Bicycle buying advice needed

[jcd11235 0]

I'm considering buying a new bike. I have an old Alpine road bike that I rarely ride, because I don't like road bikes much. I had a 1996 Cannondale F500 mountain bike (hard tail with Head Shock front suspension) that I put 2000-3000 miles on before selling it for jump money several years back.

I want another hard tail. I've never ridden a dual suspension mountain bike that I particularly liked. I loved my Cannondale's frame, although the components left a lot to be desired, and I often found myself adjusting spokes to keep the wheels true.

I'm considering a Motobecane Outcast 29, which I can pick up new for about $370 shipped. It appears to use all low-end components, though, and also seems to be a little bit heavy. Alternately, I can get just the frame for $185 shipped, which would require I purchase all the other parts separately, but allow me to choose components better suited to my wants and needs. The very first change I'll make to a complete bike is adding street slicks.

I don't have much experience with Motobecane bikes. I rode a friend's front suspension hard tail for a mile or two a couple years back, but that's it. I did like that bike very much. I also have no experience with 29 inch wheel bikes. On paper, they seem to have strengths well suited to my riding style, which is fairly aggressive on the streets and single track but a little bit more conservative on technical trails and downhills. I'm also not sure how well I'll like a single speed bike, but I assume I can add chain rings, a cluster, and derailleurs later if I find I don't like single speed.

I am not set on the Motobecane, and am open to suggestions of other brands and models. I would also appreciate advice and suggestions about components. I'd like to keep the weight down, but more importantly, I'm looking for the most bang for my buck, since I'm trying to keep the total cost down without making significant sacrifices with respect to quality.

I anticipate most of my riding to be on the street, but I might get back into riding on trails if I have a mountain bike. However, I'll consider other types of bikes if they seem to fit my needs better. The bike will likely be my primary (but not my only) means of transportation. I want to stay under $500, but might be willing to pay a little bit more if given a compelling reason.

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[Pinna 0]

For the price point you are looking for, you are going to have a difficult time finding something new that also includes good quality components. Giant has a good reputation for better quality at their low end and value. They have a model called the Yukon in hard tail that can be found close to your price range if you shop around. A little on the heavy side for serious riding, but a good bike for getting around and occasional offroad use.
Anything under $500 dollars is likely to be junk, or worse, there are a number of bikes out there that are designed to look like a mountain bike, but if you look closely, there is a sticker disclaimer stating that the bike was not designed for offroad riding.

The other option is to consider buying used. You can often find good quality bikes on Craigslist or eBay for a fraction of what they cost new, just make sure that a condition of the sale includes an inspection by a bike shop to look for cracks or other issues. Years ago I bought a Cannondale Raven for just under a thousand dollars, it sold for almost $4000 new just 5 years earlier and it was in mint condition. Good luck!

[Remster 30]

1st off, I'm not a mountain rider (used to a while ago, but it has been ages since I owned a mointain bike), but I think I still can give some valuable feedback.

1- Single speed: I _really_ dont think its a good option for riding in actual trails. You typically need quite a range of speed when riding trails. Since you mention street slicks, then that wouldnt be an issue if all you use it for is road riding. I'm sure you can ride trails witha single.. heck, I've riden fast aggresisve centuries with guys on singles on the road. But they are better men than I am! lol

2- Converting a Single speed to multiple speed: That will be more difficult. The rear hubs on a single speed bike is pretty specific for singles. (notice the flip flop in the description: that means you can flip the wheel, and on one side you have a fixed gear, and the other a free gear). You cant add a cassette to these kind of hubs: there is no space for it. So, that means that the 1st step to a conversion is a new wheel. Then, you need a derailleur for the rear (by the way, you cant add a couple of front chainring either without a rear derailleur to take up the slack). Then you need a new chain (longer). Then you may add a new crankset and chainring and a front derailleur if you want.

But wait, thats not it. You know, with most new bikes nowadays, you can remove your rear (and front) wheel with a quick release and put it back on easily. Not quite the same with a single. The drop-out (where the rear wheel attaches to the frame) are old school, horizontal drop-outs on singles, to allow you to adjust chain tension. That becomes a major pain when dealing with a multi speed bike.

So, converting a single to a multiple is, IMO, more trouble than its worth. To get a single speed, you should want a single speed.

Motobecane frames are OK.. Nothing special, nothing bad. You are getting what you pay for tho.

That being all said, if you want a single, and you use it mostly for comuting, it looks OK. You will not get the weight down on a mountain frame too much. On a single, the only place left to shave some weight is the wheels, and light wheels are expensive. Or, man up, use the fixed gear, and get rid of the breaks and levers!

Remster

[jcd11235 0]

@ Pinna and Remster

Thanks for the input.

A little bit more research revealed that Motobecane USA is not affiliated with the French company with the long bicycle history and good reputation. It appears that all of the authorized retailers have similar deep discounts, which indicates to me that the list price is inflated, rather than the selling price being reduced.

I ended up pulling the trigger on a similarly configured bike, a Redline Monocog 29 that received better reviews.

I agree that one generally gets what one pays for, but currently my budget does not allow me to order the any of the bikes that I want. One of the attractions of rigid forks and single gear is that if I don't have to pay for derailleurs or suspension, the rest of the bike can be of higher quality than I could otherwise expect, while still staying within my budget. I'm going to find out soon enough how well that strategy has worked, I guess.

Thanks again for your input.

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[futuredivot 0]

I suggest that you get one with wheels-you'll get much more enjoyment that way.

You are only as strong as the prey you devour

[Misternatural 0]

one with a seat is good too.

Beware of the collateralizing and monetization of your desires.
D S #3.1415

[ryoder 1,590]

Quote

A little bit more research revealed that Motobecane USA is not affiliated with the French company with the long bicycle history and good reputation.

Correct. It is one of the brands sold by a company called "Bikes Direct". They just bought the old Motobecane brand name. Whenever the BD topic comes up on the bike forums, it goes into a long-winded hot debate. A lot of people hate them, but there are also satisfied buyers.

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[Remster 30]

Quote

Quote

A little bit more research revealed that Motobecane USA is not affiliated with the French company with the long bicycle history and good reputation.

Correct. It is one of the brands sold by a company called "Bikes Direct". They just bought the old Motobecane brand name. Whenever the BD topic comes up on the bike forums, it goes into a long-winded hot debate. A lot of people hate them, but there are also satisfied buyers.

I think as long as you dont expect to get a $1500 bike for $600, you should be satisfied with them.

Remster

[jcd11235 0]

The Redline arrived a couple weeks ago. Sixty seconds into the first ride I realized that walking 2-5 miles daily is not the same as being in shape! .

I'm loving the bike. I replaced the stock WTB Exiwolf tires with a pair of Schwalbe Marathons, which made a huge difference (as expected). The 29 inch wheels are great. I don't think I'd enjoy riding something with those puny little 26 inch wheels now. I was a little bit worried that I wouldn't like the rigid fork, but it hasn't been an issue.

The single speed is great, although the stock gear ratio (32:16) is too low for the street. I've got a 12 tooth cog and a 14 tooth cog to try, but I haven't swapped them yet, since I don't have the necessary tool to do so. It's surprisingly refreshing to not have to deal with trying to stay in the optimal gear. I might convert it to fixed gear in the future, but I currently lack clipless pedals, so that will have to wait.

I'm looking for 2-3 decent flashlight mounts (good flashlights offer more light per buck than bike specific lights, plus they are useful for other things here in hurricane alley). I've examined a few, and tried a couple, but I haven't found anything that works well yet. I've got some parts ordered to fabricate a couple, with a little help from a machine shop. Still, it would be nice to find something suitable off the shelf.

Best of all, I've learned that Orlando and the surrounding area have many miles of interconnected biking/hiking trails, both paved (motor vehicles prohibited) and unpaved. There's even a few miles of single track on campus (riding in sand sucks, though). That's got to be the best thing I've found out about Orlando since I moved here.

It's nice to be pedaling again.

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