamondback seems to be rims (Diamondback = double wall) and brakes (REI = hydraulic vs Diamondback = mechanical disc).

I doubt it really matters all that much which one I chose, but I thought I'd make sure I wasn't overlooking something!

Theo166

For consideration.

Consider getting a used bike for your first one. If you don't want to try craig's list, Denver must have some good shops that specialize in used bikes. You can get a cheap beater to get you started. Like with skiing, it takes some experience before you know the equipment you really want. Then upgrade later when you have clarity and it's a real hobby.

You'll need a bike rack for your car, to move your bike.

You'll need lights, pump, tools and tube spare. Plus a good book for beginners. It all adds up.

kcjchang

^^^ this. Honestly, there's not that much difference between the two. REI has slightly better components but not by much. It basically come down which you like. If you get serious into it, both will probably needs to be retired after a season depending on the terrain. They have the look but really are not suited for serious trail riding, especially single track. At 30+ pounds, it going be a pain to carry inside the car (beside the dirt) and a decent rack will cost you about 200-300 dollars (unless you have a truck). Besides the accessories above, you might want to pickup a pair of shoes and something to carry water (bottle and cage or hydration pack).

TimothyFish

I got a very nice Diamondback from Performance bicycle for about $500. It was the previous year's model, so it was marked down considerably. I bought it thinking that I was getting a cheap bike. I got more bike than I thought I was getting.

You can get a nice used bike if you look in the right places, but you may end up replacing the cables and the tires and you'll probably have to grease everything. By the time you are done, you may not save that much over buying a marked down new bike.

Concerning the two bikes you are looking at. You already spotted the difference in brakes. There is also a difference in the gearing for the crankset. The with a smaller gear up front, the Diamondback will climb steep hills a little better. Another thing is the welding/brazing on the frame. Diamondback has nicer looking joints while the Co-op bike has a generic frame with thick joints that look like caulking. Basically, REI is giving you a cheaper frame so they can put slightly better components on it. Diamondback is paying for a higher quality frame by putting cheaper components on it.

fitbethlin

Theo166 wrote: »

Plus a good book for beginners.

Any suggestion on a book? I stopped in at the local independent book shop this week and was disappointed to see only road cycling books. I guess I'll be looking around on Amazon....

fitbethlin

kcjchang wrote: »

At 30+ pounds, it going be a pain to carry inside the car (beside the dirt) and a decent rack will cost you about 200-300 dollars (unless you have a truck).

That's a really good point that I didn't really factor into my total cost.

We've already got a thule set up on the top of one of the cars that we use for board sports (surfboards in TX, snowboards here in CO), so I was planning to look at what we need to add to that to carry a bike. Then my husband mentions that he is FINALLY ready to sell both our cars and get one Jeep to replace them. (And we're probably going to put a rear-tired mounted rack on that.) That'll be early June, so I'm going to hold off. Until then, I'm going to deal with the pain of putting it inside the vehicle. Not the best solution, but it'll let me limp along if I start riding in the next few weeks.

WhitneyDurham777

fitbethlin wrote: »

Theo166 wrote: »

Plus a good book for beginners.

Any suggestion on a book? I stopped in at the local independent book shop this week and was disappointed to see only road cycling books. I guess I'll be looking around on Amazon....

One website that I really like when I am off adventuring. www.mtbproject.com REI sponsors a whole family of outdoors websites with trail information. This ones focus is on mountain bikes. They usually have maps and good descriptions plus difficulty ratings. A great resource and free.

BrianKMcFalls

I would look into local clubs, mountain biking has a very active community. Clubs and groups are going to offer education (bikes, bike maintenance, trail etiquette, training rides) and social opportunities. The only thing they are looking for in return is to show up at some work days doing trail maintenance and maybe some advocacy work.

scorpio516

fitbethlin wrote: »

Theo166 wrote: »

Plus a good book for beginners.

Any suggestion on a book? I stopped in at the local independent book shop this week and was disappointed to see only road cycling books. I guess I'll be looking around on Amazon....

Zinn and the art of mountain bike maintenance.
https://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Mountain-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1934030597/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1491526013&sr=1-1&keywords=Zinn+and+the+Art+of+Mountain+Bike+Maintenance
New version coming out in November, so that's a long way off. The current version is from 15, so it's not like it's out of date.

Also check out your LBS. The comparable Specialized in $9 cheaper than the REI bike They might have last year's bikes too, especially this time of year (more so in the dead of winter though), on clearance.

TACO7RK

I have the Co Op Drt 1.3 and love it. Great geometry and great components. Excellent hardtail for the money and a blast on the trails.

Resistive

Congrats on taking mtb up. You will not look back. You live in the Rockies like I do and all I can say is that it’s Meca for mtb.

There is a website called Pinkbike, it’s a awesome site. There is also a very large section for used bikes.

Secondly, YouTube is a fantastic resource for learning.

A huge CAUTION though for when buying your bike. There is an item out there called a ‘dropper post’. Essentially you can control the height of your seat. This is very important and the stronger your get biking the more you will want one. Check and see if the bike you buy will be compatible with one. A lot of women bikes are short in the frame or it curves weirdly not allowing for a dropper post to be added.

Search an app called Meet Up, there you will find lots of local bike groups for skill sets.

Enjoy, it’s a riot!

jennybearlv

Are there any used bike shops in your area? I got my first mountain bike used from a co op, and I'm glad I did, because it turns out mountain biking is terrifying and I rarely take my bike out.